Little Fockers
Some of the best American actors of the past 40 years find themselves in a frankly uneven comedy that is far from being at the height of their talent. This is called “Little Fockers”, the second series of jubilant “Meet the Parents”.
Derivatives are everywhere. There are even little rascals who amused themselves by turning “Titanic 2″ as the boat sank at the end of the first! At its output on the screens in 2000, “Meet the Parents” proved to be a hilarious movie that made him laugh to tears. Before the grand success, its director Jay Roach has decided to give birth to a trivial result. The relative failure of “Meet the Fockers” has not prevented a third volume to emerge.
The story is however identical. Greg (Ben Stiller) tries to deal as best he can with his wife Pam (Teri Polo) and his twins, all before the accusing gaze of his stepfather (Robert De Niro) who sees conspiracies everywhere. And when looking for problems, we always end up finding …
There is some discomfort with the same scenario again continuously explore with nothing in return. What worked before still works as many (former charismatic portrayed by Owen Wilson, simple misunderstandings taking propensities unsuspected, the conflictual relationship between Stiller and De Niro), which is not a reason to repeat endlessly.
Especially since before the low-stakes drama, performers tend to overdo. A mother who only talk about sex, Barbra Streisand sinks into caricature. Like the hero of “Greenberg”, which seems excited about something else. Or poor Laura Dern who does absolutely nothing. Aware that the formula has been exhausted beautiful long time, the writers seek to change the wrong place by multiplying the tributes, including Andy Garcia, from “Jaws” and “The Godfather”. Some bright ideas in a sea where the umpteenth shouting matches rhymes with gag or vomit splash through a child.
Stripped of its codes “for the whole family”, the story could have paid in the delicious excess and exuberance. Robert De Niro shows his number and hear old comedian get into an argument with Harvey Keitel gives a taste just to see “Mean Streets”. Add to that the presence of Dustin Hoffman wasted and this is one of the best distributions to emerge for some time. It is only sad that these talented actors can no longer operate in a movie worthy of the name.
Ironically, the character most flavorful is Jessica Alba who plays to perfection the man-eater. She is funny and upbeat, charismatic, being alone in believing that everything would have been different, a little innovation is never hurt anyone. It is only sad that “Little Fockers”, now directed by Paul Weitz inauthentic (“American Pie”), proves the contrary.
