The Boyfriend: Pourquoi lui?

It might be prudent never to judge a book by its cover, but often enough, the author would give you a good idea what you're about to invest your time in. Bryan Cranston and James Franco doing a comedy together was enough to give me the necessary shove to press "Play" on this one.

I like comedies but finding a good one lately has been a challenge. Been disappointed many times with trailers that seem promising only to find out that those scenes are the best the entire movie has to offer. There have also recently been a bunch of comedies relying on the director's or the leads' reputation to carry the film to box office and critical success only to crash and burn upon release. This one is a rare exception. Congratulations to the team for getting it just right! James' Laird was a delicate balance. Annoying yet sweet, sometimes offensive but without being repulsive. Bryan's Ned fits the stereotype yet has been restrained enough to remain relatable. Even the cameo from Gene and Paul, though expected, came out fresh.

If you're looking for a fun movie, give this one a try. Be forewarned though of the liberal use of profanities.

Why him? I tell you why, because I can't think of any other actor who can transform this this cinematic excrement into a gourmet dish. There is a matteroffactness in his character that lives somewhere between Rupert Pumpkin and Howard Hughes, the thing is that the life James Franco gives to his character is absolutely real. The film could have turned into a horror thriller, because Franco forces you, in the most entertaining way, to feel slightly off-balance. That alone keeps you glued to it in spite of the moronic lack of ideas. Bryan Cranston, of course, is sheer perfection. Reacting hilariously to the absurdity with infinite generosity - A trait of great actors - I wish them a Billy Wilder next time or a Preston Sturges or...you know. Fearless originals just like Franco and Cranston.

I mean where to start. This movie was something it's not your usual Rom-Com. It goes way n beyond in both drama and comedy. It has no boundaries which makes it exciting and funny. Yes super hilarious combined with unexpected scenarios but still it somehow manages to find ways to tell a romantic story through it all.

Cast has amazing actresses like Zoey and megan. They spark the plug whenever they're on the screen but Franco, Bryan and Keegan they create that fire. That fire might be cringy, exaggerated but it's extremely hilarious to watch as they act out.

It really is just a funny and raunchy movie to watch and not over-focus on the plots and its logic making (although it is important). Cameos are cool and unpredictable. Music in it is a vibe and matched it really well. Scenes are amazingly shot. They are rich in colours and feels stylish.

7/10

Thank you for reading this :)

This was on my year-end list as well. It was buried somewhere down the list.. like it was nearly hanging off of it. Actually, it was in a separate list of "Films I may or may not see in December if reviews are really bad". Why Him? actually did get awful reviews. But for some reason, I wanted to take a chance on it. I felt something was there. For one, I am a Franco-file, and I love him in anything he's in. So I went and saw it.

I was pleasantly surprised. I laughed a lot. It's really just a goofy movie, and that's alright by me. Don't put too much thought going in. If your afraid of not laughing, even a little bit, leave that nonsense at the door, and enjoy the show. James Franco brings his A-game here, and is once again totally hysterical. Bryan Cranston has great comedic timing. Megan Mullally is a scene stealer. Kegan-Michael Key is bonkers. It's got Kaley Cuoco as an awesome version of Siri, the best of Silicon Valley, Adam Devine, a moose dipped in urine that explodes. Oh, and 1/2 of the band KISS in full costume and makeup. It's been a while since a comedy movie made a tribute to one of the greatest bands of the 70's. Role Models was the last one. You could say that it's shamelessly borrowing from Role Models, but in Role Models it felt forced and unnecessary. In Why Him? It fits in with the craziness.

This is a holiday, cornball comedy that doesn't suck.. as they tend to.

Thank god I have dry humour as I found this movie so funny. How people can say it's not funny I will never know. If you're reading this and have NOT yet seen the movie, go ahead and which it as it's bloody funny.