Rating: 
Summary: Pretty Good, but Not Remarkable
Review: I've seen this movie a few times, and I still think it's funny... but I don't consider it to be "one of the best ever", as some have perceived it.A lot of what happens to Greg is identifiable by the average fiancee, which is what makes it funny, but some of it is so extravagant it's unbelievable, which I think detracts from the story a bit. That, and the number of things which happen to him -- he hits Pam's sister in the nose with a volleyball, he sets their wedding gazebo on fire, he loses Jinx (the cat), tries to replace Jinx with a look-alike, he backs-up the septic system creating quite a mess in the backyard, et al. It almost buckles under its own weight. Yet, despite these things, it's still funny. I think what keeps it afloat is the acting. Stiller is perfectly set as the hapless fall-guy Focker. DeNiro does very well playing the suspicious father / former CIA detective. Wilson does pretty well as the "perfect" ex-boyfriend, although they probably could've gotten someone even better. And Polo is well set as the beautiful girlfriend. And they have a great upper-middle-class setting as well. Avid Ben Stiller fans will probably be all over this movie. I'm happy enough to see it on cable occasionally, but not to own it. (Lastly, I'd actually like to put in a rating of 3.5 stars.)
Rating: 
Summary: Bound to be a classic
Review: This is probably one of the most thoroughly enjoyable films ever produced.The reason- because it is so realistic.The acting by Robert De Niro and Ben Stiller is world class.The story and theme of the film relates so perfectly to a typical real life situation- where the son in law desperately wants the father in laws acceptance.Yes, Greg Fokker(Ben Stiller) is portrayed as your typical loser,worst of all he has got to try and impress a really heavy handed and uncompromising retired CIA official of a future father in law Jack Byrnes(Robert De Niro) who immediately takes a disliking to poor old Greg.As if he is already up against it he finds he has to live up to the standards of the other son in law-a doctor whose parents can easily relate to Jack.Jack becomes a real horror for Greg who finds his fiancee Pam's whole family in an uncompromising mood towards Greg.So, how does Greg try and win in this situation?Well,I can guarantee you one thing,whatever he does ends up being really hillarious.It is thoroughly worth watching,a type of movie that keeps you interested from start to finish,quite remarkable.It really deserves its 5 star rating.First class entertainment.Watch it.
Rating: 
Summary: Marred by unnecessarily crass humor
Review: I enjoyed some parts of this movie. Ben Stiller is amusingly uncomfortable meeting the parents from Hell, and De Niro is devilishly great in his role as the dad. But it's just too bad that a major running joke in the movie is based on the most obvious of sophomoric gutter humor. See, Stiller's character has the last name of "Focker." I'll let you guess where the writers go from there. Truly crass, immature humor that has more in common with lowball flicks like Porky's than with the rest of this film. Now, the sequel to this movie is coming out, and of course it's called -- you guessed it -- "Meet The Fockers." I'm sorry, but that's just going too darn far. I don't want to see, and I don't want my little kids to see, that plastered on billboards, marquees, buses, and TV ads everywhere. Yes, I know there's an "o" in the name instead of a "u." It doesn't matter. We all know what was intended here. And I think it's tasteless. This is just about as bad, or maybe worse, as "Austin Powers: Goldmember," which is another movie title that pushes the boundaries of decency way too far. Yep, the previews might have been rated as acceptable for all audiences (just barely), but the movie title itself sure wasn't. And to top it off, it dragged the good name of the classic "Goldfinger" through its crass sewer. I'm really wondering when audiences (and society in general) will stop getting such a kick out of, "Oooh, he said the F-word!" or "Ahaha, that word *sounds* like the F-word! So it's funny!" Judging by the reviewers like the one here who titled his review "FOCKER!," I guess the answer is, "not anytime soon." Too bad. I'm no prude, but still...too bad.
Rating:
Summary: Funny, but not Stiller's best...
Review: This is not the place to go if you discovered Ben Stiller in "There's Something About Mary" and think all his films are gonna be as funny as that. Go with something like "Zoolander," probably his best film to date. While this film is good, it belongs somewhere at the bottom of a "Ben Stiller's Best" list. Don't get me wrong, I'm judging him on a pretty hard scale since most of his work that I've seen so far rates pretty high with me, such as Mystery Men and the hilarious movie Heavy Weights, so I'm not at all saying this is not entertaining. This is a genuinely funny movie, but it's slow and the laughs are spaced out a bit and it's more like "I've been there" humor, not the totally outrageous stuff we saw in Something About Mary. This comedy is about an average guy having to deal with meeting the parents of his fiance. It's a bit awkward, as the experience itself would be, and Ben plays it well, but the humor is best if you can relate to it. Otherwise you may not get much out of it. There's not a lot of off the wall stuff, and De Niro, who in my opinion does not have a very long list of good movies (I don't know why he gets so much credit from reviewers, but then I never watch that Mafia stuff), doesn't really trigger a lot of laughs either. It's a good, funny little movie, but that's about it. Would I buy it? Probably. If and when I'm ever in that situation I'll probably succumb to the impulse to purchase it, and I'm sure that I'll find it even funnier then, but right now I'd prefer watching the Cable Guy. Draw your own conclusion from that, but keep in mind that I liked the Cable Guy more than most people did.
Rating: 
Summary: One of the best comedies of 2000
Review: In another excellent role from Robert DeNiro, "Meet the Parents" is one of the best comedies of 2000. In yet another hilarious role, Ben Stiller (as "Greg Focker") plays a male nurse who spends the weekend with his future in-laws and causes havoc when he tries to please his girlfriend's father-in-law (DeNiro), who is more than who he appears to be. Directed by Jay Roach, who directed the Austin Powers movies, "Meet the Parents" guarantees some great laughs as Stiller tries his hardest to gain the approval of DeNiro, who just wants the best for his daughter. The jokes and gags are quite better than the Farelly brothers' gross-out toilet humor, mostly because of DeNiro's great performance, which rivals his other recent comedic role in "Analyze This", which I also recommend if you want to see the other side of DeNiro. The only reason I gave this movie 4 instead of 5 stars is because Stiller makes so many mistakes in trying to impress DeNiro that it almost seems unreal. But otherwise, a solid buy with a good mix of romance and comedy!
Rating:
Summary: Some Parts Good Others Overdone
Review: Meet The Parents is an amusing slapstick comedy that describes the struggles of meeting one's potential in-laws. Robert De Niro and Ben Stiller both give commanding performances. Also Blythe Danner is noteworthy in her role as Jack's wife. As good as the acting is, the script suffers from excessive overkill. The scene where the champagne cork pops and tips over the urn containing Jack's mothers remains is way too ridiculous. The scene where Greg is on the roof pursuing Trixie is also too off the wall for my tastes. After that point its a wonder that Greg and Jack are even talking. Don't get me wrong, there are some funny remarks and moments. I even appreciate the cheap humor on Greg Focker's last name. However, Meet The Parents beats the same theme to death midway thru the movie that whereas the humor has some moments, the headaches depicting Greg Focker's trials and tribulations emerge as well.
Rating:
Summary: Imagine DeNiro as Your Dad-to-Be
Review: "Show me a man/ who is gentle and kind/ and I'll show you a loser...." These are the first words sung by the chorus before the movie opens. All in all, "Meet the Parents" is gigglingly funny, and it's a great comedy that is charming and light- hearted. DeNiro's playful eyes sparkle mischief; the things he'll do to his daughter's boyfriend "Greg Focker" (played by the master comic Ben Stiller) just to keep him at bay and careful not to pursue his beloved daughter in matrimony are classic. The cast of "characters" adds so much to the story, especially the cat "Mr. Jinx" who is trained to use the toilet; the former boyfriend who is that apple of dad's eyes; the mother (played by Blythe Danner) who is an elegant juxiposition to her retired CIA agent husband (DeNiro). And look for these scenes that will have you in stitches, especially ones with: an urn over the mantle, an exploding septic tank disaster, the fire in the yard, and when the whole family decides to play volleyball in the pool. I loved this movie for making me laugh, for allowing DeNiro to be so playful and uptight, for allowing Ben Stiller to prove yet again that his boyish charm, poker face and perfect comic timing make him one of the best actors around. See this movie and enjoy it. And for those who are waiting to ask your girlfriend's father for permission to marry his daughter..........may Providence bestow patience on you.
Rating:
Summary: De Niro and Stiller are brilliant
Review: I enjoyed this movie so much that I saw it twice in the theatre. Robert Di Niro proves that he can be hilarious--let's all just ignore "Rocky & Bullwinkle"--and Ben Stiller redeems himself after "Mystery Men". Its one of those movies everyone can relate to. We all know what its like to meet someone you're desperately trying to impress, and we all know what its like to fail. You find yourself rooting for Greg Focker, our hopeless hero. Women can especially relate with Pam, seeing as we all have fathers like Jack, and men can relate with Jack because that's how they treat their daughters. As for Pam's mom (I can't think of her name at the moment), she's so eccentric and ditzy that you can't help but love her. The only reason I won't give this 5 stars is because, the DVD features were not as spectacular as I thought they would be. I enjoyed the 2 deleted scenes--they should have been left in the movie--and the "lie detector" tests were amusing. However, I was VERY disappointed with the outtakes. They were touted for weeks on shows like "Access Hollywood" and in the DVD commercials as being "hilarious" and "unmissable", but I found them boring and lacking in humor. The only good outtake is the one of Ben Stiller trying to create the perfect dinner prayer--its the only one that got so much as a smile out of me. Wonderful movie, but they could have done a better job creating the DVD. A lot of the extra features just seemed to be "filler"--stuff they threw together at the last minute, without much thought.
Rating:
Summary: In my "top 5 funniest movies ever".
Review: I have a love hate relationship with Ben Stiller. When he's "on", he's on like few others. However, maybe it's his agent, maybe he's desperate to escape typcasting, but he's picked some real stinkers to lead in. This isn't one of them. In fact, this is the best movie I've seen him in by a good margin. Owing much to brilliant support from DeNiro (who plays the Father in Law to be), as well as Owen Wilson (his fiance's ex-boyfriend). Just thinking about the scene where Stiller (who plays a Jewish city dweller) is charged with saying grace at DeNiro's devoutely Christian table, the popping of the Champagne, Jinxy running away...brings a laugh everytime. If you're one of the few who haven't seen this film, get it, odds are you'll enjoy immensely. If, like me, you've seen it before and are curios about buying it, I recommend you do. This is one of the few DVD's in my collection that I frequently watch and enjoy. Cult status 'round here. Christian Hunter
Rating:
Summary: "Now Greg, you have a *very* unique last name..."
Review: "Meet the Parents" is a surprisingly funny film bolstered into the top ranks of modern comedies by the two standout performances of Robert De Niro and Ben Stiller. There's never a dull moment in this laugh-a-minute comedy from director Jay Roach of the "Austin Power's" franchise and screenwriters Greg Glienna and Mary Ruth Clarke, who also wrote and starred in the 1992 short film of the same name. Gaylord 'Greg' Focker (just you try and say that last name without smiling), played to the max by the comic talents of Stiller, is head-over-heels in love with his girlfriend, Pam (Teri Polo). After a failed attempt at proposing marriage, Greg learns that if he intends to marry Pam, it is important to first OK the proposition with her father, Jack (De Niro). Pam's sister's wedding seems a perfect time to talk with Jack, so he accompanies Pam back to her parent's house. What ensues is a fantastically funny film, basically about the trouble and misunderstandings Greg endures for his love for Pam. The awkward dynamics between De Niro and Stiller's characters make for the most side-splitting moments of the film. Upon having first viewed this movie several years ago, I can still clearly remember Greg's notions of milking cats, Jack's "poetry reading", the urn, the polygraph, Greg's prayer, the Speedo, Focker... Those who have already seen "Meet the Parents", (and who hasn't?) are probably fondly reminiscing upon these positively hysterical scenes right now. "Meet the Parents" certainly isn't cinematic art, folks. The screenplay is predictable, at best. And maybe some of the jokes didn't strike a chord with every audience member. However, this film greatly succeeds at what it is; a comedy. I will most certainly be first in line to see "Meet the Fockers", slated for release in December of 2004.
| 
