The Hilarious Ordeal of Meeting the Parents: A Comedy of Errors
“Tell me, friend, without a hint of hesitation, how long have you been hopelessly in love?” This line could easily encapsulate the infatuation of Greg Focker (Ben Stiller) in “Meet the Parents.” Greg, burdened with a slightly awkward, undeniably Jewish surname, is head-over-heels for Pam. His love is so consuming that the rest of the world fades into a blurry background. He’s ready to ask for her hand in marriage, but there’s a significant hurdle to overcome: Pam’s family strictly adheres to the old-fashioned tradition of seeking the father’s blessing before any nuptials can take place. With her younger sister recently receiving parental approval for her impending wedding, Pam and Greg find themselves invited to the ceremony, setting the scene for a comedic showdown of clashing cultures and wildly different personalities.
Greg, deeply in love, is willing to face any challenge, but is he ready for the Byrnes family?
The In-Laws From… Well, Somewhere
The true weight of the situation begins to dawn on Greg and the audience as they approach Pam’s family residence. Pam instructs Greg to toss his cigarettes (“Dad thinks smoking is a sign of weak will”), and almost immediately follows that up with a wide eyed plea for Greg to not mention their personal activities with parental units.
Honestly, many (myself included) would have turned immediately around, and never looked back. However, Greg’s love is made of MUCH sterner stuff. He clearly has decided that Pam, and her affections, are the prize, and the only way to achieve them, is to win everyone over. He’s determined, brave, and annoyingly optimistic, convinced he can charm Pam’s parents.
Little does Greg know the extent of the challenges that await.
The Father-in-Law’s Unique Intimidation Tactics
His confidence is almost immediately shaken. Pam’s father, Jack Byrnes (Robert De Niro), supposedly a retired and now passionate gardener, shows zero interest in the rare tulip bulbs Greg gifts him. Instead, Byrnes proudly shows off his highly trained cat, that responds to verbal commands, including offering a paw. According to Jack, this impressive was only accomplished in two weeks. It’s no wonder he’s allotted the same amount of time to plan his younger daughter’s wedding.
Jack Byrnes’ piercing stare and subtle intimidation are a force to be reckoned with.
The wedding is planned and executed with painstaking specificity. The schedule includes, but isn’t limited to: Lineup at 10:00 AM, quick run to the store, rehearsal… The situation takes a huge turn when Greg discovers a portable lie detector in Jack’s room, accompanied by photographs of a younger Jack situated alongside notable figures such as Colonel Gaddafi and Bill Clinton. Greg realizes he’s in way over his head, but he has absolutely no idea just how deep he is. Under Jack’s intense interrogation, Greg has no choice but to come up with more and more preposterous lies, digging a progressively deeper hole with each sentence.
The discovery of the lie detector marks a turning point in Greg’s increasingly dire situation.
A Comedy Classic
“Meet the Parents” fits perfectly into the “comedy of situations” genre, bringing to mind classic sitcoms of years past. While some of the jokes are obvious and perhaps expected, they consistently manage to solicit big laughs and gasps, not that they are expected. The excellent performances of Stiller and De Niro ground the situation in reality, and let the audience fully experience the ridiculousness. Laughter often erupts into uproarious, sustained hysterics, drowning out some of the following lines. This type of positive reaction is rare, resulting in an awesome feel-good vibe that remains long after the end credits have rolled.
With the incredible writing, stellar cast, including a great performance by Owen Wilson as Pam’s ex-boyfriend, and the financing from Dreamworks, Robert De Niro, who also happened to serve as a producer, absolutely knocked it out of the park. The movie brought in over $162 million in America alone, on a budget of $55. Safe to say that it was well received by fans across the world.
If you need a break in your day, and are in the market for lighthearted and humorous movie, “Meet the Parents” is a perfect pick. And, who knows, perhaps viewing this film with your parents night inspire them to start going to the big screen more often themselves. Without nagging!
The chemistry between the actors is a key ingredient in the film’s enduring appeal.