Little Fockers

I can cut Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson and Jessica Alba a bit of slack because my expectations for them tend to be somewhat lower. Okay, much lower. They always seem to play just slightly different versions of the exact same character, especially Wilson, who I had just seen the night before in How Do You Know?.

I could waste a lot more time and space filling you in on the characters, the plot lines, and the reasons the audience did occasionally laugh out loud, but seriously, why bother? It’s a sequel. If you saw and liked the first two Focker flicks (Meet the Parents, Meet the Fockers), then you may not dislike this one quite as much as I did. But if you’ve never seen a single installment over the past decade, don’t make this the first.  The Little Fockers may appeal to its fan base – particularly those in the mood for totally sophomoric humor (like De Niro suffering the long-lasting side-effects of a new drug for erectile dysfunction…. Hoffman flamenco-dancing his way through “manopause”… or eye-candy Alba finding some excuse to take her clothes off and jump into a mud pit.) Teenage boys should have a field day. But if you have any doubts at all about paying good money to see this one, go with your gut. Skip it.

The cast is a virtual who’s who of stars from the big and small screen – including McSteamy and McDreamy, Kathy Bates, Jamie Foxx, Topher Grace, Jessica Biel, Ashton Kutcher, Anne Hathaway, Queen Latifah, the two Taylors (Lautner and Swift), former Alias co-stars Jennifer Garner and Bradley Cooper, Julia and Emma Roberts, Shirley MacLaine and Hector Elizondo… Need I go on?

There’s no real way to review the storyline without giving too much away. All I can say is the movie is enjoyable enough, if not particularly deep. Director Garry Marshall knows how to deliver a solid mainstream chick flick. And as a fellow Northwestern alum, it’s always fun to spot his quick nod to our alma mater – in this case on an extra’s sweatshirt. It’s also worth sticking around for the end credits. Among the outtakes – a fun, little salute to Marshall’s chick flick classic, Pretty Woman. Watching Valentine’s Day is like watching a special, star-studded edition of The Love Boat. If that floats your boat, then go and enjoy. If not today, then perhaps next Valentine’s Day.