Product Details

• Actors: Stiller, De Niro, Polo, Danner
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, NTSC
• Language: English
• Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Universal Studios
• VHS Release Date: March 6, 2001
• Run Time: 108 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (413 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00003CXO0
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #12,198 in Video (See Bestsellers in Video)

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  Video > Comedy > Farce

• This is item 1 in The Meet the Parents Series.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
Randy Newman's opening song, "A Fool in Love," perfectly sets up the movie that follows. The lyrics begin, "Show me a man who is gentle and kind, and I'll show you a loser," before praising the man who takes what he wants. Greg Focker (Ben Stiller) is the fool in love in Meet the Parents. Just as he's about to propose to his girlfriend Pam (Teri Polo), he learns that her sister's fiancé asked their father, Jack Byrnes (Robert De Niro), for permission to marry. Now he feels the need to do the same thing. When Greg meets Jack, he is so desperate to be liked that he makes up stories and kisses ass rather than having the courage of his convictions. It doesn't take an elite member of the CIA to see right through Greg, but that's precisely what Jack is. Directed by Jay Roach (the Austin Powers movies), Meet the Parents is an incredibly well-crafted comedy that stands in nice opposition to, say, the sloppy extremes of the Farrelly brothers. Stiller is great at playing up the uncomfortable comedy of errors, balancing just the right amount of selfishness and self-deprecating humor, while De Niro's Jack is funny as the hard-ass father who just wants a few straight answers from the kid. What makes the Jack character all the funnier is Blythe Danner as his wife, the Gracie to his George Burns, who is the true heart of the movie. Oh, and Owen Wilson turns in yet another terrific comic performance as Pam's ex-fiancé. --Andy Spletzer

Product Description
In this movie, Ben Stiller meets his girlfriend's parents for the first time. Very funny.

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very Funny Movie(Another Ben Stiller Winner), October 9, 2000

By	"redstorm02" (Berkeley, CA United States) - See all my reviews

I wasn't really sure what to expect with Robert De Niro in a more comedic role and the so-so reviews of Meet the Parents. Well, let me be the first to tell you that all theses reviews were wrong and De Niro shined in his role as the father. The toilet humor of There's Something About Mary is still present in Meet the Parents--I won't give any of it away since the shock factor is what makes these scenes so hilarious. Ben Stiller is wonderful as Gregory, the misguided yet well-intentioned boyfriend of Jack's daughter. This movie had so many well placed comic moments that I never really stopped laughing. Robert De Niro and Ben Stiller make such a great pair because of the fact that they are such polar opposites. De Niro's paranoia feeds Stiller's own paranoia and makes for a lot of awkward but humorous confrontations. Their misunderstandings range from the hidden meaning of "Puff the Magic Dragon" to premarital relations. Mixed in somewhere within the gags and the shock humor is a nice romance story that is somewhat generic but never overshadows Stiller and De Niro's relationship. Meet the Parents is one of the funniest movies I have seen in a long time and I implore you to see it.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars In-Law Laughs...., October 4, 2003

By	L. Shirley "Laurie's Boomer Views" (fountain valley, ca United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)

This review refers to the VHS edition(Universal) of "Meet the Parents"......

You may not think your in-laws are really so bad after seeing what poor Greg Focker has to go through with his future family. Yes you read right, his name is Greg Focker and he's about to spend the weekend with the parents of the girl he intends to marry. Pam's dad, Jack Byrnes, really loves his daughters, and any man who wants to share their lives better be up to his standards. He's an ex-CIA agent who will scrutinize your every move and you better like his cat as well.What will it take for Greg to win the hand of the girl he loves..and does he really want to be a part of this crazy family after all? It's laugh out loud stuff as every move he makes turns into a hysterical series of events that has Pam's family turning against him.

Who else could be the over protective,over bearing,over analyzing, prospective father-in-law than than Mr. Tough Guy himeslef..Robert De Niro. His straight faced comic timing is just one more side of this very talented actor. Ben Stiller is a laugh a minute as he tries to please this unpleasable Dad.
The rest of the cast is nicely rounded out by Blythe Danner,Teri Polo,James Rebhorn and the fabulous Owen Wilson. Director Jay Roach brings this terrifc ensemble together beautifully and the music by Randy Newman adds more fun to the story.It's one of those great comedies that is still funny with repeated viewings.

The VHS is in Stereo surround, sounds great,has closed captions, and has a nice picture as well.

So kick back,enjoy the film, but..be careful not to let the cat out!.....have fun with this great addition to you comedy or De Niro collection.....Laurie

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15 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Funniest Flick Of 2000, January 22, 2001

By	Josh "theoctopede" (Wyoming, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Meet the Parents (DVD)

In a year filled with less-than-par movies (especially those in the comedic genre) this was a breath of fresh air. I haven't heard a theatre audience laugh harder since 1995 when I watched "Dumb & Dumber". This is a similar comedy with a little more sense and a little less slapstick.

Greg Focker is a nurse who, before asking his girlfriend to marry him, must visit her parents and o.k. it with them. Things seem to be going well enough when he picks up the wrong bag at the airport, causing the oncoming hell that is 'Meeting the parents'.

Robert DeNiro stars as the father, an ex CIA agent who keeps a very close eye on Focker, and doesn't like what he sees. He mistakes him for a pot smoking, test-cheating, porno-watching liar who isn't fit for his daughter. At the comedic climax of the film, DeNiro even gives Focker a polygraph test.

In the end, sides aching, this film left me more satisfied than I'd been walking out of a theatre in a LONG time. Although comedies typically don't get oscar nods, this one is certainly deserving.

Lets pray for a "Meet The Parents, The Sequel" to save us from future movie boredom.