Common Sense Media Review
Sexual humor, raunchy language in forced family farce.
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Meet the Fockers
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 8 parent reviews
Based on 32 kid reviews
Kids say this movie has a mix of humor, with many viewers noting its heavy reliance on sexual jokes and inappropriate themes that may not be suitable for younger audiences. While some appreciate its comedy and believe it to be a solid sequel, many find it less charming and enjoyable than its predecessor, often questioning its PG-13 rating.
- sexual jokes
- inappropriate themes
- less charming sequel
- mixed reviews
- suitable for mature viewers
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
After winning the approval of his fiancée Pam's (Teri Polo) mom and dad in Meet the Parents, Greg Focker (Ben Stiller) invites the straight-laced Byrnes family to MEET THE FOCKERS. Everyone—including well-trained grandchild Jack-Jack (Spencer and Bradley Pickren)—hops into Jack's (Robert De Niro) fancy RV and heads to Florida. There, they meet Greg's parents (Barbra Streisand and Dustin Hoffman), who are the kind of people for whom the term "boundary issues" was created.
Is It Any Good?
Audiences who laugh at this movie are probably laughing more because they want to find it funny than because they actually do. Meet the Fockers reprises many jokes from the first movie, along with some of its own. One comes at the beginning of the movie, when Greg has to leave a voicemail for his parents and ends up listening to their incompetent answering-machine recording. It's funny at first, but it's repeated twice more within the next 15 minutes. Even the newer jokes largely revolve around Greg's mother Roz, a sex therapist with loose personal boundaries. But most of all, it's about how Greg, instead of being embarrassed by his fears of inadequacy, is embarrassed by how his parents represent those fears.
Everyone tries hard. They all but climb down out of the screen. Hoffman kisses everyone, sits on the toilet while De Niro is in the shower, moonwalks, and spreads whipped cream over Streisand's breasts. De Niro wears a prosthetic breast called a "man-ary gland." It doesn't have whipped cream, but breast milk is pumped through it so his grandchild feels like his mother is nursing him. Blythe Danner, who plays Pam's mother, asks Streisand for sex tips. And Stiller has to stand before a trophy wall displaying his 9th-place ribbons, his bar mitzvah tallit, and his high school jock strap. All of these jokes get thrown at the wall, and only a few stick, making for a decidedly broad, mediocre comedy.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about stereotyping in Meet the Fockers. Did you notice any in the movie? Were they funny? Why, or why not?
How did you react to the film's sexual innuendo? Why do you think the filmmakers decided to use sexual humor so heavily?
Do the characters' family dynamics mirror your own experiences of spending time with extended family? How does your family handle conflict?
Movie Details
- In theaters : December 22, 2004
- On DVD or streaming : April 19, 2005
- Cast : Ben Stiller , Dustin Hoffman , Robert De Niro
- Director : Jay Roach
- Studio : Universal Pictures
- Genre : Comedy
- Topics : Family Stories
- Run time : 90 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : crude and sexual humor, language and a brief drug reference
- Last updated : October 21, 2026
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