Why Him?
Performance & Direction: Why Him? Review
Last updated: February 17, 2026
Quick Verdict: Hit or Flop?
Is Why Him? (2016) worth watching? According to our cinematic analysis, the film stands as a ABOVE AVERAGE with a verified audience rating of 6.4/10. Whether you're looking for the box office collection, ending explained, or parents guide, our review covers everything you need to know about this Comedy.
Cast Performances: A Masterclass
The success of any Comedy is often anchored by its ensemble, and Why Him? features a noteworthy lineup led by Bryan Cranston . Supported by the likes of James Franco and Zoey Deutch , the performances bring a palpable realism to the scripted words.
Performance Analysis: While the cast delivers competent and professional performances, they are occasionally hampered by a script that leans into familiar archetypes.
Final Verdict: Is it Worth Watching?
Story & Plot Summary: Why Him?
Quick Plot Summary: Released in 2016, Why Him? is a Comedy film directed by John Hamburg. The narrative brings laughter through sharp writing and comedic timing, providing amusement while touching on deeper societal themes. This summary provides a scannable look at the movie's central conflict involving Bryan Cranston.
Story Breakdown
The comedic structure relies on both situational humor and character-based comedy. A dad forms a bitter rivalry with his daughter's young rich boyfriend. The production finds humor in relatable situations while maintaining narrative momentum. The jokes serve the story, with callbacks that reward attentive viewers.
Narrative Structure
- Opening Hook: The opening establishes the comedic tone and introduces the central conflict through humor and character quirks.
- Character Arc: The main character shows growth throughout the story, though some supporting characters could have been more fully realized. Bryan Cranston's arc is present but occasionally predictable.
- Climax & Resolution: The comedic climax ties together recurring jokes and character arcs, delivering both laughs and emotional satisfaction.
Ending Explained: Why Him?
Ending Breakdown: Directed by John Hamburg, Why Him? concludes its story with a mix of closure and open interpretation. The finale presents its approach to comedy resolution.
The conclusion addresses the core thematic questions involving Bryan Cranston, offering viewers material for post-viewing discussion.
Ending Analysis:
- Narrative Resolution: The story concludes by addressing its primary narrative threads, providing closure while maintaining some ambiguity.
- Character Arcs: Character journeys reach their narrative endpoints, reflecting the film's thematic priorities.
- Thematic Payoff: The ending reinforces the comedy themes established throughout the runtime.
The final moments of Why Him? reflect the filmmakers' creative choices, offering an ending that aligns with the film's tone and style.
Who Should Watch Why Him??
Worth Watching If You:
- Enjoy Comedy films and don't mind familiar tropes
- Are a fan of Bryan Cranston or the director
- Want some laughs and light entertainment
Box Office Collection: Why Him?
| Metric / Region | Collection (Approx) |
|---|---|
| Production Budget | $38.0M |
| Worldwide Gross | $118.1M |
| Trade Verdict | FINANCIAL DISAPPOINTMENT |
Why Him? Budget
The estimated production budget for Why Him? is $38.0M. This figure covers principal photography, talent acquisitions, and visual effects. When accounting for global marketing and distribution, the break-even point is typically 2x the base production cost.
Top Cast: Why Him?
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Where to Watch Why Him? Online?
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Fandango At HomeWhy Him? Parents Guide & Age Rating
2016 AdvisoryWondering about Why Him? age rating or if it's safe for kids? Here is our cinematic advisory:
⏱️ Runtime & Duration
The total runtime of Why Him? is 111 minutes (1h 51m). Ensuring you have enough time for the full cinematic experience.
Verdict Summary
Analyzing the overall audience sentiment, verified rating of 6.4/10, and global performance metrics, Why Him? is classified as a ABOVE AVERAGE. It remains an essential part of the 2016 cinematic calendar.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Why Him? worth watching?
Why Him? is definitely worth watching if you enjoy Comedy movies. It has a verified rating of 6.4/10 and stands as a ABOVE AVERAGE in our box office analysis.
Where can I find Why Him? parents guide and age rating?
The official parents guide for Why Him? identifies it as R. Our detailed advisory section above covers all content warnings for families.
What is the total runtime of Why Him??
The total duration of Why Him? is 111 minutes, which is approximately 1h 51m long.
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Critic Reviews for Why Him?
**Printing biz meets the app biz! Paper versus digital!** This is not the theme something you could see for the first time. I have seen many classics, probably you would have as well. But the difference is it was a different cast and a bit modernised. Modernised means just the story set in the todays technological trend world like almost everything that related to AI we use in our daily life. It's yet to be a lifestyle, I mean new norm. So you can see a few people who had already progressed like we say Silicon/IT guys. That's the background and with the same old concept that the parents, particularly the father of the girl meets her boyfriend. When they do, those misunderstanding, generation gap and what else, all hell breaks loose. The comedies were okay. In some places it was too much. Instead of a laugh, it only annoyed. Though there were some good jokes, except I hardly had any good laugh in my entire watch. I remind you again that it was an okay film. Some people might find it good, some won't. Still a watchable film for the good performances. It's a face-off between James Franco and Bryan Cranston as expected. Elon Musk was a surprise. It had several opportunities to be better like turnaround its narration, yet they stuck with the same concept for the whole film. So other than mild entertainment, there's nothing in it to laud. I hope it all had ended here. Please, no sequel. _5/10_
movieMx Verified
This review has been verified for accuracy and editorial quality by our senior cinematic analysts.
This analysis is compiled by our editorial experts using multi-source verification and audience sentiment data for maximum accuracy.










