Meet the Fockers

Review by Clint Morris

If you had a hoot at Christmas this year, you just know it's not going to be quite as good next year.

Sure, everyone will be back together, the beer will be flowing, the turkey will be sliced and the crackers will be, ah, cracked, but there's really no where else to go but down after having such a 'top' time.

The same analogy could be applied to the long-awaited sequel to Meet the Parents.

Yep, everyone's back together, there's even a couple of extra gifts under the tree this time (in the form of Dustin Hoffman and Barbara Streisand) but, though it still runs smoothly enough, the grainless tape has picked up a couple of specs and blemishes since it was last played.

In Meet the Parents (2000), a young man, who upon being invited to meet his future in-laws, discovers his gal's papa is the ultimate father-in-law from hell.

In the sequel, Greg (Ben Stiller) is still trying to win over the affections of his fiancée's (Teri Polo) ex-CIA agent father Jack (Robert De Niro). Now, his fears of not being able to impress Daddy two-fold when its time to meet his parents, the amiable-but-wacky Fockers.

Bernie (Dustin Hoffman) is a good-natured but slightly off the wall former legal-aid lawyer, whilst wife Roz (Streisand) is a spirited sex therapist for senior citizens. You can only imagine Jack and wife Dina's (Blythe Danner) reaction when they meet.

Though a very entertaining film in its own right, Meet the Fockers is diet coke compared to the kickin' Antakarian Fire Dancer that was the first flick. There are a few good laughs (though most seem very forced), a couple of grand performances (Hoffman and Babs, obviously having a killer time, steal the show) and some interesting plot developments.

But when all is said and done, you'll walk away from this one wondering why you wore a pair of Sportif USA Glacier Peak Gore-Tex Ski Pants under the Levis. There's nothing pants-wetting about this effort.

De Niro, as good as he is, seems to have milked the sardonic straight-man routine as much as he can in recent years, and it just doesn't seem to crack here as much as it did in the first film. He has his moments, but the ignorance and comic intimidation he offered in the first film have taken a hike.

In addition, the film really misses the delightful tension between Stiller and De Niro from the first. When De Niro's joined by the effervescent Hoffman on screen - Hoff seems terribly happy to be invited to the part - De Niro fares better. When accompanied by the whole ensemble - even better. But what happened to that hilarious turn he put into the original?

Unfortunately, director Jay Roach, who also did the original film, has considered everything for his film - is this the best cast in years, or what?! - but the stencil. He's requested a template that's pretty standard compared to the first film. Everything remains either 'nice' (in comparison to the first film's 'Gut Busting') or mildly amusing.

Some plot points, like the addition of Jack's baby grandson and his ability to follow Papa's every command, are about as ineffectual as a toner cartridge in Antertida. The Fockers are worth meeting, but when you've said your hello's, best to get back on the road and carry on to a destination that's a little livelier.

3 out of 5

Meet the Fockers
Australian release: Thursday December 26th (2004)
Cast: Robert De Niro, Ben Stiller, Dustin Hoffman, Barbara Streisand, Blythe Danner, Teri Polo, Spencer and Bradley Pickren, Owen Wilson, Alanna Ubach, Ray Santiago, Tim Blake Nelson, J.P Manoux.
Director: Jay Roach.
Website: Click here.

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