MOVIE WITH HEART BUT WHY THE CRASS HUMOUR?
IWAS intrigued by the movie’s poster. It’s of Bryan Cranston being sandwiched in a hug between Zoey Deutch and James Franco. The tagline “Of all the guys his daughter could have chosen...” easily explains the dirty look that Cranston is giving Franco.
I thought it’d be incredibly amusing to see the two top Hollywood actors acting out that situation. So it was with great anticipation that I went to watch this comedy. I should have known that this movie was directed and written by John Hamburg, who wrote the screenplays for Meet The Parents, I Love You, Man and Zoolander 2. So you can expect a lot of expletives in the dialogue and obscenities in almost every scene involving Franco’s character.
I’m a fan of comedy, but if it’s mixed with crass humour, it loses its appeal for me. It makes the film look classless, but most R-rated comedies tend to go in this direction anyway.
Cranston plays the middle-class Ned Fleming who, with his wife Barb (Megan Mullally) and teenage son Scotty (Griffin Gluck), travels to California to visit his daughter Stephanie at Stanford. He finds out Stephanie has an older boyfriend named Laird Mayhew (Franco). Judging by Ned’s first impression of him, he seems like trouble — every dad’s nightmare!
From the get-go, we learn that Laird is wildly inappropriate and foul-mouthed. He shamelessly steps into your personal bubble and his mouth absolutely has no filter. How far Laird can go is unbelievable, and it’s crazy to find out what surprise he will spring next. However, at the same time, Laird can surprise you by proving he actually means well. There is this whole different side of him that will make you change your mind about his personality.
Ned initially thinks Laird is a college student, but he’s actually a Silicon Valley tech magnate, whose life is a complete contrast to Ned’s. Laird does whatever it takes to impress Ned and his family.
Still, overprotective dad Ned isn’t buying it. He is horrified to find that Laird has succeeded in winning over Barb and Scotty. Ned’s panic level increases when Laird reveals he plans to pop the question. Why Him? is relatable in terms of how far Laird is from every dad’s idea of a potential son-in-law. The first two acts show Laird’s many (sometimes odd) attempts to win over the Flemings’ hearts. And it’s always nerve-wracking to bring the boyfriend home to meet the parents.
Ned and Stephanie’s close relationship is another key element in the storyline, but it’s nothing new.
Meanwhile, Ned is struggling to recover his failing print company. Then there’s Scotty whom Ned is grooming to take over the company, but for now is sidelined when it comes to contributing ideas for its growth.
Why Him? does have heart but not enough compared to the huge amount of crude language and sexual references. I feel it’s a movie that guys will enjoy more since the jokes are mostly the kind that belittle women. What Laird is capable of doing is indeed interesting to discover but after that, you can’t help but cringe.
Some scenes are unnecessarily long. One of them is where Ned has to pass motion but Laird’s home doesn’t have toilet paper, so Ned has to learn how to use the automatic toilet instead.
Laird’s best friend Gustav (KeeganMichael Key) is supposed to bring in the laughs as well, but I find him awkward. He has this odd accent, which doesn’t necessarily work, just like the funny scenes he’s in.
Cranston plays an old-school father brilliantly, but at the end of the day, he’s just a waste of talent for this ill-developed story. Franco seems like a natural. He plays Laird (and presents Laird’s odd personality) so comfortably.
Deutch may be a pretty face but her acting is plain. Gluck is interesting, but Mullally is odd as well; that may be because of her character. There are other familiar faces in the film, including Adam DeVine, of the Pitch Perfect films. Laird has also managed to bring in The Flemings’ favourite rock stars, so you can look forward to that.
Go watch Why Him? if you’re fan of R-rated comedies.
bibiramli@nst.com.my