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 Meet the Parents
Rated: PG-13 for sexual content, drug references and language.
Runtime: 107 mins.
Director: Jay Roach
Writer: Greg Glienna and Mary Ruth Clark (screenplay)
Tagline: First comes love, then comes the interrogation.
Cast: Robert DeNiro, Ben Stiller, Phylis George, Teri Polo....complete cast
Genre: Comedy
Most memorable quote: "His parents gotta be decent people if they named their son Gaylord Focker"
by Frank Wilkins
Any guy who has ever proposed marriage can relate to this hilarious comedy of extraordinary errors. Of course, the most intimidating part of the whole marriage thing is meeting your fiancée's parents, and in most cases, the intimidation only exists in your own mind. I'm sure that's exactly what Greg Focker (Ben Stiller) was thinking too.
The movie begins as Greg, a male nurse, is on one knee about to propose to his girlfriend Pam, played by Teri Polo. Setting the tone for the remainder of the movie, his proposal is interrupted by a call on her cell phone. It is her sister letting her know that she will be getting married in a few weeks. Upon learning that her sister's fiancée asked the father's permission before proposing, Focker quickly regroups, pockets the ring and decides to accompany Pam to her sister's wedding to meet her parents.
Things begin to immediately fall apart for Greg as the airline loses his luggage and Pam informs him that he is to not let her Dad know that he smokes (it's a sign of weakness). One social faux pas follows another as Greg muddles through the uncomfortable situations, awkward moments of silence and physical mishaps. Many valiant gestures, one as simple as presenting and opening a bottle of champagne for Pam's parents, go horribly awry. The cork hits the urn above the fireplace, breaking the urn and spilling the ashes of Grandma Byrnes' cremated remains, which immediately become the perfect litter box for Jenks, the family cat. One running gag is that of Greg's last name. Hearing Pam's father say "Focker" forcefully is quite shocking. Mr. Byrnes expresses great concern when he realizes that his daughter's new name will be Pamela Martha Focker. Say that three times loudly.
Stiller's versatility as a serious actor was proven in Permanent Midnight, but his comedic genius makes him perfect for this role, often drawing laughs simply from his facial features and body movements in reaction to the crumbling social situation around him. Many of the funnier scenes throughout the movie involve the interaction between Greg and Jack Byrnes (Robert DeNiro), Pam's father. An ex-CIA agent, Jack really knows how to put on the interrogation of the man who will never be good enough to marry his daughter. The lie-detector test could have been much funnier, but I think all lie-detector comedy skits have been used up so, maybe they shouldn't even have tried it.
Meet the Parents is a well-written comedy that pours on the laughter but seldom goes for the cheap laughs such as bodily function humor that drive most of today's comedies. Most of its situational humor, gags and pratfalls are very sophisticated, well thought out and executed perfectly by the wonderful cast. Many of the Byrnes' friends and family are successful at portraying the ridiculously snobbish Long Island yuppie types and Stiller comes off masterfully as the sympathetic character who, due mostly to no fault of his own, becomes the butt end of the jokes and pranks.
Even considering the subject matter, I think Meet the Parents is safe from in-laws. I think men and women alike will appreciate the humor, but there is some questionable language that would be unsuitable for children so I give it a low babysitter factor. A comedy has to be very funny to receive a high rating from me and I give Meet the Parents a very high reel rating.
Frank Wilkins
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Screen formats: Widescreen 1.85:1
Subtitles: English
Sound: English (Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround), English (DTS 5.1), French (Dolbt Digital 2.0 Surround)
Other Features: Actors and crew discuss plot points in the behind-the-scenes-featurette, but the comedy gold lies in the outtakes. There's a commentary track by Roach and editor Jon Poll, and another where Stiller, Roach and producer Jane Rosenthal tiptoe around a surly De Niro. Other extras include an interactive lie-detector test..
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Complete Cast:
| Robert DeNiro......... |
Jack Byrnes |
| Ben Stiller.......... |
Gaylord "Greg" Focker |
| Teri Polo.......... |
Pam Brynes |
| Blythe Danner.......... |
Dina Byrnes |
| Nicole DeHuff.......... |
Debra Byrnes |
| John Abahams.......... |
Denny Byrnes |
| Thomas McCarthy.......... |
Bob Banks |
| Phyllis George....... |
Linda Banks |
| James Rebhorn.......... |
Dr. Larry Banks |
| Owen Wilson.......... |
Kevin Rawley |
| Kali Rocha......... |
Flight Attendant |
| Bernie Sheredy.......... |
Norm (the interrogator) |
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