Review of Little Fockers (2010) by Nathan S — 27 Sep 2011

After reading the harsh reviews from the so called critics, I expected this film to suck but it's not as bad as I expected. The film is once again set at Christmas time and revolves around a family visit from retired CIA agent Jack Byrnes and Dina Byrnes (Robert De Niro and Blythe Danner) to their daughter Pam (Teri Polo) and male nurse son-in-law Greg Focker (Ben Stiller). The Byrnes have just suffered the unsettling news that their other daughter's husband Dr. Bob (Thomas McCarthy) has left her for another woman whom he has been having an affair with. Jack has also just recently experienced a near death heart attack and is looking to find a successor to replace him as head of the family.

One would assume that the film would focus on Greg and Pam's kids and the wacky adventures they get into, but instead, the plot once again is about Greg and Jack bumbling their way through misunderstandings and awkward moments, except Greg is much more skilled at dealing with Jack's attacks and criticisms this time around.

Owen Wilson is back and still has a crush on Stiller's wife, which leads to some amusing lines while Dustin Hoffman and Barbara Streisand are back as the particularly libidinous parents and, as you'd expect, they're willing to talk sex, sex and more sex. Greg`s new work colleague played by the incredibly hot and overenthusiastic pharmaceutical sales rep named Andi Garcia (Jessica Alba) raises even more suspicion when Jack begins to suspect that Greg isn't up to the task of being "the Godfocker", the one entrusted with the responsibility of protecting the Brynes family line. Meanwhile Andi is trying to convince Greg to endorse an erectile dysfunction drug called Sustengo, that's like Viagra but lessens the risk for heart patients. Funnily every time someone uses it, it's always with disastrous results.