What Do The Critics Say?

"The writing is clever; the slapstick is fun, and the constant tug of war between poor Greg Focker, trying to outwit his hyper vigilant, nutty father-in-law, is the tension around which a whole stack of other delicious cameo performances can revolve. I enjoyed it hugely. It's nicely paced by a new director, Paul Weitz, but I reckon the key is in the writing. A silly film, perfect for the silly season." Julie Rigg MOVIE TIME ABC RADIO "Watching A-list actors behave like morons is not a bad way to offset the dreadful false cheer of the season. Not everybody's idea of comedy, but fans of the franchise will not be disappointed." Liz Braun JAM! MOVIES "The personalities are exuberant, the situations humorous, the slapstick worth a chuckle or two. There are some real moments where they bicker, compromise and overall, love each other, and without that key connection between these two, the movie would spin off the rails into total absurdity. A drunk Jessica Alba, and all sorts of comic mayhem busts loose." Dezhda Gaubert E! ONLINE "The frequently amusing, elaborately contrived second sequel to Meet the Parents." Leo Robson FINANCIAL TIMES "Aiming squarely for the holiday comedy market, though to a slightly older demo, is the consistently chuckle-worthy "Meet the Parents: Little Fockers", a film that somehow sidesteps the law of diminishing returns that usually applies to comedy threequels. Barbra Streisand and Dustin Hoffman sparkle in glorified cameos. As well as the inevitable throwing up scene, there is are some choice boner gags and a snappy climax where Stiller and de Niro face off during a kids’ birthday party." Jim Schembri THE AGE

"Always a sucker for pratfalls, I laughed at quite a few of the gags. I liked Jack manfully defibrillating himself on mains electricity. I liked Andi, off her head and optimistically stripped to her undies, actually throwing herself right on top of Greg sprawled at the bottom of a deep pit, both getting knocked out." David Sexton LONDON EVENING STANDARD "No matter what your taste in humor, whether it's low-brow bodily fluid material or somewhat more sophisticated jokes, there's something here to touch the funny bone. It is fun to revisit the characters and see what they're up to now." Scott Chitwood COMING SOON "I did not find "Little Fockers" to be particularly excruciating. Indeed, I laughed pretty hard several times. My father-in-law, whom I brought to the screening as a kind of experiment, can testify to this. Streisand is, among other things, a top-shelf comedic actress, and she really shows off her chops here." Glenn Kenny MSN MOVIES "For celebrity stunts, it's hard to top Harvey Keitel as a blissfully stoned housing contractor who tangles briefly with his erstwhile Taxi Driver co-star. A bigger surprise is Laura Dern, nailing her part." Daniel Eagan FILM JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL "This sequel delivers its fair share of belly laughs. Most of these laughs are down to Owen Wilson, who returns as worthy new-age millionaire Kevin. His highlight sees him putting a child to sleep with a special neck grip that "eases the flow of cerebral spinal fluid". Also delivering on the comedy front is Jessica Alba as a slightly unhinged, pill-popping pharmaceutical drug rep who takes a shine to Greg after they perform what can only be described as an erotic colonic irrigation on a patient." Alex Zane THE SUN ONLINE

The Inside Story For more than a decade, one comedy franchise has celebrated the humor in the foibles and fractures we share with friends and family. Racking up a combined worldwide box office of more than $800 million, "Meet the Parents" and "Meet the Fockers" introduced us to some of modern comedy’s most beloved characters. Now, the third installment of the enormously popular series turns an eye toward another of life’s milestones and its humorous impact on marriage and family: raising kids. Welcome back to the comedic pleasure of watching Jack Byrnes and Greg Focker go head to head in Little Fockers. As "Meet the Fockers" closed with a radiantly pregnant Pam marrying Greg in front of their loved ones, the next chapter in the blockbuster series was nimbly established. If raising children was to be the crux of a new Parents sequel, this chapter would need to bring us back to focus on the relationships of the Byrnes and the Fockers: both romantic and familial. For series producer Jane Rosenthal ("Analyze This" & "About A Boy"), the film title may have fallen into place with ease, but fleshing out an original story that would excite audiences would prove to be a bigger challenge for her team. Whe it comes to "Little Fockers" and "Meet the Fockers" the veteran filmmaker (and partner with Robert De Niro) at Tribeca Productions, notes they, "are not traditional sequels. Each film ends up chronicling the growth of these characters: whether it’s Pam and Greg’s tentative steps as a committed couple; meeting her parents or the introduction of both sets of future in-laws. The one thing about this franchise that makes the comedy work so well is the dynamic between the characters. With each film, the audience is more vested in these relationships. The audience has grown with the franchise, so we always aim to be at the top of our game." The key to any successful chapter is a lively, entertaining take on characters the audience has come to love. With back to back blockbusters behind them, the filmmakers once again turned to the screenwriter who most intimately knows the Focker-Byrnes history: John Hamburg ("Along Came Polly"); who previously co-wrote the screenplays for both "Meet the Parents" and "Meet the Fockers". Hamburg ("I Love You, Man") who and also serves as a producer on "Little Fockers", returns with his combination of original story lines and broad comedic sensibility that solidify the circle of trust. For him, the beauty of the previous films lay in the simplicity of the premise: boy meets girl, boy meets girl’s parents, boy’s parents meet girl’s parents. But he would find his biggest challenge was trying to sustain the relatability that propelled the first two comedies. As much as Hamburg looked forward to revisiting the characters he’d helped to create ten years earlier, it turned out that the working title the team had embraced would present a whole new set of challenges. Aiding him in navigating the new trials and tribulations of the Fockers and the Byrnes was Larry Stuckey ("Elling"). An associate producer on "Meet the Fockers", Stuckey’s writing partnership with franchise director/producer Jay Roach, coupled with his own experiences as an anxious new father and husband, helped inspire this chapter for the two screenwriters. Roach, who previously directed and produced both "Meet the Parents" and "Meet the Fockers", admits that the process of finding another chapter was a lengthy one. "It took a few years to come up with a story that we thought earned its way back in," Roach ("50 First Dates") notes. "We wanted to make sure that our audience would buy into the set of conditions that would pit Greg Focker against Jack Byrnes again. I’m happy that we keep getting invited back." When it comes to developing material, Hamburg, who in addition to the 'Parents' series has collaborated with EMMY award winner Ben Stiller on "Zoolander" and "Along Came Polly" (which Hamburg wrote and directed), has cultivated a shorthand with the multitalented actor. "When you’re making the third film in a series, the constant question is ‘How do you keep it fresh and retain what people liked about the first two movies?'. Ben is a perfectionist and one of the smartest people I’ve ever encountered. He wants to keep working at the material from a character standpoint. So you challenge yourself to make it better, make it real and more original. The voice I have as a writer and the voice that Ben has as an actor just go together well. It’s a very fluid process." 2008 Hollywood Film Award winner Stiller ("Tropic Thunder") knew he was only interested in revisiting his role as Greg Focker if the material lent itself to an entertaining story that moved the character's lives forward. "We worked on the script to get it to a place that was organic and felt like it made sense for the movie to be happening at this point. It’s dealing with issues that are relevant for each of the characters at various stages in life." The concept was reduced to the universal challenges that any couple deals with as they expand upon their family. Such as: wanting the best for your children; keeping your head above water financially; facing your mortality and maintaining a marriage; all of which are relatable to audiences who have embraced the series. More of life’s ups and downs, coupled with meddling in-laws, turned out to be a welcome foundation for the next chapter. Taking the helm of the third film is director Paul Weitz, whose knack for injecting heart into comedy, whether broad or subtle, has proven to win over audiences in such films as "American Pie 2 & 3" (2001 & '03), "About a Boy" (2002), which he directed with his brother Chris), and "In Good Company" (2004). Weitz has an interesting take on what brought him to this installment, in which the entire cast agreed to reprise their roles: "I’m drawn to independent film, but I’m also drawn to classic filmmaking of the studio era, and it’s almost impossible to replicate that situation where you have huge stars committed to a project. It’s such an incredibly unusual situation to have a cast of this caliber in place. Ben’s character seems like one of those archetypical characters that everybody is able to project their neuroses onto. For Greg, they are feelings of insignificance. The primary thing that made this click was the idea that Greg was at a particular point in his life where you have kids who are old enough that you no longer feel like you’re in some weird dream that you’re going to wake up from. You actually feel like, 'Wow, I really do have kids.' You’re next in line and taking responsibility for both the generation before you and the one after." With Weitz now a part of the filmmaking team, the fine-tuning of the material continued. A key element to developing the storyline was to maintain the familial relationships while jumpstarting the story. They have accomplished this by introducing us to the characters at a new juncture in their lives. Namely, Jack and Greg’s contentious relationship (which has propelled the series), would again be a primary focus. "Life events have conspired to send Jack and Greg back to where they started," says Stiller ("The Heartbreak Kid") "But, ultimately, they are finally able to put the cards on the table as these subtle tensions come to a head. It all starts to bubble up to the surface." "The key thing for any really terrific comedic performance is that the character doesn’t know he or she is in a comedy," Weitz notes. "Ben is very keen to not play anything for laughs." And the laughs come thick and fast when a disappointed Jack (whose daughter Deborah has seperated from her husband Dr Bob), seeks to pass the mantle of 'Godfocker' to Greg. particularly enjoyed partnering with an old comedy buddy. "Ben has a way of reacting and delivering a line that’s unique to him. It’s just a line, but he does it in such a way that he’s making a comment on it," says two time Oscar ® winner De Niro (1975 for "The Godfather: Part II" & 1981 for "Raging Bull"). "He puts all these little spins on it that are very funny. We’re practically old friends, and we have a terrific time working together." The perfect comedic timing between De Niro and Stiller is a result of the genuine affection they hold for one another and a testament to the longevity of the franchise. In fact, during the filming of some of the more raucous scenes, the two could often be found cracking each other up between takes, if not during one. "I finally feel comfortable calling him Bob after 10 years," Stiller admitted. "For me, Little Fockers is all about just being able to work with Robert De Niro again." 2005 & 2006 EMMY award winner Blythe Danner ("Huff") who has portrayed his on-screen wife for more than a decade admits De Niro quite liked returning to the role. "Bob enjoyed it. He has this wonderful Cheshire cat smile that spreads across his face, and then he laughs out loud. It’s very funny." Which reminds me: Jack's Himalayan cat, Mr Jinx, reprises his role. While the tension between Jack and Greg has regularly played itself out to hilarious results, the rivalry between Greg and Pam’s former suitor, the wealthy, sensitive Kevin Rawley (played by Owen Wilson) remains. "What’s so fun about Kevin is that there is so much to work with. From the first time I played him, he was this very pretentious, yet earnest guy who doesn’t have a lot of self awareness." It is rare for actors to be able to regularly revisit a character over the course of a decade, but despite gaps of several years, the cast stepped back into their roles with aplomb. "Everybody likes the characters they play, so the comfort level is automatically there," 1996 & '99 Lone Star Film Award winner Wilson ("Bottle Rocket" & "Rushmore") offers. "That’s always good for making things funny." "I’ve loved the tense relationship between Kevin and Greg since Meet the Parents," Stiller says. "Despite appearances, he’s still obsessed with her." The women of the comedy series, particularly the Byrnes ladies, have taken their own paths over the years. Teri Polo’s Pam Focker has fully shed the mantle of daddy’s little girl and settled into the role of wife and mother, while the genteel Dina, portrayed by beloved actress Blythe Danner, has lost some of her Oyster Bay reserve and flourished under the friendship of the outspoken Roz Focker. "There’s always something to throw a wrench into the calm," Polo reflects. Danner revealed that it’s always a treat for her to check in with her character Dina and find out how she and Jack continue to fare. "I feel so fortunate to have been a part of the third Fockers endeavor. All the films have been a joy to work on. I jokingly said to Bob De Niro that I hope they keep coming, even if we’re walking with canes on the next one and graduate to walkers and wheelchairs on the ones after that." The incomparable two-time Oscar® winning Barbra Streisand ("Funny Girl" 1969 & "A Star Is Born" '77) returns as Greg’s mother, whose career as a sex therapist for seniors has catapulted her to fame. A reunion of the cast would not be a true reunion without the presence of double Oscar® winner Dustin Hoffman ("Kramer vs. Kramer" 1980 & "Rain Man" '89) returning to play Greg’s father, liberal nurturer Bernie. What's It All About?

It has taken ten years, two little Fockers with wife Pam and countless hurdles for Greg to finally get 'in' with his tightly wound father in law, Jack. However, after the cash-strapped dad takes a job moonlighting for a drug company with a sexy co-worker, Jack’s suspicions come roaring back. It couldn’t be a worse time for Greg, who is simultaneously juggling the demands of impressing the headmistress of a prestigious private school for the kids and finessing his shady general contractor, while fending off the advances of the drop-dead gorgeous pharmaceutical rep with whom Greg works. As the Focker-Byrnes clan and Pam’s lovelorn ex, Kevin, descend for the birthday bash, Greg must prove to the skeptical Jack that he’s fully capable as the man of the house and designated Godfocker of the clan. Can Greg pass Jack’s final test and become the family’s next patriarch: the Godfocker?

The Verdict "They're back! Bigger and better than ever. Our two favourite familes: the Fockers and the Byrnes; are returning to the big-screen in the latest edition which charts the families progress. Fans of "Meet The Parents" and "Meet The Fockers" will be busting their boiler to see "Little Fockers". The success of the first two editions is clearly evident at the box-office: $US330,444,045 for "Meet The Parents" (production budget $US55 million) and $US516,642,939 for "Meet The Fockers" (production budget $US80 million). The biggest factors in the success of both 'Focker' films has clearly come from (1) creating characters audiences can invest in and grow with; (2) garnering a solid cast who are all obviously in it for the long haul; and (3), ensuring the comedy factor has wide appeal. And when it comes to the latter: the two previous films (like "Little Fockers") have clearly developed and maintained their own brand of 'unique humour'. A style which will ensure audiences keep coming back for more. In "Little Fockers" the storyline maintains its focus on 'family'. This time around, Jack is, like many Grandparents, finally facing his own mortality. The arrival of grandchildren opens up a whole new world not only for the proud parents, but also their parents. Until the children reach a certain age and the terrible realization hits you right between the eyes: they're the ones who are going to replace us on planet earth. For many of us oldies it immediately raises a number of questions. Like have I done enough or what can I contribute to ensure their future is a bright one. For aging Jack Byrnes that means making sure that the line of succession goes to the most worthy person. In this case he needs to know if Gaylord has what it takes to become the ultimate family protector: 'The Godfocker'. Those who suspect this may open a can of worms, are on the right track. Greg's moonlighting with drug company rep Andi Garcia reignites Jack's suspicion that Greg may not be the family man he purports to be. Kevin Rawley back on the scene and school placement for the children are catalyst for added fun. 4 STARS." Who Is Playing Who?

Robert De Niro Ben Stiller Owen Wilson Dustin Hoffman Barbra Streisand Blythe Danner Teri Polo Jessica Alba Laura Dern Kevin Hart Daisy Tahan Colin Baiocchi Tom McCarthy Harvey Keitel Yul Vazquez Jack Axelrod Clent Bowers Olga Fonda Laksh Singh

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Jack Byrnes Greg Focker Kevin Bernie Focker Roz Focker Dina Byrnes Pam Focker Andi Prudence Nurse Louis Samantha Focker Henry Focker Dr Bob Randy Weir Junior Chappy Mr Androvsky Svetlana Dr Patel

Directed by Paul Weitz Written by John Hamburg and Larry Stuckey Characters created by Greg Glienna & Mary Ruth Clarke Produced by Robert De Niro/John Hamburg/Jay Roach/Jane Rosenthal Original Music by Stephen Trask Director Of Photography Remi Adefarasin Film Editing by Greg Hayden/Leslie Jones/Myron I Kerstein Casting by Joseph Middleton Production Design by William Arnold Art Direction Sue Chan Set Decoration by David Smith Costume Design by Molly Maginnis Run Time 98 minutes Rated M [AUST] Copyright ©2010 - Paramount Pictures - All Rights Reserved ©1999-2011 - The Movie Pages & Impact Internet Services - All Rights Reserved. Protected by Australian & International Copyright, Trademark Laws & Intellectual Property Rights.