Meet the Fockers (DVD, 2005, Widescreen)

For starters, Meet the Parents was one the great comedies of the past 10 years and was hilarious because it was unbearably uncomfortable at times. I laughed so hard when I first saw it in the theaters that I was driven to buy the DVD... I've since watched it so many times that I've knocked the funniness out of it (unfortunately) and I looked to Meet the Fockers to rekindle that Ben Stiller / awkward humor. And you know what? This sequel did! Meet the Fockers is true to the first movie - same cast, same plot, same humor, nothing over the top. And it worked. The entire audience was hysterical for 90 minutes.

Barbara Streisand and Dustin Hoffman are fantastic as Ben Stiller's parents (the Fockers). Streisand is especially funny and nutty and Hoffman plays a completely bizarre, emotional character. I would have given Meet the Fockers 5/5 rating except for one scene (I won't reveal, but its about 80% of the way through) that really irked me (way over the top). Other than those 5 minutes - Meet the Fockers was totally fun.

Producer: Jane Rosenthal, Jay Roach, Robert De Niro
Cast: Barbra Streisand, Ben Stiller, Blythe Danner, Dustin Hoffman, Robert De Niro, Teri Polo

Great Meet the Fockers quotes:
Jack Byrnes: I'm not so sure this wedding is such a good idea. I don't like what I'm seeing from these Fockers.

Isabel: He is a handsome little Focker!
Jack Byrnes: He's not a Focker.

Greg Focker: Look, Little Jack was crying so I picked him up and gave him some hugs. Then I went into the kitchen to answer the phone and when I came back, he had let himself out of the playpen, put on Scarface and glued his hands to the rum bottle. Ok?

Roz Focker: Tell me, what's going on with that man of yours?
Dina Byrnes: Well, Jack's always been a little wound up. His job is very stressful.
Roz Focker: Being a florist is stressful?
Dina Byrnes: There's more to it than people think.

Dina Byrnes: Bernie, this frittata is wonderful, what's in it?
Bernie Focker: Well, a lot of the taste comes from this old skillet. I've never washed it.

Meet the Parents found such tremendous success in the chemistry produced by the contrasting personalities of stars Robert De Niro and Ben Stiller that the film's creators went for broke with the same formula again in Meet the Fockers. This time around, Jack and Dina Byrnes (De Niro and Blythe Danner) climb into Jack's new kevlar-lined RV with daughter Pam (Teri Polo), soon-to-be son-in-law Gaylord (Stiller), and Jack's infant grandson from his other daughter for the trip to Florida to meet Gaylord's parents, Bernie and Roz Focker (Dustin Hoffman and Barbra Streisand in a casting coup). The potential in-laws are, of course, the opposite of Jack, a pair of randy, touchy-feely fun-lovers. The rest of the movie is pretty much a sitcom: put Bernie and Roz together with Jack, and watch the in-laws clash as Gaylord squirms. As with the original, there is a sense of joy in watching these actors take on their roles with obvious relish, and the Hoffman-Streisand-Stiller triumvirate is likeable enough to draw you in. But the formula doesn't work as well in Fockers mostly because much of the humor is based on two obvious gimmicks: Gaylord Focker's name, and the fact that Streisand's character is a sex therapist. As a result, the movie itself is more contrived and predictable, and a lot less fun than the original. The casting is grand, but one wishes more thought was put into the script

I'd watch anything with Barbra Streisand doing comedy in it because of her impecable timing. Robert De Niro still has the power, as he did in Meet the Parents, to make me intensely dislike his character. Dustin Hoffman has never been so cute. Ben Stiller is coming along as a comedian, but is still not great like his real parents.

De Niro is supposedly a control freak ex-CIA operative who is now taking control of Stiller and Polo's young nephew. Streisand plays a sexologist who is always rushing off with Hoffman to roll in the hay. While poor Blythe Danner has to put up with the emotionally and physically detached De Niro.

This sequel to Meet the Parents is far better than its predecessor was because it is less slapstick. Streisand and Hoffman have a stage chemistry that is priceless. This one is worth owning and watching over and over again.

This was the second movie in a three part series... looks like maybe a fourth is in the works. I saw Little Fockers.

Old recycled jokes, bathroom humor, no-brainer slapstick comedy.
Big name actors/actress which were the second choices for this movie
( the first picks bailed, didn't like the script), which were reduced to just picking up an easy paycheck.

It worked for me. Dustin Hoffman and Barbra Streisand were funny. He has that dopey look and she has a look that makes you smile. Good part for Robert De Niro. I still remember his comment in Men of Honor, "What are you some broke dick Popeye". He seems to have a tounge-in-cheek sense of humor. Not convincing, but entertaining.

It was a lighthearted entertaining movie that was a welcome change from all the other movies at that time.

Ben Stiller needs to go back to acting school... he has the same robot, auto mode, predictable responses as in all of his movies.

Owen Wilson looks like a bird, he was a little tiring with all of his babble.

But if you're looking for a change from the gangster, drug, high action or animated movies... Give this one a try... It's an easy watch with some laughs.

I've heard mixed reviews on this. I don't laugh too much in movies. But I was laughing in the theatres. I would say that if you loved the first one. You'll like this one. If you own the first, you should buy this one too. Its not as funny as the first but its still pretty hilarious. Imagine, his parents (sex therapist and stay at home dad) meet her parents (ex-CIA, upperclass old money). Hilarious. The funniest scene is when you see the fockers shrine of gaylords's mediocre achievements. He has 10th place awards!!! Gaylord takes a shot in the neck of "truth serum" at the engagement party..... You'll have to watch the movie to find out whats next. Some talk of the fruit of his loin!!!