Movie Reviews
There is a scene in that film in which Robert DeNiro’s character, Jack Byrnes, and his wife Dina (Blythe Danner) share a conversation that talks about meeting Greg Focker’s parents. Well, now they do in “Meet the Fockers”. This is the second half (I hope) of this little sitcom, which, I come right out and say it, is nowhere near as good as the first one in any area. This isn’t as original, nor is it as funny.
However, I have got to give credit to director Jay Roach for staying with this. Most directors would read this and pass it to a lesser filmmaker. Roach is no genius, but he know comedic direction and to sweep this over to anther person would be unwise, and well, just plain cruel to that unfortunate fellow. Thankfully this material – which should be nonexistent – is in good hands.
Now, why do I say that it should be nonexistent? Because I think that “Meet the Parents” wasn’t meant to be a prequel. Regardless of executive intentions, I think that when “Parents” became as funny as it was, the sequel should have been scrubbed. The lasting salvation of “Parents” rather depended on that. I have always felt that bad sequels bring the first one down, and while that happens to a point in this, it’s nothing so horrible that it makes “Meet the Parents” a lesser film than it was.
In the film, Greg’s parents, Bernie and Roz, are played by Dustin Hoffman and Barbra Streisand. Both are pretty funny, but belonged in some different film of a different kind. The use of their last name as a punch line become annoyingly redundant, and their professions were meant to be played for laughs, but rarely get any. Roach is content with the first third of the film disappointingly, because most of it is just nasty rather than funny.
Such is the case with Streisand’s character. She’s a senior sex therapist who specializes in “bringing back the passion in elderly couples’ lives”. That’s disgusting, not laugh-producing. As a result of her specialty, the house is filled with strange erotic sculptures and Bernie can’t get enough of her body. Once again...ewww.
To me, the funniest thing in “Meet the Fockers” is a baby named little Jack. It’s the son of Debbie, Jack and Dina’s other daughter. He’s a very smart, very observant little tyke that picks up even the smallest things. The things he does and says is hilarious. But, you know, if you don’t get a kick out of that, you’ll probably enjoy seeing Robert DeNiro getting kissed on the cheek by Dustin Hoffman. I know I did. ** ˝