Meet The Parents

Comedy

Robert De Niro	Jack Byrnes
Thomas McCarthy	Dr. Bob Banks
Ben Stiller	Gaylord 'Greg' Focker
Teri Polo	Pam Byrnes
Blythe Danner	Dina Byrnes
Nicole DeHuff	Deborah Byrnes
Jon Abrahams	Denny Byrnes
Owen Wilson	Kevin Rawley
James Rebhorn	Dr. Larry Banks
Phyllis George	Linda Banks
Kali Rocha	Flight Attendant
Tom McCarthy	Bob Banks

Director	Jay Roach
Producer	Robert De Niro; Jay Roach
Writer	Greg Glienna; Mary Ruth Clarke

Randy Newman's opening song, "A Fool in Love", perfectly sets up the scenario of Meet the Parents: "Show me a man who is gentle and kind and I'll show you a loser". Greg Focker (Ben Stiller) is the fool in love. Just as he's about to propose to his girlfriend Pam (Teri Polo), he learns that her sister's fiancé asked their father, Jack Byrnes (Robert De Niro), for permission to marry. Now he feels the need to do the same thing. When Greg meets Jack, he is so desperate to be liked that he makes up stories and feebly attempts to ingratiate himself with his prospective father-in-law rather than having the courage of his convictions. It doesn't take an elite member of the CIA to see right through Greg, but unfortunately that's precisely what Jack is. Directed by Jay Roach (the Austin Powers films), Meet the Parents is a well-crafted comedy that makes for a pleasant contrast to the sloppy excesses of the Farrelly brothers. Stiller is great at playing up the uncomfortable comedy of errors, balancing just the right amount of selfishness and self-deprecating humour, while De Niro's excels as the intimidating father. Blythe Danner as his wife, the Gracie to De Niro's George Burns, is the true heart of the film and Owen Wilson turns in yet another terrific comic performance as Pam's ex-fiancé. --Andy Spletzer, Amazon.com