Funny but Gaylord lacks strength

Rating: 7/10 (13 October 2013)

Greg Focker (Ben Stiller) is a happy male nurse who has a great girlfriend Pam Byrnes (Teri Polo). He wants to propose to her, but have to get her father Jack's (Robert De Niro) permission. Only Jack isn't the trusting kind.
This starts off pretty much as expected with awkward uncomfortable interactions. The movie goes from awkward laughs to uncomfortable silences. The lie detector scene is especially funny. What makes it problematic for me is that Focker is a bit of a weasel. He's constantly trying to lie his way out of things. It's not a likable trait.
I'm not talking about the cat lie. That's a defensible move. But he's too weasely even when it makes no sense. When Kevin (Owen Wilson) is getting his goat, Greg tries to puff himself up even though Jack is right there who could easily out him. It's in his nature and that's a problem.
The movie has a lot of fun, and the ending is heart warming. But I have to downgrade it a little for Greg's personality. Ben Stiller plays him a little too pathetic when it would be better to have a little confidence. It's better to have him as a reasonable nice man who's dealing with a crazy Jack. He needs to be more a straight man.