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 Blythe Danner, James Rebhorn, Owen Wilson Rated PG-13 for sexual content, drug references and language. RATING CANADA... Rated PG with sexual innuendos, mild language and drug references. |
 Comedy Stiller faces the ordeal of meeting her parents...can he survive? |
Well DeNiro's production company Tribeca has produced a hit. Tribeca tends to make art films that border on the commerical side but this time they have made a fully commericial hit. This film is going to walk away at the boxoffice pure and simple. Deniro is great as usual and Ben Stiller does what he does best. Stiller is the everyman underdog in so many of his films. The guy who is kind and gentle and is in love with the girl he can't seem to have, remember SOMETHING ABOUT MARY. Nothing is different here. The film succeeds because we can all empathize with this type of character. Meeting the parents of your favourite girl can be devastating and traumatic, but horror of horrors having to meet a father like DeNiro's character can just about put you in hte loonie bin. Greg Focker is a male nurse played by Ben Stiller (yes they really play up his name and his occupation in this one). Yes Nurse Focker is in love with Pam Byrnes (Teri polo) and he has decided to propose to her but just before he does he finds out that her sister is getting married the following week after securing the blessing of Jack Byrnes, the father. Yes he is played by the incomparable Robert DeNiro. Realizing that somehow this asking permission for her hand is important in her family, he quickly changes his plans and decides to ask Jack for her hand in marriage while at the wedding. Pam warns him that her father is a little wierd, so he should not be put off by him. Wierd, now there is the understatement of the moment. When they arrive at the airport, Greg's bags are lost, unfortunately the engagement ring is in one of the bags. Soon he meets the anal retentive parents from hell at Oyster Bay homestead. Jack is a no nonsense type of guy with little patience for Greg. No matter how hard Greg tries to be humourous he fails miserably. The only thing that Jack seems to really care about are his mother's ashes and his cat, Mr Jinx. Combining these two makes for an interesting comedic situation. Between all the Focker jokes, Jack takes Greg to the store but while there Greg sees a shady money transaction between Jack and another man. It does not take too long for Greg to figure out that Jack is or was a CIA agent. In the house Greg realizes that Jack has cameras all over the house so when those inevitable bedroom meetings occur between him and Pam, we are treated to very funny sequences. "I have nipples, Greg, can you milk me?" One of the worries that Jack has is that if Greg marries his daughter, she will be known as Pamela Martha Focker. Okay, come on now, I warned you that they were going to milk the name gags for all they are worth. While Greg accidently ends up in the basement he finds all his CIA pictures and a lie detector. Jack finds him in his room and decides that Greg should take a lie detector test. Trust me it is funny. After this Jack tells him that he is now in THE CIRCLE OF TRUST. That trust is strained when Greg has to borrow some clothes from Jack's son. Inside the jacket is a marijaunna pipe which Jack grills Greg over since he his son says it isn't his. After a good interrogation Jack and Greg go over to the home of Pamela's ex-boyfriend, whom Jack really likes. Owen Wilson plays the ex, Kevin Rawley who seems to be financially independent as well as extremely handy with wood. He loves to build wooden structures including a beautiful gazebo for the uncoming wedding of Jack's other daughter, Debbie (Nicole DeHuff). Various highlights to look for are the swimsuit scene and the water valleyball sequence that turns into a strategic war game in Jack's hands and the really nasty outcome. The overflowing septic system, the burning gazebo, Mr. Jingles on the roof, the fire, the fake cat, the sinking truck, all these work well as poor Greg tries his best to become part of this family. Stiller works this character well throughout this maniacally funny movie.  After the disasterous weekend, Greg and Jack have to come to gripes with each other for the sake of Pamela.
Will they? Go see the movie. Don't leave before the credits though, because there is a nice bit at the end, with
Greg Jack and his wife Dina. Blythe Danner plays Dina Byrnes beautifuly but she is wasted in this film
as she really does not get to say too much. This film is really all DeNiro and Stiller and everyone
else becomes window dressing. It seems that whenever you put the deadpan comedy of Ben Stiller together
with just the right actor he has a hit. His downtrodden character seems to be likeable by the audience. Dare I say
that he has an almost Charlie Chaplin like quality? Could be. So you have some time today...well go and ...
MEET THE PARENTS. There's lots of nice music by Randy Newman...does this guy ever sleep or does he
just stay up 24 hours a day writing soundtracks?Warning, Bill Robinson, warning...do not eat popcorn or take sips of your drink during the funny parts as choking and and squirting liquid out your nose maybe disturbing to others around you. |
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