There are four names across the top of the DVD case for "Meet the Fockers." Everyone one of them is talented, well known, and experienced. In other words, they should know better than to be in a movie like this.
Everything that "Meet the Parents" did right, 'Meet the Fockers" does wrong. The set up is a good one, getting together the Byrne's family with the Fockers before the big wedding date. It's unfortunate that everything here is entirely predictable. If it's not predictable, then it's so absurd as to be unbelievable. These aren't people, they're nut jobs that escaped from some penitentiary. That goes for the parents on both sides of the family.
Robert DeNiro's role here is way beyond ridiculous. The first film at least made him out to a little over the top, yet still funny. Here he's managed to build some secret CIA spy facility inside his new motor home that kills any credibility. Dustin Hoffman and Barbara Streisand fall into the same trap of absurdity. Their dog is funnier than all of the actors put together.
Most of this falls in the lap of the writers. Hoffman has plenty of energy, just nothing to work with. Most of these jokes and quips wouldn't even be acceptable on a sitcom let alone a feature film. His character is far too unbelievable to actually accept the situations he's thrown in. The old tired Focker jokes are brought out again and this time they're not even remotely funny, especially during the family reunion.
It's sad to see this now series take a nosedive. The first film was brilliant, relying on Stiller to carry it. Here, it's all about giving the highest paid actors screen time without any thought as to a script to put them in. Maybe the inevitable third sequel will pull this one out a very deep, large, rut. (** out of *****)
The transfer in the early going is about as good as the film. It's one of the ugliest major studio transfers in years. There's heavy grain, the colors are dull, and edge enhancement is absurd. It goes on like this for at least an hour until things pick up a bit. The detail then steps up a bit, and even then, the print has some damage that shows though. Still, it's not enough to make up for the unexplainable first half. (**)
Article comments
1 - Eric Berlin
I thought the first film was serviceable at best, Matt, and groaned when I saw ads for the sequel. Looks like my groans were justified.
Reading your review reminded me that comedy is best when served up from some kind of basis in "reality" (even if that reality is the warped world of Men in Black or whatever).
I was also reminded that some of Stiller's best work came from Flirting with Disaster, another family comedy... except in this case the characters are "crazy," though in the way real people can drive you up the world. The result: an excellent comedy. The Fockers? I can leave them safely in the unrealistic overly broad reaching for commercial film revenue bin.