Meet the Fockers (2004)

Meet the Parents found such tremendous success in the chemistry produced by the contrasting personalities of stars Robert De Niro and Ben Stiller that the film's creators went for broke with the same formula again in Meet the Fockers. This time around, Jack and Dina Byrnes (De Niro and Blythe Danner) climb into Jack's new kevlar-lined RV with daughter Pam (Teri Polo), soon-to-be son-in-law Gaylord (Stiller), and Jack's infant grandson from his other daughter for the trip to Florida to meet Gaylord's parents, Bernie and Roz Focker (Dustin Hoffman and Barbra Streisand in a casting coup). The potential in-laws are, of course, the opposite of Jack, a pair of randy, touchy-feely fun-lovers. The rest of the movie is pretty much a sitcom: put Bernie and Roz together with Jack, and watch the in-laws clash as Gaylord squirms. As with the original, there is a sense of joy in watching these actors take on their roles with obvious relish, and the Hoffman-Streisand-Stiller triumvirate is likeable enough to draw you in. But the formula doesn't work as well in Fockers mostly because much of the humor is based on two obvious gimmicks: Gaylord Focker's name, and the fact that Streisand's character is a sex therapist. As a result, the movie itself is more contrived and predictable, and a lot less fun than the original. The casting is grand, but one wishes more thought was put into the script.--Dan Vancini Amazon.com

You Must Meet Them!

Excellent sequel to Meet the Parents~! The producers found the perfect parents for Ben Stiller's character. It is a laugh out loud movie and a keeper for your movie library.

Merna

Pocket of Pearls: A 30-day pocket workbook to start hearing a softer voice inside of you! June 20, 2008

Streisand and Hoffman Lend Buoyancy as Mother and Father Focker in a Minor League Comedy

It shouldn't be too big a surprise that this movie is a fairly mediocre Hollywood confection, but I did have a whimper of a hope that this was going to be an edgier social commentary given the comedy potential of the situation. Alas, it would be too much to expect director Jay Roach to be in the same league as David O. Russell or Alexander Payne given that his track record is mostly made up of Austin Powers movies. I never saw the original Meet the Parents, so luckily I don't have that point of comparison, but one can easily fill in the blanks with this soft-centered sequel. Written by Jim Herzfeld and John Hamburg, the plot seems ready-made from an instant pudding mix. Having given permission to Gaylord Focker to marry their daughter Pam, the white-bread Byrnes family from Oyster Bay now prepares to meet their new in-laws in Florida (of course).

Simple enough, but the big surprise is that Dustin Hoffman and Barbra Streisand (third and fourth-billed, no less) seem to be having such a great time playing Bernie and Roz Focker that you can almost overlook the script deficiencies. Each had auspicious film debuts over 35 years ago (he in The Graduate, she in Funny Girl), and they have known each other since their struggling New York days in the early sixties. That history is helpful in explaining their natural chemistry here, and you're left wondering why these two never worked together before. Streisand, in particular, seems relaxed as a free-wheeling, caftan-wearing, opinionated sex therapist, which seems like a send-up of her self-important psychiatrist in her own The Prince of Tides. For once, she's not bathed in candlelight in some Harlequin romance with a blonde gentile unable to commit. Rather, she lends credibility to a grounded character in an often hilariously passionate marriage to a physical and intellectual equal, and at certain moments in this film, I don't think I've liked Streisand more onscreen.

If Hoffman seems less surprising, it's only because he has already proven to be a masterful comic actor with Tootsie and Wag the Dog. Even when the running gags (a passion for capoeira, overzealous displays of affection) get tired, he still imbues his caricature with a zestful spirit. The remaining elements of the film seem tired in comparison, and unfortunately I have to include the original stars. Perhaps it's because they are recycling behavior that would be hard to refresh a second time. Robert DeNiro's tiresome portrayal of Jack Byrnes, the intimidating ex-CIA spook, is particularly disappointing and not so much because the actor is slumming (which he is) but because his character works on only one motivation, to humiliate and eventually eject his future son-in-law from the "circle of trust". There are hints that the summit meeting of Hoffman, DeNiro and Streisand would turn into something more substantial, but the sitcom dimensions of the script quickly extinguish the possibilities. Ben Stiller, who is the actual protagonist of this comedy, seems to be sitting back as his character, Gaylord, recedes into the background. He has exactly one funny scene on his own, when he spouts his honest feelings after being injected with a "truth serum".

The whole subplot with Gaylord being accused of fathering his former family housekeeper's son seems tired and superfluous. I like Blythe Danner as Jack's wife, Dina, looking to resuscitate some spark in their marriage, and Teri Polo, who actually seems sharp and worthwhile as the fiancée at the center of the story. But neither is given much to do except a funny scene where Roz uses hand puppets to teach Dina how to get sex out of Jack. If seeing DeNiro wearing a homemade rubber "manary gland" sounds hilarious, by all means go see this movie. For me, it just made me think how it would be great to see Hoffman and Streisand re-team in a James Brooks comedy, how DeNiro should go back to Scorsese for career guidance and how Stiller may want to take a break before he plays yet another nebbish character. By the way, I'm guessing Streisand's "A Star Is Born"-era hairdo is an in-joke to her partner since her character's name was Esther Hoffman. Now that's the kind of subtlety this comedy needed.

The 2005 DVD features two versions of the film - the theatrical cut and a completely unnecessary extended cut, which edits in several deleted scenes. Like the DVD treatment for Ray, the additions are announced to the viewer through a blinking gimmick and consequently inhibit the flow of the narrative. It's better to see these understandably excised scenes separate from the film. Roach and editor/co-producer Jon Poll provide a so-so commentary track, and there is also a fitfully funny blooper reel. Several disposable shorts are included, among them "Fockers' Family Portrait" featuring brief snippets from Hoffman, Streisand and Stiller; a behind-the-scenes look at Jinx the Cat ("Inside the Litter Box"); another behind-the-scenes look, this time at the infant ("The Adventures of a Baby Wrangler"); a five-minute featurette on "The Manary Gland"; and a Today Show interview with the entire cast. April 9, 2008

Nice sequel

Meet the Fockers is ok. Standard jokes and humor. Good plot line but it tend to drag on sometimes. The baby sort of saved the movie at certain places.
March 5, 2008

The second chapter is just as funny as the first, which is a good and a bad thing...

I will admit that `Meet the Fockers' is funny; in fact it's really funny. If I were judging this film of pure comedic effect alone I'd have to say that this truly nails it. You see, it's not a question of landing jokes and gags here for each and every one lands fine, it's just that sadly this film is nothing new. `Meet the Fockers' is more like `Meet the Parents' rehash with a few new faces. Taking as its own film it's genuine and hilarious yet when taken alongside its superior predecessor it can prove disappointing. If only the script had been as ingeniously constructed as `Meet the Parents'.

This film picks up right where `Meet the Parents' left off. This time it's more a game of meet the in-laws as the Byrnes family travels to meet Greg's parents. Greg's parents are obviously complete opposites of Pam's. Bernie and Rozalin are loud and obnoxious and, for lack of a better word, `loony'. They love their son regardless of his flaws and failures, in fact they celebrate everything he's ever done, which is not something that sits well with Jack. Add to this the fact that Pam and Greg have a big secret that threatens to dismantle her father and you have all the makings of a very tense visit.

My issues with `Meet the Fockers' lie solely in the script. The decision to revisit Jack's untrusting paranoia was frustrating to me. By the end of `Meet the Parents' we feel that maybe finally Greg has broken into Jack's ridiculousness and that they are going to move forward in their relationship. Having Jack resort back to his scheming and manipulating and deceiving all over again seemed kind of forced and repetitive. The clash between the Byrnes and the Fockers was funny and Hoffman and De Niro play off one another well, but Jack's character is not as enjoyable the second time around. There is no real character development. It's like the writers said `hey, this worked last time so lets do it all over again'.

The cast all works well, everyone returning as well as the new faces. This film belongs to Barbara Streisand and Dustin Hoffman. I can't think of two actors better suited for the roles. They are hysterical and add layers of genuine sincerity to the roles, much like what De Niro did for Jack Byrnes in `Meet the Parents'. Teri Polo has more to do this go around, but she still a backseat to the more memorable performers, Blythe Danner being one of them.

I enjoyed this film and I think if you watch it as just another comedy then you will too. The jokes land one right after the other beautifully. Like I said, it's that pesky problem of remaining stagnant that hits this one. There is no progression of comedic entertainment here. `Meet the Fockers' is `Meet the Parents Part II' and that said it's bound to be funny. Sometimes that's good enough. February 29, 2008

Deniro's lowest point in his career!

I am saddened to see someone go from Mean Streets, Taxi driver, Raging Bull, Deer Hunter... do this junk. I guess the scripts aren't out there so he has to lower himself to do these formula comedies that might be funny to a seventh grader. The title says it all "Fockers" I could hear Bevis and Butthead laughing at this word because it sounds dirty. The movie isn't any better with its sophomoric humor. Once you've see a Ben Stiller movie you don't really have to see any of his other films because they are basically the same format and are as predictable as his other films. It seems like if you are an actor or singer on your way out you stop and do a Stiller film before you go. Sad! February 16, 2008

More reviews at Amazon.com ...