Meet the Parents (2000)
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A man's attempt to win over his girlfriend's overprotective parents leads to a series of escalating mishaps.
The story
Greg Focker, a Jewish-American nurse in Chicago, plans to propose to his girlfriend, Pam Byrnes, during her sister's wedding on Long Island. However, his plans are complicated when his luggage containing the engagement ring is lost by the airline. Upon arriving at the Byrneses' home, Greg must navigate the scrutiny of Pam's father, Jack, a retired CIA operative who is highly suspicious of Greg's intentions and career. As Greg tries to navigate the social minefield of the wedding weekend, his attempts to impress the family lead to a series of escalating mishaps and awkward encounters, forcing him to navigate the growing tension between his desire to be accepted and the reality of the family's intense scrutiny.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Greg Focker, a Jewish-American nurse, travels to Long Island to propose to his girlfriend, Pam, during her sister's wedding. After his engagement ring is lost by the airline, he must navigate the scrutiny of her father, Jack, a retired CIA operative who is suspicious of Greg's motives. Throughout the weekend, Greg's attempts to impress the family result in a string of mishaps, including a sewage flood, a fire at the wedding altar, and the loss of the family's cat, Mr. Jinx. After a series of escalating lies and a tense confrontation where Jack's secret life and Greg's true identity are revealed, the two men eventually find common ground. Jack realizes Pam's love for Greg, and the two reconcile, leading to a successful proposal and a mutual understanding of their respective lives.
- First release year
- 2000
- Runtime (minutes)
- 108
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Jay Roach
- Writers
- Jim Herzfeld · screenplay; John Hamburg · screenplay; Greg Glienna · story; Mary Ruth Clarke · story
- Cast and characters
- Robert De Niro · Jack; Ben Stiller · Greg Focker; Blythe Danner · Dina; Teri Polo · Pam; Owen Wilson · Kevin
- Genres
- romantic comedy
- Themes
- cultural differences
- Tone and mood
- comedy
- Setting
- Long Island and Chicago, 2000
- Premise and plot tags
- romance; comedy; remake
- Source material / true-story basis
- 1992 film Meet the Parents
- Reception
- The film was well received by critics and was a commercial success.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 73 · scale: 100 · review count: 33
- Awards and nominations
- Favorite Comedy Motion Picture · People's Choice Awards · 2001 · win
- Production trivia
- The film's name 'Focker' was chosen because the original name was questioned by the MPAA as a potential expletive.; The film was nearly directed by Steven Spielberg with Jim Carrey in the lead role.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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