Movie Description
MEET THE PARENTS stars Ben Stiller as the unfortunately named Greg Focker, a neurotic nurse intent on marrying his girlfriend, Pam (Teri Polo). But when the couple visits Pam's family home for her sister's wedding, he must first win the approval of her father, Jack (Robert De Niro), a protective ex-CIA agent. Before long, the awkward Greg and the suspicious Jack go head-to-head, resulting in hilarious scenes that feature a lie detector test, a suburban car chase, a toilet-trained cat, and a mean game of water volleyball. As the misunderstandings and mistakes reach an almost nightmarish peak, it seems as though Greg may never win over Pam's unflinching guardian.
Featuring the inspired pairing of Robert De Niro and Ben Stiller (and an excellent appearance by Owen Wilson), director Jay Roach's clever comedy exemplifies every man's worst fears about courtship. When things for Stiller's character get bad, they just continue to get worse, culminating in a ridiculously funny airport scene. In the tradition of ANNIE HALL and FLIRTING WITH DISASTER, MEET THE PARENTS is an intelligent yet slapstick comedy about the eccentricities of the American family.
| Credits | | Producer: | Jane Rosenthal, Jay Roach, Nancy Tenenbaum | | Cast: | Blythe Danner, Jon Abrahams, Owen Wilson |
| Details | | Edition: | Mother's Day/Mamma Mia! Promotion |
Editorial Reviews
"...MEET THE PARENTS presents Mr. De Niro as any man's worst nightmare....A singular achievement."
New York Times - p.E10 - Elvis Mitchell
"...[The filmmakers] cast the perfect foils [Robert De Niro and Ben Stiller]....One can only say amen to the comedy gods for Stiller's desperate stab at saying grace..." -- 3 out of 4 stars
USA Today - p.2E - Susan Wloszczyna
"...The casting is inspired, leading with [Stiller]....It goes down like a flute of Champagne, leaving an aftertaste of giggles..." -- Rating: B+
Entertainment Weekly - pp.51-2 - Lisa Schwarzbaum
"...Painfully funny and funnily painful, MEET THE PARENTS is top drawer, grown-up comedy. A date movie with teeth..."
Total Film - Ceri Thomas (01/01/2000)
"...A well-executed mainstream comedy....[With] an acute, insightful commentary..."
Sight and Sound - p.54-5 - Danny Leigh
"...De Niro gives his best comic performance to date....Owen Wilson is a merry standout..."
Rolling Stone - p.121 - Peter Travers
"...This buoyant, giddy comedy of catastrophe is the funniest film of the year so far....MEET THE PARENTS is finely cast and always outrageous..."
Los Angeles Times - Kenneth Turan (10/06/2000)
"...Ben Stiller has a good line in embarrassment and chagrin. His chiseled face looks so earnest, so willing to please, and turn incredulous as the world conspires against him..."
Chicago Sun-Times - Roger Ebert (10/06/2000)
| See an error? Submit a change request |
All rights reserved.
