Meet The Parents: Little Fockers (12A)
Starring: Robert De Niro, Ben Stiller, Dustin Hoffman
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Third time out for the Meet the Parents franchise, and it's all but impossible to suppress a groan. That great scene from the first film where Ben Stiller has to undergo a polygraph test from his insanely suspicious father-in-law (Robert De Niro) seems but a distant memory.
Now, Stiller and his wife (Teri Polo) have five-year-old twins, and De Niro, troubled by a heart condition, has decided that his disappointing son-in-law must prepare to be "The Godfocker" – cue much Brando-esque gurning and echoes of the Nino Rota Godfather theme. Jessica Alba is drafted in as rent-a-temptress, while Dustin Hoffman and Barbra Streisand reprise their deeply unfunny schtick as the Stiller parents.
Whatever small shiver of double entendre still hung around the name "Focker" is here blown out the water by a pretty grotesque scene involving De Niro's erectile dysfunction. Does this really qualify as family entertainment? I laughed twice, during the first five minutes of Owen Wilson's appearance as the superrich and pretentious hippie Kevin, whose love of Stiller's wife now extends to his having a tattoo of her face on his back. But even his charm runs dry long before the end.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments