Movies
Director: Paul Weitz; Screenwriter: John Hamburg, Larry Stuckey; Starring: Robert De Niro, Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, Blythe Danner, Teri Polo; Running time: 98 mins; Certificate: 12A
Little Fockers, the third film in the hugely profitable Meet The Parents franchise, all but dispenses with the observant familial comedy of its predecessors in favour of increasingly ludicrous set-pieces and yet more strife for Ben Stiller's perennially humiliated Greg Focker. Greg's desperate efforts to please his soon-to-be-father-in-law Jack Byrnes (Robert De Niro) lent weight to the pratfalls of the 2000 original, while the introduction of his parents Bernie (Dustin Hoffman) and Roz (Barbra Streisand) in the sequel - the uptight traditionalist Jack versus the relaxed and liberal senior Fockers - placed similar conflict within comedy. Here, though, the series appears to be running on empty as old favourites reappear as broad, cartoonish versions of their former selves. De Niro, in particular, is now a just a buffoonish Homer Simpson.
Director Paul Weitz's hugely disjointed affair turns on Jack's desire to pass on the 'head of the family' mantle to Greg. He christens him 'The Godfocker' (one of many nods to Coppola's mob classics) yet there's still tension between the pair when Jack gets wind of the flirtatious drugs rep Andi Garcia (Jessica Alba, as a nudge-wink to Godfather III) and her fondness for Greg. Andi is peddling a treatment for erectile dysfunction, which naturally falls into the hands of Jack and leads to a very predictable outcome. As if one unstoppable boner joke isn't enough, another is quickly around the corner in this Friday's Love & Other Drugs! It tops the De Niro-in-fake-breasts segment of Meet The Fockers, for sure, but the surprise has been blown thanks to it being the centrepiece of the trailer campaign.
Owen Wilson's Kevin, the former flame of Pam (Teri Polo), generates enough laughs with corny new-ageisms to justify his presence and Alba has fun poking fun at her lads' mag image in a turn that's part goofy, part PG homewrecker. For the rest of the supporting cast, however, involvement is nominal. Hoffman and Streisand's roles wreak of last minute re-shoots, while it's difficult to see just what the point is of Harvey Keitel and Laura Dern showing up. In the end it all starts to resemble one big old pals' act, where everybody had a whale of a time making it (and got paid handsomely) but nobody bothered to give the script a once-over.
The movie closes with an end credits segment showing Jack discovering a video of Greg mercilessly making fun of him at a pharmaceutical conference. It's been edited and remixed into a YouTube viral, and in many ways is a perfect representation of Little Fockers. Ultra-short web clips could probably house the best parts of this sequel, which throughout its 97 minute running time has zilch in the way of comedic cohesion or character moments that ring true.
> What do you think of the movie? Share your views
Director Paul Weitz's hugely disjointed affair turns on Jack's desire to pass on the 'head of the family' mantle to Greg. He christens him 'The Godfocker' (one of many nods to Coppola's mob classics) yet there's still tension between the pair when Jack gets wind of the flirtatious drugs rep Andi Garcia (Jessica Alba, as a nudge-wink to Godfather III) and her fondness for Greg. Andi is peddling a treatment for erectile dysfunction, which naturally falls into the hands of Jack and leads to a very predictable outcome. As if one unstoppable boner joke isn't enough, another is quickly around the corner in this Friday's Love & Other Drugs! It tops the De Niro-in-fake-breasts segment of Meet The Fockers, for sure, but the surprise has been blown thanks to it being the centrepiece of the trailer campaign.
Owen Wilson's Kevin, the former flame of Pam (Teri Polo), generates enough laughs with corny new-ageisms to justify his presence and Alba has fun poking fun at her lads' mag image in a turn that's part goofy, part PG homewrecker. For the rest of the supporting cast, however, involvement is nominal. Hoffman and Streisand's roles wreak of last minute re-shoots, while it's difficult to see just what the point is of Harvey Keitel and Laura Dern showing up. In the end it all starts to resemble one big old pals' act, where everybody had a whale of a time making it (and got paid handsomely) but nobody bothered to give the script a once-over.
The movie closes with an end credits segment showing Jack discovering a video of Greg mercilessly making fun of him at a pharmaceutical conference. It's been edited and remixed into a YouTube viral, and in many ways is a perfect representation of Little Fockers. Ultra-short web clips could probably house the best parts of this sequel, which throughout its 97 minute running time has zilch in the way of comedic cohesion or character moments that ring true.
> What do you think of the movie? Share your views
Previous: Love & Other Drugs
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