The Batman (B or 3/4 stars)
We re-visit some loveable in-laws in 'Meet the Fockers', a comedy directed by Jay Roach. This film is the sequel to the very successful, Meet the Parents. We're taken on a wild goose chase as the conservative Byrnes' family drives down to Florida to meet the ultra-liberal Fockers for the very 1st time. If you are down & out and need a pick me up, I recommend this movie. It's not hysterical, but it isn't a 'stupid' comedy, either. The film is passive enough to let you escape the world for a couple of hours. If you loved the 1st film, you will really like the 2nd.
Action starts when the Byrnes entourage (including new grandson, baby Jack) take off in their RV to visit their future son-in-laws' parents. In the car, Jack (Robert De Niro) tells Greg (Ben Stiller) that he hopes Greg can stay in his 'circle of trust'. If you saw the 1st film, you know what this refers to. He then goes on to tell Greg that he hopes he has come from a good gene pool & that his parents are respectable people … oy vey. They arrive at the Fockers' Florida home & are immediately met by Bernie (Dustin Hoffman). Bernie has been working out, physically embraces the Byrnes, & even kisses them. Right away, this puts Jack off & doesn't know how to react. All he knows is that Bernie is a lawyer, & that his mom, Roz (Barbra Streisand), is a doctor. Little do the Byrnes know that Bernie retired yrs. ago to raise little Greg & left his wife to be the sole breadwinner; a trait that Jack would not find admirable. They also don't know that Roz is really a sex therapist for senior citizens; another abhorrence in Jack's eyes.
Greg knows his parents aren't up to par with the times), & he loves them, but he is also embarrassed by them and thinks Jack will respond very negatively to them. Greg lives in constant fear of Jack, his opinions, & his judgments. Jack is the type of person who likes to be a winner, and expects other people to strive to be a winner in life. He doesn't believe in the Focker's family institution of 'celebrating mediocrity'. This is clearly evident when we see that Bernie has hung Greg's countless accolades and trophies on the den wall; most of them being pewter medals or worse. But they are medals, nonetheless.
It is interesting to note that many of the things that happen throughout 'Fockers' happened in the 1st film, but with different scenarios & different outcomes. One would think these recycled jokes, antics, puns, & one-liners would prove unoriginal & boring; quite the contrary. It's funny watching Bernie's poor little doggie get blue from the toilet fluid (in the same vein as when Jack's cat got painted by Greg in the last film). It is funny seeing how Jack uses special cameras to spy on Greg (just as he did in the 1st film). It is funny to see how family dinner at the dining room table could create such a rousing stir (as the last film). As mentioned before, a hysterical injury took place In 'Meet the Parents' when Pam's sister got a bloody nose playing water polo with the family. And in this film, a friendly football game between these families display the same fate for a member of the Byrnes family. The jokes are old, but the delivery & twist to each joke was original enough.
The best parts of the film involve Hoffman & Streisand. Not only do they pull of comedy, but they truly make us believe that they are Bernie & Roz Focker of Florida. Their characters are both unique & completely cliché, at the same time; great chemistry. The scene with Hoffman in the bathroom with De Niro is great. And a scene where Streisand gives De Niro a massage is priceless. It provides one of those rare moments for me where I almost become drunk with laughter.
De Niro's facial expressions are priceless. Blythe Danner's character evolution is interesting, but I would like to have seen more of her. Ben Stiller is good as Greg. But most of the laughs came from the older folk, this time. I had 2 major problems with 'Fockers': One, it took 20 minutes to really get rolling & bring the 'funny'. Once Jack's RV got rolling, so did the comedic plot. Another weakness is the ending. Owen Wilson, who I normally love, made an awkward cameo appearance & the tone of the last 15 minutes changed. Comedy was supplanted by blase complacency. The rest of the material in-between was humorous for sure. I am sure that this film will eventually expand to a trilogy. It has a clear following, & future sequels will bring in record numbers at the box-office.
Action starts when the Byrnes entourage (including new grandson, baby Jack) take off in their RV to visit their future son-in-laws' parents. In the car, Jack (Robert De Niro) tells Greg (Ben Stiller) that he hopes Greg can stay in his 'circle of trust'. If you saw the 1st film, you know what this refers to. He then goes on to tell Greg that he hopes he has come from a good gene pool & that his parents are respectable people … oy vey. They arrive at the Fockers' Florida home & are immediately met by Bernie (Dustin Hoffman). Bernie has been working out, physically embraces the Byrnes, & even kisses them. Right away, this puts Jack off & doesn't know how to react. All he knows is that Bernie is a lawyer, & that his mom, Roz (Barbra Streisand), is a doctor. Little do the Byrnes know that Bernie retired yrs. ago to raise little Greg & left his wife to be the sole breadwinner; a trait that Jack would not find admirable. They also don't know that Roz is really a sex therapist for senior citizens; another abhorrence in Jack's eyes.
Greg knows his parents aren't up to par with the times), & he loves them, but he is also embarrassed by them and thinks Jack will respond very negatively to them. Greg lives in constant fear of Jack, his opinions, & his judgments. Jack is the type of person who likes to be a winner, and expects other people to strive to be a winner in life. He doesn't believe in the Focker's family institution of 'celebrating mediocrity'. This is clearly evident when we see that Bernie has hung Greg's countless accolades and trophies on the den wall; most of them being pewter medals or worse. But they are medals, nonetheless.
It is interesting to note that many of the things that happen throughout 'Fockers' happened in the 1st film, but with different scenarios & different outcomes. One would think these recycled jokes, antics, puns, & one-liners would prove unoriginal & boring; quite the contrary. It's funny watching Bernie's poor little doggie get blue from the toilet fluid (in the same vein as when Jack's cat got painted by Greg in the last film). It is funny seeing how Jack uses special cameras to spy on Greg (just as he did in the 1st film). It is funny to see how family dinner at the dining room table could create such a rousing stir (as the last film). As mentioned before, a hysterical injury took place In 'Meet the Parents' when Pam's sister got a bloody nose playing water polo with the family. And in this film, a friendly football game between these families display the same fate for a member of the Byrnes family. The jokes are old, but the delivery & twist to each joke was original enough.
The best parts of the film involve Hoffman & Streisand. Not only do they pull of comedy, but they truly make us believe that they are Bernie & Roz Focker of Florida. Their characters are both unique & completely cliché, at the same time; great chemistry. The scene with Hoffman in the bathroom with De Niro is great. And a scene where Streisand gives De Niro a massage is priceless. It provides one of those rare moments for me where I almost become drunk with laughter.
De Niro's facial expressions are priceless. Blythe Danner's character evolution is interesting, but I would like to have seen more of her. Ben Stiller is good as Greg. But most of the laughs came from the older folk, this time. I had 2 major problems with 'Fockers': One, it took 20 minutes to really get rolling & bring the 'funny'. Once Jack's RV got rolling, so did the comedic plot. Another weakness is the ending. Owen Wilson, who I normally love, made an awkward cameo appearance & the tone of the last 15 minutes changed. Comedy was supplanted by blase complacency. The rest of the material in-between was humorous for sure. I am sure that this film will eventually expand to a trilogy. It has a clear following, & future sequels will bring in record numbers at the box-office.