big stars doing kitsch

Rating: 6/10 (9 July 2005)

I confess I do not like Barbra Streisand, except when she is singing. I never understood her diva status and I do not buy that she has big comic talent. She worked very little in the last twenty years, did only four films or so, and if she was planning some come-back 'Meet the Fockers' failed to be the opportunity.
The film is based very much on ethnic stereotypes comedy. It can be funny sometimes, especially when characters and situations help - but this does not materializes here, despite of the promises. All the situation is so unreal, the conflict is schematic and predictable, that the best comic scenes of the movie - and there are a few - are gags completely unrelated to the subject, which could figure in any other comedy film.
De Niro and Dustin Hoffman can do no harm, they are too good actors to be bad whatever they play, and they probably enjoyed doing this film. I personally do not like Ben Stiller, I do not find him interesting or funny, and this film did not make me change my opinion. Streisand's character is supposed to provide the counter-weight to De Niro's toughness and meld him by the end, but because of the lack of chemistry between the two all the ending seems even more artificial than it is. A lot of stars talent was spent in this film, but the result is below average Hollywood kitsch.