First of all, I have to say the following: thank God for Stiller and DeNiro. Out of those 3 and a half stars I gave this movie, at least half a star belongs to them and only them. Without them, Meet the Parents might have still been funny and entertaining, but honestly, I can not think of anyone who could have done it better than them.
Even though the two leads steal the show, the supporting cast is top-notch. Teri Polo and Blythe Danner manage to do a lot with their characters, despite the fact that they don't have a lot of lines. Owen Wilson is once again hilarious, this time as Pam's charming ex-boyfriend.
Jay Roach, director of the two Austin Powers movies, has improved his skills over the years, bringing a lot of life into a movie that might have become tedious if handled by an inexperienced director.
The screenplay by Mary Ruth Clarke is top-notch and well balanced with lots of funny lines and enough character development to satisfy the crankiest critics out there.
I should also mention that even though it may seem so from the previews, Meet the Parents is not mean-spirited even for a second. It's a sweet and funny movie with a very good ending. There was never a dull moment or a failed gag or joke. If all comedies produced in 2000 were more like Meet the Parents and less like Ready to Rumble or Drowning Mona, then this would have been one helluva funny year.
~Dani Koev
