Why Him? 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		1.0
Overall		3.0

Why Him? 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Why Him? offers the perhaps unexpectedly winning pairing of Bryan Cranston and James Franco in the oft told tale of a parent not approving of their child’s choice in significant other. While hardly a sophisticated comedy, for those with their expectation bar set appropriately the film provides pretty consistent if often juvenile laughs. But is that enough to warrant a 4K UHD upgrade?

Why Him? 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Note: The included screenshots are sourced from a 1080p Blu-ray disc. Watch for 4K screenshots at a later date.

Why Him? is presented on 4K UHD courtesy of 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment with a 2160p transfer in 1.85:1. This digitally shot film was presumably finished at a 2K DI (though I haven't seen any authoritative source documenting that), and exhibits a subtle but noticeable uptick in both detail levels (especially some fine detail levels) as well as a sometimes quite interesting rejiggering of the palette courtesy of HDR. This is often a bright and sunny set picture, something that helps the overall representation of the palette, as well as detail levels. Laird's ultramodern mansion has some slim brick accents on various walls that really have a tactile appearance now in 4K UHD that wasn't quite at the same level in the 1080p iteration. Other fine detail elements like facial pores, the pill on a bright red sweater Stephanie wears, or the silly effect of a new tattoo Laird has just gotten have at least some more precision in this version. While most of the film isn't tinkered with vis a vis grading, the long party scene is bathed in tones of purple, which now have a really interesting new bluish undertone to them, something that may or may not account for the minimal increase in shadow detail and overall definition levels of this section of the film. There is occasional very slight judder during lateral pans.

Why Him? 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

This version offers the same excellent DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 track detailed in the Why Him? Blu-ray review. That said, as tends to be the case with Fox 4K UHD releases, the audio and subtitle specs on this version are not the same as on the 1080p Blu-ray. The specs above are for the 4K UHD version.

Why Him? 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The 4K UHD disc features the commentary that is part of the larger supplements package on the 1080p Blu-ray detailed in our original Why Him? Blu-ray review (a 1080p Blu-ray is also included in this package).

Why Him? 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

I was kind of unexpectedly charmed by Why Him?, and I have to admit I laughed anew at the outright goofiness of some of the interplay between the characters as I watched this 4K UHD version. That said, the film is pretty rote and undemanding, and anyone looking for Noel Coward level sophistication had best keep on the hunt. While the 4K UHD version does provide a subtle but noticeable uptick in detail levels and some representations of a fairly naturalistic palette, I'm not sure I'd jump at this film in this version unless I were really in love with it—kind of like Laird with Stephanie levels, so to speak.