On CLIPS In January, 2011
LITTLE FOCKERS  

Greg Focker (Ben Stiller) clashes with his father-in-law (Robert De Niro) over who will become the next family patriarch in this comedy from director Paul Weitz.

TRIVIA: Paul Weitz directed what 1999 teen comedy classic?

Male nurse Greg Focker (Ben Stiller) has earned a little respect from father-in-law Jack Byrnes (Robert De Niro) while raising kids Samantha (Daisy Tahan) and Henry (Colin Baiocchi) with wife Pam (Teri Polo). Now he must prove worthy of becoming the next family patriarch, but a side job selling a male enhancement drug and the company's seductive rep (Jessica Alba) raise Jack's suspicions about his son-in-law. Confrontations occur and hilarity ensues. Or does it? "Little Fockers" is surprisingly laugh-free and the worst in the "Meet The Parents" series. A movie with experienced director Paul Weitz ("About A Boy") and a star-filled cast that also includes Owen Wilson, Barbra Streisand, Dustin Hoffman and Blythe Danner should have been much better. But low-brow humor and forced sight gags rule the day. Stiller and De Niro are obviously the main focus and they do the best they can with the anemic material, yet the story gets tiresome fast. The title may be "cute", but it's almost meaningless since the kids rarely appear. Die-hard fans may tolerate some of the on-screen antics and will probably cheer a whining Owen Wilson's return as Pam's ex-boyfriend. Unfortunately, the focked-up "Little Fockers" offers very little.