We’ll be honest, as a major studio we have a soft spot for Universal having been bold enough to green light a Paul Greengrass Iraq war film and a digitally-shot Michael Mann 1930s gangster picture and a two and a half hour long Judd Apatow dramedy.
Ok, let’s face it, these were not bold decisions at the time and on paper to the studio and modern movie zealots these sounded like amazing no brainer projects. But including “Bruno,” all these projects — “Green Zone,” “Public Enemies” and “Funny People” — either heavily bombed or greatly underperformed at the box-office. The last 12 months for the studio have been incredibly difficult — “Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World” will be an August challenge and “The Adjustment Bureau” will have its own set of problems.
So ironically (and sadly), the film that could help ameliorate their financial woes is the worst looking one of the bunch: “Little Fockers,” the third film in the “Meet The Parents” trilogy.
While “Meet The Parents” was a harmless, mildly amusing, diverting comedy that actually marked a high point in Robert DeNiro’s late-era career choices, the trailer for the third installment has just arrived and lord, there is a paucity of laughs and it is mostly bereft of comedy. It looks and feels like a lazily tossed together and all-too familiar and unnecessary go-round with the same set of characters.
Comedy sequels generally live in the world of diminishing returns and this picture is no different. Once again, the film stars Ben Stiller, Robert DeNiro, Terri Polo (who’s mighty glad this franchise exists, she has no career otherwise save the occasional playboy spread), Blythe Danner (one of the remaining charms), and Barbara Streisand (Paul Weitz steps in to direct as filmmaker Jay Roach who helmed the first two installments sits back to take a producer role)
It was reported last year that Dustin Hoffman was unhappy with the script and wouldn’t return and we guess that turned out to be true as he’s nowhere to be seen (and was probably quickly rewritten out of the script — probably on some off camera spiritual retreat that jived with his hippie-ish character).
Added to the cast this time like an ailing crutch is Jessica Alba, Harvey Keitel, Laura Dern, Owen Wilson (returning from the first film in the series) and a pair of kids injected into the storyline a la a dying sitcom to try and provide some oh so desperate laughs.
And desperate they are. But broad strokes and laughs are the opium of the easy-satisfied masses, so we wouldn’t be surprised if the comedy is a semi-sized, “Marley & Me” hit since it’s arriving in the same Xmas season. Let’s just hope if it’s a hit, it doesn’t dumb down Uni or change their overall strategy. “Little Fockers” arrives in theaters December 22.