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Men In Black 3

It’s not a sequel that needed to be made, but thanks to the charm of its leads and a tone that harks back to the wit and humour of the original, it’s a pretty enjoyable trip.

Bel Ami

The excellent female support cast saves this patchy effort, which is let down by its leading man and a flat screenplay.

The Dictator

A disappointing, often repulsive and mean-spirited mess of a film with seemingly only one real criterion on its agenda: to shock and offend.

The Woman In Black

Packed with atmosphere, this old-fashioned but deftly told ghost story delivers ample chills and thrills.

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Meet The Parents: Little Fockers (Film)

by Josh Forward | December 23, 2010 10:30 | Edited December 23, 2010 21:57

Hilarious bits and comic chemistry between De Niro and Stiller can't save this plotless sequel.

Back for round three, Robert De Niro and Ben Stiller return as Jack Byrnes and Greg Focker, the ever squabbling in-laws, in Little Fockers. In fact the whole cast of the first two films returns, and are joined here by Jessica Alba, Harvey Keitel and Laura Dern, posing the question, don't these good actors, many of them Oscar winners, have anything better to do with their time? Whilst the film is enjoyable and even laugh-out -loud funny at times, the entire film just feels unnecessary and reveals the whole series as yet another film franchise that has overstayed its welcome.

 

It's been six years since we last caught up with Greg and Pam Focker, and now they've got kids of their own and the Grandparents are coming in for the twins' big birthday party. Meanwhile, Greg receives a moonlighting job offer from hot pharmaceutical rep Andi (Alba), but wants to keep it secret from Jack lest he think Greg is having financial difficulties. Cue suspicions, misunderstanding and the same butting of horns seen in the last two instalments.

 

The film shoot was apparently plagued with troubles, with re-writes and re-shoots happening repeatedly, which could be one of the reasons the film is as overstuffed with storylines as it is with cast members. None of them get the full attention they deserve and plot development is clunky. Surely some of the projectile vomiting, pull my finger, and boner jokes could have been trimmed down in favour of story and wit?

 

Stiller and De Niro have great comedic chemistry and apart from Alba who is still proving you don't need talent to make it as an actress, the rest of the cast are engaging, especially Laura Dern who is hilarious as the principal of a prestigious kindergarten. Unfortunately what they are all doing just isn't fresh. The awkward humour still works and audiences can enjoy burying their face in their hands watching everything unravel, but the slapstick isn't clever and it seems like they all did it better the first and even second time.