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The raunchy comedy "Why Him?" is a reminder that the battle for women's rights will never truly be over, because Hollywood will still find it hilarious to show a stick-in-the-mud dad worrying about the weird guy his daughter is dating.
This raunchier take on the "Meet the Parents" theme centers on Ned Fleming (Bryan Cranston), owner of a Michigan printing company that's closer to financial ruin than he's told his wife, Barb (Megan Mullally). Ned gets word that his Stanford-attending daughter, Stephanie (Zoey Deutch), is dating a guy and flying her parents and teen brother, Scotty (Griffin Gluck), to California to meet him.
The guy is Laird Mayhew (James Franco), a billionaire game-app developer who walks shirtless around his vast estate and whose favorite word is a certain compound word that begins with "mother-" and ends in ways that we can't discuss in a family newspaper.
How rich is Laird? So rich that he has "Top Chef" alum Richard Blais serving dinner to the Flemings, and Steve Aoki working as DJ at his Christmas party (which is attended by billionaire Elon Musk). So rich that his all-seeing Siri-like computer assistant, Justine, has the voice of "The Big Bang Theory" star Kaley Cuoco. So rich that he has his house manager, Gustav (Keegan-Michael Key), act as life coach and martial-arts trainer.
Ned is put off by Laird's ostentatious wealth — like the moose-in-urine artwork in the living room — and complete lack of social boundaries.
And as Laird wins over Barb and Scotty with his honesty, Ned's resistance to his charms grows more stubborn.
Director John Hamburg ("I Love You, Man"), writing with Ian Helfer (with Franco pal Jonah Hill sharing story credit), applies the idea that if one throws enough outlandish R-rated jokes at the screen, enough of them will stick regardless of the plot structure. Luckily, the batting average here is higher than on most movies of this type.
Even with sharp comic talents like Mullally and Key on hand, enjoyment of "Why Him?" will come down largely to one's feelings about the two male leads. Those who find humor in Franco's dude-bro antics or Cranston's slow-burn gruffness will find plenty to laugh at. Those who don't are advised to go elsewhere.
Twitter: @moviecricket —
HHH
'Why Him?'
A Midwestern dad grows suspicious of his daughter's out-of-control boyfriend in this raunchy comedy.
Where • Theaters everywhere
When • Opens Friday, Dec. 23.
Rating • R for strong language and sexual material throughout.
Running time • 111 minutes.