Before proposing to his girlfriend Pam (Teri Polo), Greg Focker (Ben Stiller) faces the daunting task of meeting his future in-laws. He sees a family wedding as the ideal opportunity to make a good impression, but upon arrival finds Pam's protective father Jack (Robert De Niro) a formidable foe. Proceeding to put Greg through the wringer, Jack prompts the nervous nurse to lumber from one disaster to the next, his anxiety reaching new heights when he finds out that Jack's supposed exotic flower passion is in fact a cover for a career in the CIA. After flooding the garden with sewage, giving the bride a black eye and setting the altar on fire, Greg has clearly pushed the family's patience to the limit, but when he loses Jack's cherished cat Mr Jinx, it seems his hapless exploits might destroy his relationship with Pam too.
Spawning sequel Meet the Fockers, and next year's third instalment, Little Fockers, Meet the Parents is one of the most successful comedy franchises ever. De Niro gives perhaps his best performance of the past ten years, in a brilliantly funny turn that's a real departure from the heavier roles that made his name, and Stiller is perfect as the exasperated Greg, enhancing his status as one of Hollywood's biggest players. Helmed by Austin Powers director Jay Roach, it was also the third film to star both Stiller and Owen Wilson, a partnership which has since flourished with six further projects.
Boasting a host of infamous scenes, including the basement lie detector test and an excruciating dinner conversation about milking cats, Meet the Parents has proved to be hugely popular with both critics and audiences. The non-stop gags, memorable set pieces and riotously funny performances make this one to watch again and again.
Meet the Parents is a Film programme that first aired in 2000 and has been classified a 12 certificate.
