Why Him?
2016 · Directed by John Hamburg
Original language: English
- comedy
The story
A dad forms a bitter rivalry with his daughter's young rich boyfriend.
What it’s like
Bright, glossy suburban-and-Silicon-Valley digital photography: sun-washed Michigan interiors giving way to sleek, white-walled tech-mansion sets, with wide two-shots and tidy, brightly lit comedy framing that favours reaction faces over stylised camera moves. The sound is upbeat pop-rock needle drops and cheerful workplace chatter, with the occasional sharp stinger when a joke lands. Its vibe is busy, cheerful and mildly chaotic, the kind of crowd-pleasing comedy that suits a lazy weekend afternoon, a family-night pick, or something easy on a long-haul flight. Pacing is brisk and escalating, with the energy building through a string of set-piece awkward dinners and blow-ups. The emotional register is warm and teasing underneath the barbs, following a bristling, overprotective father slowly softening toward the outrageous, earnest boyfriend he cannot stand. Intensity is moderate: crude sexual humour and frequent profanity, some slapstick mishaps and a few tense confrontations, but no real gore or cruelty. It is for viewers who want a lively, laugh-out-loud family comedy with a generous heart and no need for anything dark.
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