Meet the Fockers (2004)

So much average

People are voting emotionally.

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

Meet the Fockers (2004): Dir: Jay Roach / Cast: Ben Stiller, Robert De Niro, Dustin Hoffman, Barbara Streisand, Teri Polo: Sequel that regards anticipation or expectation of one's character or personality. Ben Stiller and his fiancé are tying the knot but her parents must meet his parents so her father loads up the motor home and off they go to Florida. Simple setup descends into sitcom situations and a misguided scene towards the end regarding a cop. More focused than Meet the Parents, which is also directed by Jay Roach. This is his second comedy franchise after having directed the Austin Powers films. While an improvement over the first film it is still a battle of trust between Stiller and Robert De Niro, only this time meeting the parents is replaced with preparing for marriage. And the whole subplot regarding De Niro's nephew is unnecessary. On the plus side Dustin Hoffman and Barbara Streisand steal scenes as Stiller's parents. Hoffman is an ex-lawyer turned stay at home father, and Streisand is a sex therapist for the elderly. It is obvious that a reunion will be met but despite its flaws, this is more durable to sit through. Teri Polo as Stiller's wife is every bit as cardboard here as she was in the first film. Her role should be solid but instead it is a filler. Well made sequel with a theme regarding how our parents' lifestyle can embarrass despite honest intentions. Score: 5 ½ / 10

well after the first film we knew that there we be a sequel with me looking forward to this film is was not let down it was a brilliant sequel which it outdone its other film its like date movie comedy with fun and heart so with Greg and Pam Marther focker getting on with their life there is only one thing left to do is meet Greg's folks Dusty and Barbra this is hilarious funny with them as adult guides wait till they got a hold of bob character well as they are having a family get together bob as you know is C.I.A so any gadget or R.V he has is up to date with software as such so with meeting his parent Greg is certainly in the circle of trust or so he believes as bob doesn't like his character as with the baby sign language and name calling cat and dog at it or jinx flushing antics at it again this is a must see movie

In 2004, half of the 10 highest-grossing movies were sequels to previous box-office winners released less than 2 or 3 years before: "Shrek 2", "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban", "Spider-Man 2", "Ocean Twelve" and naturally, "Meet the Fockers". It's also worth noticing that four of these five sequels were second installments. Obviously, you don't change a winning recipe is a motto followed by many producers, and who can blame them in an industry driven by money and profit?But I'm not trying to be cynical, not yet. The reason I raise these statistics is because they prove indeed that the sequel of a good movie will always attract viewers, as if it was covering half-of the marketing budget just by being a sequel. The trick is to follow a pattern that succeeded and inject enough newness to surprise the viewers. The point is to never get too distant from the original material and still be new. Well, that can work with plot-driven movies and linear narrative; however, it's more difficult to be original when a film is the continuation of a situation-driven comedy, like "Meet the Parents".The original film was about being an outsider, about a clash resulting from a triangular love : Greg Focker (Ben Stiller) loved his girlfriend, Pam (Teri Polo), Jack Byrnes (Robert De Niro) loved his daughter, so both guys had to get along despite their different mentalities. Naturally, at the end, they both started to appreciate each other, the peace pipe was smoked and all went well that ended well, so there had to be another plot device for the comic-of-opposition, so after an exhaustive brainstorm they thought: how about discovering Greg's family? And the casting of Dustin Hoffman and Barbra Streisand as the Fockers' couple retired in Hawaii, could only be encouraging.The effect would be doubled, first we have to replay the games with equal rules, it's time for good old Jack Byrnes to learn about the Fockers' customs and philosophy of life, and put in perspective his 'personal' methods. How someone who believes his daughter never had sex before marriage would deal with a sex-therapist? How would a constipated, overly-protective man deal with spontaneous persons who believe in letting nature speaks, and people to follow their instincts? Secondly, it would be exciting to discover what kind of parents could raise a boy like Gaylord Focker.The problem is that the two premises cancel each other, the Fockers' irritate Byrnes because they're free-spirited, open-minded, everything he's not, but that's the way they are, and they never try to be something else, it's mildly funny but it's nothing compared to Greg's attempt to please Jack that turns out to be disasters. The second problem is that the parents are so optimistic, so jovial and upbeat, she believes in sex as the greatest medium of expression, he's a lawyer who believes that winning is not the most essential thing, how could they end up conceiving a guy like Greg.Maybe it was the only way to turn Greg into the victim of both his parents and in-laws, following an unnecessary subplot where Jack suspects Greg to have a child with his former nurse (Alana Urbach), it doesn't quite work, not better than the drugs allegations in the former one. At the end, what is left to enjoy in "Meet the Fockers" is very communicative performance from Dustin Hoffman and Barbra Streisand and probably, one of the greatest child-acting performances ever, through the cute Little Jack who'd learn one word from Gaylord Focker.Unsurprisingly, at the end, they marry, they celebrate the wedding, everyone's happy, but nothing is much left to enjoy, it's fun, but nothing else. There was a true potential to let the differences between the Byrnes and the Fockers to escalate until the kind of confrontation where even the Fockers would acknowledge some flaws in their education, something that would justify why Greg is so ashamed of them. There could have been a much more hilarious climax (literally) during the massage scene, but instead of having an orgasm, Jack hurts his back again and gets upset.So many wasted opportunities, but well, except for Dustin Hoffman and Barbra Streisand, the film doesn't provide much more originality, except for the funniest part of the film, the opening where everything goes perfectly fine for Greg, from the taxis to the airports, that was a clever way to put some distance from the original one, a pity that the rest didn't match it. But I guess the first opus' success asked for a sequel, even with declining quality. Did I mention "Little Jack"? Yeah? So I guess it's time to conclude this review..

Greg Focker (Ben Stiller) wants to plan his wedding with Pam Byrnes (Teri Polo). They have family gathering with Pam's parents (Robert De Niro, Blythe Danner) meeting the Fockers (Dustin Hoffman, Barbra Streisand) for the first time. Only their liberal tendencies and sexual freedom may not be Jack Byrnes' ideal. Along for the ride, Debbie has left her toddler son with his grandparents.The kid is an odd addition without either of his parent present. He's obviously there as a prop for the many jokes at Greg's expense. The addition of Hoffman and Streisand open a few more avenues for comedy, but it doesn't mean this is funnier than the first movie. In many ways, their characters feel forced and unnatural from an inferior sitcom. There are still laughs, but just not as good as the first movie.