What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedWhy Him?
Film · 2016
If you loved Why Him?, start with Jack Whitehall: Travels with My Father (Jack Whitehall, 2017) — a series on the same thread. Below: 4 books, 4 series and 1 podcast, each matched to Why Him? across media.
If you enjoyed the comedic friction in Why Him?, you will appreciate these chaotic explorations of strained intergenerational relationships and family dysfunction.
Books on the same thread
A Man Called Ove: A Novel
Fredrik Backman · Book · 2016
Explores: Grumbling protagonist, Unexpected friendship, Redemption.
Much like the protective father in Why Him?, Ove is a rigid curmudgeon whose solitary life is hilariously disrupted by an intrusive, boisterous presence that challenges his worldview.
There Are Dads Way Worse Than You
Glenn Boozan · Book · 2024
Explores: fatherhood, parental failure, absurdist comedy.
If you laughed at the cringeworthy father-daughter dynamics in Why Him?, this satirical look at parental failure offers a similarly humorous, albeit more cynical, take on the fatherhood experience.
Sh*t My Dad Says
Justin Halpern · Book · 2010
Explores: Generational Differences, Father-Son Relationships, Cynicism.
This collection captures the same generational friction found in Why Him?, highlighting the absurdity that arises when a stiff father is forced to confront modern, unfiltered personality types.
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul
Jeff Kinney · Book · 2014
Explores: Family Road Trip, Dysfunctional Family, Summer Vacation.
Fans of the chaotic family dynamics in Why Him? will recognize the same brand of high-stakes, disastrous comedy as the Heffley family navigates their own ill-fated road trip.
Series on the same thread
All in the Family
Johnny Speight · Series · 1971
Explores: Generation Gap, Social Issues, Family Conflict.
Archie Bunker serves as the blueprint for the stubborn patriarchs seen in Why Him?, providing a classic look at how ideological clashes within a family generate constant, bitter conflict.
Arrested Development
Mitchell Hurwitz · Series · 2003
Explores: Dysfunctional Family, Wealth and Privilege, Family Business.
This series elevates the wealth disparity and dysfunction central to Why Him?, focusing on a family whose extreme privilege creates endless opportunities for social awkwardness and comedic failure.
Malcolm in the Middle
Linwood Boomer · Series · 2000
Explores: Dysfunctional Family, Gifted Child, Middle Class Life.
The comedic survival of a gifted teen within a dysfunctional home mirrors the desperate attempts to maintain order seen in Why Him?, focusing on the absurdity of domestic life.
Jack Whitehall: Travels with My Father
Jack Whitehall · Series · 2017
Explores: Generational Differences, Culture Clash, Family Bonding.
This travel series mirrors the central conflict of Why Him? by forcing a stodgy, traditional father into uncomfortable situations with his son, resulting in genuine, hilarious generational friction.
Podcasts on the same thread
boomer and zoomer
Podcast
Shares a thread with Why Him?: father-daughter relationship.
If the father-daughter dynamic in Why Him? resonated with you, this podcast provides an authentic, real-world perspective on the comedic gaps and bonding moments shared between different generations.
Keep exploring
Common questions
What is the central conflict in Why Him?
The central conflict in Why Him? involves a father who develops a bitter rivalry with his daughter's young, wealthy boyfriend. The film focuses on the tension and friction that arises between these two men as they clash over their different lifestyles and personalities.
Is Why Him? focused on a father-daughter relationship?
Yes, Why Him? centers on a father who is forced to navigate a difficult situation when his daughter brings home a young, rich boyfriend. The primary narrative arc revolves around the father's intense and bitter rivalry with this new partner.
Does Why Him? feature a romantic partner as a main character?
Yes, a young, rich boyfriend is a main character in Why Him?. The plot is driven by the interaction between this character and the father, who views the relationship with hostility and forms a bitter rivalry with the boyfriend throughout the movie.
What kind of dynamic defines the plot of Why Him?
The dynamic in Why Him? is defined by a bitter rivalry between a father and his daughter's boyfriend. This interpersonal conflict serves as the foundation for the movie, as the father struggles to accept the young, wealthy man who is dating his daughter.