Meet the Fockers

Released 2004
Featuring Robert De Niro, Ben Stiller, Dustin Hoffman, Barbra Streisand, Blythe Danner, Teri Polo
Directed by Jay Roach

The movie is pleasant enough, but never quite reaches critical mass as a comedy. The director, Jay Roach, who made "Meet the Parents" and the "Austin Powers" movies, has some funny stuff, including Father Focker's proud display of all of his son's trophies ("I didn't know they made ninth-place ribbons," Jack muses). There's some wordplay involving the Byrnes family Circle of Trust and who is in it, who is outside it, and whose circle it is. Streisand and Hoffman create characters who are, under the circumstances, not only likable but actually sort of believable. Yet even if you loved "Meet the Parents," you will only sorta kinda like "Meet the Fockers"

Summary by Roger Ebert

This was a real disappointing sequel. I liked all of the actors and characters, but the script just wasn't funny. It wasn't horrible, but it was dull and uninspired. In other words, the worst thing a comedy can be--boring. --Bill Alward, April 25, 2005