Why Him? | A Holiday Comedy That Almost Gets There
- Forgotten Cinema
- Dec 24, 2025
- 2 min read
This week on Forgotten Cinema, we’re ringing in the holidays with Why Him? (2016), the loud, chaotic, and occasionally sharp Christmas comedy starring Bryan Cranston and James Franco. It’s a film built on big personalities colliding, awkward-family-dinner energy, and jokes that range from genuinely funny to maybe we should’ve tried that one again.
Loud, Crass, and…Pretty Fun
Both of us enjoy Why Him? for what it is. It’s not refined, it’s not subtle, and it’s definitely not going for timeless holiday-classic status, but when it hits, it hits. Cranston plays frazzled dad energy to perfection, Franco leans all the way into his eccentric tech-bro persona, and their clashing worlds make for some solid comedic sparks.
That said, the movie never quite reaches its full potential.
Who’s the Main Character Again in Why Him?
One of our biggest sticking points is how unfocused the movie can feel. The perspective keeps shifting, sometimes it’s Cranston’s film, sometimes it’s Franco’s, sometimes it’s the daughter’s, and that split focus keeps the movie from building bigger, stronger comedic set pieces. The film feels like it’s almost a great studio comedy, but doesn’t fully commit to the kind of memorable sequences that make the genre shine.
A Sitcom Waiting to Happen
As we talked about on the episode, Why Him? occasionally feels like a pitch for a sitcom or streaming comedy series. The dynamic works. The characters work. The setup works.
It just needs more room, more time to breathe, more buildup to jokes, more space for the comedy to naturally escalate.
In another universe, there’s a version of Why Him? that lasts six seasons on network TV, complete with holiday-themed episodes every December.
A Holiday Watch Worth Considering
Still, even with the missed opportunities, this is a perfectly enjoyable holiday movie. It's loud, flawed, but fun enough to toss on while you’re wrapping presents or baking cookies. If you like your Christmas comedies messy but spirited, Why Him? fits the bill.
Check out the full episode, available wherever you listen to podcasts and on YouTube.
A guilty pleasure? A missed opportunity? Honestly… a little of both.
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