Meet the Parents (2000)

Nice effects though.

Good movie, but best of all time? Hardly . . .

The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

A clunky actioner with a handful of cool moments.

In comedic films, the plot is often a secondary consideration. Like an unplanned vacation, the destination is not what's important--it's the journey itself that matters. Meet the Parents is a predictable plot based on an overused cliché, and I give it two thumbs up. What counts here is not the plot, it's the humor and the performances that make it worth the ride.Jay Roach is the director who inflicted Austin Powers on humanity. Fortunately, he is able to dial it down a notch here and give us humor that is a little more subtle--not much, but every bit helps. Ben Stiller plays the unfortunately named Greg Focker, who is on his way to meet the parents of the woman he loves. His character here is almost a reprise of his character in There's Something About Mary. Greg is desperate to make a good impression on his girlfriend's parents and his general anxiety turns into full-blown terror when he meets Pam's father, Jack Byrnes. Jack (played by Robert DeNiro) is a rather humorless man who deep down believes that no man could be good enough for his little girl.Greg has been led to believe that Jack is a retired florist, but he soon discovers that Jack has an entirely different, and much darker, past. DeNiro is perfectly cast as the foreboding father figure, and DeNiro plays the part superbly. Greg soon discovers that even the most benign chatter is a kind of test, and he feels--quite rightly--that he is failing miserably.Virtually every character in this story lies to another character at one time or another. Much of the humor revolves around little lies that necessitate either full confessions or even bigger lies. The characters choose bigger lies almost every time. ("Oh, what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive"). The biggest laughs come as we watch Greg trying to extricate himself from one of his self-spun webs or as we watch Jack setting another trap.The tone of the film reminded me of Father of the Bride. Like that film, the predictability of the plot doesn't really matter. We know from the beginning how it will ultimately end. Films like this rise or fall on the strength of the writing and the power of the performances. While there are thoroughly adequate supporting performances here, the real dynamic comes in the chemistry between Stiller and DeNiro. This is not great art or profound social commentary. But the audience roared as they watched these characters play out situations that were close enough to real to make them feel the embarrassment and frustration of the central characters. If you don't get a chance to see it at the theater, save it for a video rental. For extra fun, invite your future in-laws and see if they think it's funny.

Meet the parents is a movie about a male nurse named Greg Focker who wants to propose to his girlfriend. He won't do it until he gets her father's blessing however, and this proves to be difficult. Jack is an ex-CIA agent who dislikes Greg's career choice and religion, so he makes it very difficult for Greg to impress him. Through a while film of mishaps and misunderstandings, this movie uses dark comedy, comedic timing, and some emotional parts that create a great film that tells you to except yourself even if someone else doesn't.

Meet the Parents is a hilarious comedy film that will give you laughs and laughs and laughs for days on end. It tells the story of Greg Focker (Ben Stiller), a male nurse who goes to live with girlfriend Pam's (Teri Polo) parents for the weekend. However not all will be a calm getaway because Pam has a very strict father Jack (played by Robert De Nero). The film is absolutely hilarious and has some very funny moments.This is a remake of the 1992 film that was originally written, directed and stared Greg Glienna. I have not seen the original film, but maybe it'll become available someday.Meet the Parents spawned two sequels: Meet the Fockers and Little Fockers but they are not as funny as this one.I give Meet the Parents a 7/10.

Meet The Parents (2000) introduces Greg (Ben Stiller) and Pam with silly quirks that come up later in the story. Pam's parents are also quite the treat; the movie does not go over the top but portrays them with serious humor and charismatic wit. It is DeNiro and Stiller who make the movie, however. The filmmakers take advantage of the phenomenal tension between Greg and Jack, and place them in one hilarious situation after another. The more Stiller gets in trouble, the more painful it gets, the better Stiller gets, the more the audience laugh. There is also a part from Owen Wilson. Stiller and Wilson have made a lot of films together as their scenes always work. The way we see DeNiro slowly gets harder and harder on Greg is timely pacing among the directors choice decision.