Why Him? (2016), R, ★★

Meet this guy. He's going to be your new son-in-law.

All right, people, even if you are in a relationship with another person, do you have that feeling when you get nervous that there would be a time you would have to meet your boyfriend's or girlfriend's parents? Advice: be calm, cool but the only thing is be yourself. Composure is the key. However, in a comedy like this when characters have to meet their parents, I like those types of comedies to see what sort of relationship they will form or how the meeting will unfold. Comedies such as Father of the Bride, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?, Meet the Parents, My Big Fat Greek Wedding have all those sorts of formulas as to what slapstick and jokes are coming. I have to admit I did laugh but sporadically because the execution does not take off as to why the father questions that his daughter wants to be with a crass billionaire. I simply stated the answer because most of the jokes are hit-and-miss in this formulaic comedy.

The movie opens weirdly that should have been a deleted scene in which Laird Mayhew (James Franco) talks with his girlfriend, Stephanie Fleming (Zoey Deutch) via FaceTime as they talk about if they want to "Netflix and Chill". Stephanie's young brother, Scotty (Griffin Gluck) presents a slideshow for their dad's, Ned's (Bryan Cranston) birthday. Ned's wife, Barb (Megan Mullaly) and some of Ned's colleagues are in attendance. However, an inappropriate image comes along as they try to have Stephanie pop in via webcam as Laird comes in.

Ned is the head of the printing comedy that is in financial trouble. The company is in debt and is unable to close deals with big clients because they want to go digital. His co-worker, Lou Dunne (Cedric the Entertainer) talks about the incident that occurred last night and he says that Stephanie wants her family to meet Laird even though she did not tell them about having a boyfriend until last night. As his family arrives at Laird's house, Laird's right-hand man, Gustav (Keegan Michael-Key), who acts as the voice of reason to Laird, shows them the way. Laird is obnoxious, curses and compliments Barb's looks. Ned questions Stephanie's decision as her own boyfriend but she ultimately tells Ned to give Laird a chance. Sure....

Well...I guess...we're off to a start. Not good, but...

Man...I wanted to like this because some of the cast are so talented in both comedic and dramatic chops. Some of the jokes are hit-and-miss in which the parents and James Franco's character meet face-to-face have some of the big laughs for me. But, when the jokes fall flat, they become so desperate because they have an R-rating, they can get away with anything. There's a sequence in this movie that is real creepy in which Ned is trying to find Laird's personal files on his computer but when Laird and Stephanie come in and have sex, Ned only hides and listens to them having sex. Maybe to a teenager, it is funny. But for me, I thought it was not as unfunny but it is creepy to have a father witness his daughter having sex and I asked myself, "It's raunchy, yes. But, that's a joke that you really want to supply me? That's your idea of a good joke for an R-rated comedy?" I'm saying that it's too loose that it loses focus on its characters.

Bryan Cranston wants to try to become a character reminiscent of Robert De Niro from Meet the Parents. De Niro found a way to be advantageous to become a stiff character but to create some logic and some fun into his CIA character. With Cranston, he's real uptight that he looks like he was trying to create a one-note straight-man role. He becomes a little Walter White in a couple of scenes. Franco is trying to have fun with his typical comedic persona again like he did with his comedies with Seth Rogen. He's fine in this but he's not a memorable funny guy like his character in Pineapple Express. Megan Mullaly has some comedic flair and Keegan Michael-Key is funny as Laird's voice of reason.

Director John Hamburg had an idea, a formulaic idea that is spun into a raunchy comedy that could've been a solid, funny one. But, in the end, it becomes creepy at times with its jokes but then it becomes saccharine as it tones down to becoming more sweet to others. I will say this that the end had a fresh and respectable take as to how it ends for Franco's and Deutch's character. So, that I was pleased. However, there are two characters who have become pawns of a raunchy formulaic comedy that spews off laughter as medicine for its genre but the screenplay does not take off or finish well to become a completely fresh take of a formulaic R-rated comedy. Did I laugh? Yes. Did I like this movie? No, but it was fun for about half the time.

**