Meet the Parents/Meet the Fockers
MEET THE PARENTS (12)
D: Jay Roach
Dreamworks (Nancy Tenenbaum, Jane Rosenthal, Robert De
Niro & Jay Roach)
US 2000
108 mins
Comedy
W: Jim Herzfeld & John Hamburg [based on the
screenplay by Greg Glienna & Mary Ruth Clarke]
DP: Peter James
Ed: Jon Poll
Mus: Randy Newman
Ben Stiller (Gaylord 'Greg' Focker), Robert De Niro (Jack
Byrnes), Blythe Danner (Dina Byrnes), Teri Polo (Pam Byrnes), Owen Wilson (Kevin Rawley), James Rebhorn (Dr. Larry Banks)
Ben Stiller has a week to forget when he visits the
in-laws-to-be with his fiancé and faces the inauguration from hell from her stern father, a former CIA agent, very set in his conservative ways.
There are some genuinely funny moments in this smash hit
comedy, with a good on-screen double act between Stiller and Robert DeNiro. Far too many jokes revolve around Ben Stiller's characters name (Focker) which were stretched beyond breaking point
in the inevitable sequel (Meet The Fockers).
There are a couple of cringeworthy moments, but it's
generally a good-natured romantic comedy, based on a 1992 film which flew so low under the radar, it would be miracle if anyone even knew of its existence, nevermind actually seen
it.
6/10
MEET THE FOCKERS (12)
D: Jay Roach
Dreamworks (Jane Rosenthal & Robert De
Niro)
US 2004
115 mins
Comedy
W: Jim Herzfeld & John Hamburg
DP: John Schwartzmann
Ed: Jon Poll & Lee Haxall
Mus: Randy Newman
Ben Stiller (Gaylord 'Greg' Focker), Robert De Niro (Jack
Byrnes), Dustin Hoffman (Bernie Focker), Barbra Streisand (Roz Focker), Blythe Danner (Dina Byrnes), Teri Polo (Pamela Byrnes)
The formula from Meet The Parents (qv) returns for this
sequel to the 2000 hit film, with far too many jokes revolving around the unfortunate surname of Ben Stiller's character and his family.
Generally, the film is quite enjoyable, with Dustin
Hoffman & Robert DeNiro constantly attempting to outdo each other throughout the film being the main highlight, the predecessor is much funnier though.
5/10
LITTLE FOCKERS (12)
D: Paul Weitz
Universal/Paramount/Relativity Media/Tribeca (Jane Rosenthal,
Robert de Niro, Jay Roach & John Hamburg)
US 2010
98 mins
Comedy
W: John Hamburg & Larry Stuckey
DP: Remi Adefarasin
Ed: Leslie Jones, Greg Hayden & Myron I.
Kerstein
Mus: Stephen Trask
Ben Stiller (Greg Focker), Robert de Niro (Jack Byrnes), Owen
Wilson (Kevin Rawley), Blythe Danner (Dina Byrnes), Teri Polo (Pamela Martha Focker), Dustin Hoffman (Bernie Focker), Barbra Streisand (Roz Focker), Jessica Alba (Andi Garcia)
Enough already! The first Meet The Parents was a decent movie
but to spawn two focking sequels with the same focking jokes is just scraping the focking barrel.
There's only so many jokes that can be made out of a surname
before it becomes boring and bringing a new generation into the story doesn't make it any funnier.
This is nothing but a lazy cash-in. No more focking
sequels!!
2/10
