CCC Reviews
Meet
the Parents
Reviewed By: RyoKazama534
The question. The infamous question. It's the one thing that anybody proposing
for marriage wants to go absolutely perfect. For Greg Focker (Yes that *is* his
name) this proposal was everything but perfect.
Ben Stiller (There's Something About Mary) plays Greg Focker, a male
nurse who wants to propose to his girlfriend Pam Byrnes, played by Teri Polo
(TV's Sports Night). However, before he has the chance to, she invites
him for a weekend to meet her parents for her sister's wedding. She explains to
him that her father would only see it proper that a man ask his permission to
marry his daughter. Greg puts his proposal on hold until after the weekend.
When he gets there he is greeted by Pam's parents Jack & Dina. Jack Byrnes
is played by none other than Robert De Niro (The Godfather Pt. II, Raging
Bull, The Untouchables, Goodfellas, Backdraft, Wag
the Dog). A friendly man but very nerve racking for a flower salesman (?).
What's this? De Niro playing the part of a normal man? I think not. It turns out
that Jack Byrnes is not a flower salesman, but is a retired CIA Agent. This sets
up some interesting interrogation scenes as well as very comedic Candid
Camera jokes.
The third element to this story other than the surrounding family members is two
supporting actors. One is Pam's ex-fiancee Kevin Rawley, played by Owen Wilson (Shanghai
Noon). Jack refuses to let the fact that Kevin is everything that Greg isn't
go out the window. Kevin is a successful young man who enjoys wood carving and
furniture creation as a hobby. The other actor is Minks, a small cat that Jack
has trained to do anything, including using the bathroom.
Everything in this movie has comedic set-ups ala Seinfeld. Things are
placed in places or mentioned early in the film and they come to play in a later
extremely entertaining moment of, well, catastrophe as Meet the Parents
would have it. Overall, this is an extremely entertaining with an involving plot
line and characters that are so unique and charismatic. Robert De Niro and Ben
Stiller work great together on screen. Both when Stiller is more recessive and
when they both compete for the alpha male position. I recommend it to anybody
looking for a cute movie or looking for a good laugh. You can milk anything with
nipples.
Scores for Meet the Parents
RyoKazama534 -- 
-- "Very cute story and a superb cast. A must see."
Feather7177 --
-- "I wouldn't want a father-in-law like this one."
Hackworth --
-- "Focker...'nuff said."
*Pending reviews from Kay-Z*
Cast
Greg Focker - Ben Stiller
Jack Byrnes - Robert De Niro
Pam Byrnes - Teri Polo
Dina Byrnes - Blythe Danner
Debbie Byrnes - Nicole DeHuff
Denny Byrnes - John Abrahams
Bob Banks - Thomas McCarthy
Linda Banks - Phyllis George
Larry Banks - James Rebhorn
Kevin Rawley - Owen Wilson
Crew
Director - Jay Roach
1992 Meet the Parents Screenplay - Greg Glienna
1992 Meet the Parents Screenplay - Mary Ruth Clarke
Story - Greg Glienna
Story - Mary Ruth Clarke
Screenplay - James Herzfeld
Screenplay - John Hamburg
Producer - Robert De Niro
Producer - Jay Roach
Producer - Jane Rosenthal
Producer - Nancy Tenenbaum
Co-Producer - Amy Sayre
Co-Producer - Shauna Weinberg
Associate Producer - Greg Glienna
Associate Producer - Emo Philips
Associate Producer - Jim Vincent
Executive Producer - Steven Speilberg
Original Score - Randy Newman
Cinematography - Peter James
Film Editing - Jon Poll
Film Editing - Lisa Rodgers
Casting - Ellen Chenoweth
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