Meet the Parents

Greg Focker is eager to propose to his girlfriend Pam, but his first real test comes long before the ring. He travels to Pam’s family home to meet her formidable father, Jack Byrnes, a retired CIA agent who scrutinizes every move. On Pam’s sister’s wedding eve, Greg tries to win approval while keeping up with Jack’s precise rules and relentless questions. What follows is a chain of awkward miscommunications and near misses as Greg’s well meaning plans collide with Jack’s suspicion and Pam’s hopes. Family pride and a fear of crossing sacred boundaries spark a comedy that tips into chaos, testing trust, patience, and love while never losing its humor. The actors lock in timing that keeps the laughs steady.

Directed by Jay Roach, Meet the Parents is built from an original screenplay by John Hamburg with Jim Herzfeld and Greg Glienna, crafted as a sharp look at marriage, mishaps, and in laws rather than a typical sequel for audiences.

On a 55 million budget, the film roared to life at the box office, grossing about 330 million worldwide. It resonated with audiences across markets worldwide and beyond, truly cementing its status as a durable broad comedy for years to come.

The movie helped define a crowd pleasing in law and family clash subgenre, spawning two sequels and anchoring Ben Stiller and Robert De Niro as a go-to dynamic duo for broad humor. Its take on tension with pride and privacy resonated with many families that influenced many later films.

Critics praised the film for its brisk pacing and the actors' chemistry, while noting the humor hinges on discomfort and family expectations. The story turns on trust and acceptance under pressure, balancing embarrassment with warmth as love faces a difficult in law test, with surprises kept light for many viewers.