LITTLE FOCKERS
US, 2010, 98 minutes, Colour.
Robert De Niro, Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, Dustin Hoffman, Barbra Streisand, Blythe Danner, Teri Polo, Jessica Alba, Laura Dern, Kevin Hart, Daisy Tahan, Colin Baiocchi, Thomas Mc Carthy, Harvey Keitel.
Directed by Paul Weitz.
Yes, unless there is really clever and witty writing with some good plot developments, sequels begin to wear thin. This is the case with Little Fockers. Meet the Parents was very funny as we met florist, former agent, Jack Byrnes (Robert de Niro being serious and lacking humour) being ultra-demanding of and threatening to his prospective son-in-law, male nurse, Greg (Gaylord) Focker (Ben Stiller). In the sequel, Meet the Fockers, there was the added pleasure of meeting Barbra Streisand and Dustin Hoffman as Greg’s way-out parents. Teri Polo was there as Greg’s wife, Blythe Danner as Jack’s wife – and Owen Wilson kept turning up.
They are all back. Despite the title, the (very uninteresting) children, the little Fockers, are not in the film all that much. The main addition is Jessica Alba as a drug sales rep who urges Greg to promote a Viagra-like pill called Sustengo, which leads, of course, to some obvious jokes and a trauma for one of the little Fockers (and maybe to the audience to find De Niro complicit in erection jokes). In fact, the screenplay is full of body jokes, bodily function joes and sex jokes that are more adolescent in tone than adult. They begin in hospital with literal in your end oh!
Not that there aren’t some amusing moments. Greg tries to stand up for himself against the domineering Jack. His father, Bernie, comes back from Spain and learning the flamenco. His mother, Roz, has a TV show Sexpress Yourself (which Barbra Streisand comperes with relish). Owen Wilson, Greg’s wife’s old flame, turns up all the time with New Age ideas and techniques to solve all the Byrnes and Focker problems. He got a lot of them from Deepak Chopra – who also turns up in a scene with Wilson. Laura Dern is the principal of a progressive primary school. Harvey Keitel is the boss of a building firm (and has a confrontation scene with Robert de Niro, reminding film buffs that it is more than 35 years since Mean Streets and Taxi Driver).
Paul Weitz (American Pie, About a Boy, The Golden Compass) directs. All three films were written by John Hamburg. This one seems more manufactured than inspired.
1. An entertaining film – sequel? The popularity of Meet the Parents? Meet the Fockers? How effective this sequel?
2. The familiarity with the characters, their types, the past stories, the jokes? Expectations?
3. Greg and Pam, ten years later, their life, the kids? Jack and his tensions, his heart attack, his health? Greg and his second job, Andi Garcia, the presentation, Jack’s following Greg, spying, Greg’s success? The possibilities?
4. The character of Jack, the same, Robert De Niro’s performance? With Dina? His reaction against Doctor Bob? The upset at the marriage breaking off? His phoning Greg, wanting him to take his place, the Godfocker? The jokes about the circle of trust, watching and watching? The pledge? Jack later changing his mind? Greg and his talks with Doctor Bob, finding out the truth , the clash with Jack, Jack suspicious, trying to undermine Greg?
5. Jack and his health, the heart attack, not telling anyone? The preparation for the visit? Leaving the cat behind – and Greg getting it as a gift for his father-in-law? Jack and the visit, suspicious of Greg, tailing him in the train, being caught, his excuses to Dina? His seeing Andi? Googling her? Following Greg to the house, the confrontation?
6. Andi Garcia and her type, boyfriends, enthusiasm, the job, proud of Greg, the kiss, the drinking, the night?
7. Kevin, his messages, from exotic places, the plan to marry, its being called off? Turning up, intruding, his advice, bonding with the kids, the toys, fixing things, the past with Pam, flirting? A smooth operator but Greg finally ousting him?
8. The visit to the house, the renovations, the pool? Harvey Keitel’s cameo appearance? The workers and their laziness? The confrontation with Jack? Jack and Greg visiting the school, the principal misinterpreting their relationship? The information, her guiding them around the school, the visit with the children, with Kevin and the link with him? The mess, the drawings etc?
9. Roz and Bernie, the performances of Barbra Streisand and Dustin Hoffman? Bernie and his time in Spain, the flamenco? Roz and her television show? Sexpress Yourself? Jack and Dina watching, imitating? Her telling stories about Greg? Roz at the party, her grandchildren, the young man and advances? Bernie and his turning up, the happy ending?
10. The kids, the title of the film, the girl not talking to her father, the boy, spying on Greg, reporting to Jack? The outings, Kevin, the build-up to the party? The reconciliation?
11. Greg, the final confrontation of Jack, the night with Andi, the pool and the balloons? The Jaws overtones?
12. The fights, the reconciliations – the reinstating of Greg into favour? Everybody at the party?
13. The nature of the humour, the gags, the slapstick – and the emphasis on bodily function jokes, sex jokes, Viagra etc? In good taste? Or just for a laugh?
