Meet the Parents, Meet the Fockers, and Little Fockers

I just got done seeing the movie, Little Fockers, which is a sequel to Meet the Fockers, which is a sequel to Meet the Parents. These three movies are great, in my opinion, and I would recommend seeing them. That said, they are a bit silly, over the top goofy at times, but are true comedies that will strike a chord and make you laugh. If you haven't seen them all, you will want to get a hold of them whether through your video store, by purchase, or rent at the library. Start with Meet the Parents.

Meet the Parents is a hilarious movie about a young couple trying to get their start in life. They have been in love, and want to get married. Right before Greg Focker (Ben Stiller) pulls off the perfect engagement proposal, Pam gets a call from her sister about their upcoming wedding. She announces that her sisters husband to be, formally asked their father for her hand in marriage. So Greg realizes he needs to back up, and also meet and ask the parents.  He thinks Pam's dad is a retired florist, but really that is just a cover for being Ex CIA

This sets of a string of "catastrophies" where all seems to be against poor Greg Focker who can do no "right" in the eyes of especially the Father but also the rest of the Family. The father Jack Byrnes (Robert De Niro), does an excellent job of being the proud father that wants only the best (more like 150%) for his precious daughter. It feels an impossible feat to get into and stay in the infamous circle of trust that Jack has built over time.

Like so many great comedies, this one plays on the real truths we observe in life and helps us to laugh and exaggerated scenarios that we can all actually kind of picture possibly in our own lives. What is very sweet, is that love, tenacity, and truth actually win out in the end, along with a good dose of understanding.

Meeting the Fockers is great all on its own, but you can really appreciate this movie after having seen the first one.  It adds a lot of value to understand how far Greg and Pam have come, to have to deal with the next big set of troubles.   Greg, actually Gaylord Focker barely made it into the family and circle of trust, but now the Byrnes are going to meet Greg's parents! You have to see it to appreciate how absolutely hilarious this family is, and very opposite of the Byrnes.  To say the Fockers are a riot is to minimize things. 

Again, when all seems unbelievably lost and without hope, the families pull together and make the best of things, and realize there is much to learn from all sides.  You can't help but just love Robert Deniro's character Jack Byrnes.  The Fockers, Bernie and Rozalin are Dustin Hoffman and Barbara Streisand, and this movie is worth watching just to see these two!  They completely overwhelm the Byrnes Family at first, but you have to watch it to see how it all comes together.  

Now Pam and Greg Focker have their own two children, and this movie continues on in the same vein as the first two, but with completely new twists and turns. One of the people you really come to love in all three movies is Kevin Rawley, played by Owen Wilson. He is absolutely great in his roles, and by the third movie you just love him all the more. Its too hilarious how he fits into the families and is incredibly rich how much he loves the family, especially Pam Byrnes (Teri Polo).

What can seem to stress the situations the most in these family dynamics turn out to make the families stronger and more tight knit. Its really very funny, sometimes naughty with a lot of inuendos, but especially sweet how things play out.

The kids are too cute, and have their own little quirks (true to life) as do all the people in the movies. I hope that the lessons in these movies aren't missed by the sheer humor and goofiness you sometimes see. Jessica Alba had a fun role in this one as well, too funny though she causes a lot of trouble! Love Pam throughout, and her mother too. I would have to say my very favorite people in these movies are Robert Deniro, Barbara Streisand, Ben Stiller, Dustin Hoffman, and Owen Wilson. You couldn't have had a better wife for these movies than Teri Polo, loved her throughout. I think I like Owen Wilson even more than Ben Stiller, but only barely. I love the casting, and I would recommend these movies if you enjoy comedies.