"A So-So Comedy"

Rating: 8/10 (27 September 2012)

The only reason I watched this film because it has starring one of my favorite actors of all times: De Niro. he wasn't the De Niro I'm use to seeing and expecting from other films. playing a retired CIA type, OK I guess and that's because I'm basing it on his past film work. I figured he could get away with it. Him playing Teri Polo's dad, don't think so. Didn't work for me. Blythe Danner did a way more believable job as her mom. They kinda look like each other also. Danner didn't have to much to do here, the whole film really revolves around De Niro vs Stiller.
Ben did and still does a good job playing these geek-like/ white-bread types. I could not identify with him at all because I am more of an aggressive type and would never stoop so low as to impress my future father-in-law the way Ben does here. So the scenes where he is trying his best to impress DeNiro's uptight, conservative, anal-type ex-CIA guy just is not funny to me. It's annoying. I'm like if she loves me and I love her, then the hell with what anyone thinks, especially our parents.
Teri polo did an excellent job as Ben's love. You can actually believe he is doing and taking all this BS for a girl like that. it's funny that she turns out not to be all that Ben thought she was. She was living a very care-free almost purely sexual relationship with Owen Wilson's character!! In which Ben knew nothing at all of it! she saved all explanation though by saying, she loves Ben and that she never ever really "loved' Owen! Ka-Ching! Hooked!
Owen Wilson did a good job also as the former love of Teri. Owen was just being Owen-Obnoxious, basically himself. He still carries a torch for Teri. (He still has all the pictures of he and her doing all kinds of adventures like :Sky-diving, skiing, bungee-jumping, etc..) All things Ben has not done with her yet! Yet he still stays because why? ....She loves him. Awww... Give me a break! Yeah right.
Character actor James Rebhorn does very little here except basically be set background. He plays Teri's sister future father-in-law since his son is actually marrying Teri's sister.
The cat scenes and the weird airport lady scenes which includes the on the plane scene which Adam Sandler also used for his Anger Management movie, in which Sandler has a similar scene, is almost a bit way funnier than anything else in the film. But if I wanted to watch cute pets, I could have easily seen any America's funniest video's. BUT ANYWAYS, The film was good enough to make a sequel. And in the end it's not half bad considering all the talent that really was involved. A first time pairing for some. now that's always a treat to any film-watcher.