One of those sequels that grows on you.

Rating: 8/10 (28 May 2006)

Meet the Parents is one of my all time favourite comedies. It was an hilarious escalation of humiliations for the hapless Ben Stiller, and proved that hard man Robert De Niro had a real talent for comedy. At the end of my review for MTP, I said I couldn't wait for the sequel. When I first saw Meet the Fockers, I was disappointed with it. It didn't provide the same gut-busting laugh out loud moments the first one had. I didn't touch the DVD for months after that. When it came onto Sky Digital just this weekend, I decided to give it another chance. And a strange thing happened. I found myself enjoying it.
The very next night, I put the DVD back in the player, and I enjoyed it a little more than before. I realised I had judged MTF a little too harshly. I'd just decided initially it lacked the zest of the original and left it at that. But what I came to find out is that the jokes are there alright, but it's altered its format from last time. Stupidly I was hoping for more of the same, when I should have noticed the film has adapted the plot of MTP to evolve the characters so they can encounter a whole new set of hurdles.
For anyone unfamiliar with MTP, it followed the story of Greg Focker and Pam Byrnes. Greg wanted to marry Pam, but first he had to win the approval of her stern, paranoid ex-CIA father Jack Byrnes. It was an uphill struggle to say the least. Desecrated mother remains, giving black eyes to family members, and even cat painting. But in the end, Greg and Jack finally met on equal ground, and Jack gave his blessing to the marriage.
Now its a short time later, and Greg has to introduce his parents to the Byrnes. Jack, Greg, Pam, Dina (Blythe Danner, Jack's wife), their grandson Little Jack and Mr Jinx the cat get in Jack's hi-tech RV and head off to Florida to meet the Fockers.
Bernie and Roz Focker (Dustin Hoffman and Barbra Streisand) are a couple of ultra liberal hippies who insist on sharing everything. They are especially proud of their son and show it in a shrine dedicated to him, complete with 9th place ribbons. Bernie was a lawyer, but when Greg was born he took paternity leave and never went back to work. Roz is a sex therapist who specialises in helping geriatrics meet their orgasm.
Oil and water doesn't even enter into it. MTF has a similar structure to MTP. Their are various dinner table scenes that lead to embarrassments for Greg (look out for the foreskin on the fondue), the volleyball game of MTP has been replaced with a game of football that gets a bit too competitive, and a final heart to heart (to heart) in a prison cell.
In some ways, MTF could be regarded as rehashing what made the original so funny. But it isn't really. It's given whole new dimensions with the inclusion of Dustin Hoffman and Barbra Streisand. Their casting was inspired because they make such a believable husband and wife, and there is real affection between them. You buy every scene they share together. Even the scenes with whipped cream.
One thing I liked about MTF is the fact it kept the focus on this tight little circle. The original's only fault was it kept the focus on De Niro and Stiller and neglected the other characters. But here all of them are given plenty to do. From Jack teaching LJ to talk (and later cursing, his first word is a curse word!), Dina getting in touch with her inner orgasm, Pam standing by her man through and through, Greg getting doped up on truth serum and even Jinx gets fresh with the Focker's dog Moses. In more ways than one.
This film and the first are like an extended episode of Frasier. The way farcical situations are explored to logical conclusions. Pam turns out to be pregnant, and the plot follows how everybody finds out, except for Jack. Filled with mix ups, mixed signals and wrong impressions, there is also a running gag about a son that Greg may have fathered to the Fockers housekeeper Isabelle. The resemblance is strong, but as is often the case with the Byrnes/Focker clan, things are seldom as they seem in the Circle of Trust.
Not all the gags hit the mark. Jack's manary gland starts off amusing but gets overused. Jack, Bernie and Greg all getting arrested feels rather contrived. It doesn't quite have the explosive satisfaction you got from the first film with Greg going loony at a stewardess (who makes a cameo in MTF's inspired opening scenes) and facing off with Jack.
It also feels about 20 minutes too long and could have done with some tighter editing. But MTF has some very endearing performances, and it does seem to improve with every viewing. Ben Stiller again proves what a great comedian he is with the way he can hold his own against so many seasoned veterans. It's also worth it to see Greg and Pam walk down the aisle, and there's an hilarious cameo from Owen Wilson as Kevin (MTP's scene stealer), Pam's ex.
I don't know if they intend to turn this into a trilogy, but if they do, at least that sounds far more interesting than the endless Matrix films or the sometimes overbearing Lord of the Rings.
Look out for a little Focker on the way.