In every relationship, there is always that dreaded moment of meeting a boyfriend of girlfriend’s parents. Universal Pictures’ Meet the Parents successfully catalogued and chronicled the worst possible scenario as Gaylord Focker (Ben Stiller) effectively fails to meet the expectations of his girlfriend’s, Pam Byrnes (Teri Polo), demanding and anal-retentive father Jack Byrnes (Robert De Niro).
Stiller, Polo, and De Niro reunited in another outrageously funny and disastrous episode of every possible family calamity this Christmas in Meet the Fockers. Jack Byrnes again is forced to accept another addition to the “Circle of Trust,” Gaylord’s eccentric, loving, and sexual parents Bernie (Dustin Hoffman) and Roz Focker (Barbara Streisand).
Throughout the movie, Byrnes’ extremely conservative and stubborn views are put to test as his new family members expose him to a new and unusual family environment with different values and ideals. Jack particularly clashes with Bernie Focker, whose role as a stay at home father does not meet Byrnes’ vision of masculinity.
From Bernie’s failure in football, to adoring his son’s mediocre achievements, the two male figures are simply a match made from heaven and hell. In an effort to gain Jack’s consent to the wedding, the Fockers attempt to hide the truth of Pam’s pregnancy and Roz’s position as a sex doctor by hiding certain aspects of their lives. However, Jack’s suspicions of this deception are many, and he begins to search for the truth.
It was hard not to leave the theater breathless after a solid 115 minutes of everything gone wrong family fun. However, Meet the Fockers can quickly remind us all that there is such a thing as too much quality time with the family.
