Meet the Parents
★★★★★
My nostalgia for this film probably makes me rate this cringe-inducing comedy higher than it needs to be, but so many of the bits and jokes are etched into my brain. Meeting the parents of a dating partner is stressful no matter how serious you are, and the moments between Greg (Ben Stiller) and Jack (Robert De Niro) are far too realistic in their silences and failed punchlines. Anytime you think that things can't get worse, director Jay Roach raises the stakes that much more.
I can see how people can either be all out or all in with this film. But as unbelievable as the water volleyball game gone wrong or the spray-painting of a cat can be, you have to appreciate how this movie visualizes these nightmares and makes them come to life. The scenarios in themselves are funny, but it's the little lines and acting choices that elevate the material. Whether it's Owen Wilson's Kevin staring off into the distance or the family's constant inflection of Greg's last name, there's never a moment to regain your composure. I thought that Meet the Parents completely holds you in the palm of its hands and never lets go. It's easily one of the best comedies to come out of the aughts.
