Meet the Parents (2000)

Director:

Jay Roach

Writers (WGA):

Greg Glienna (1992 screenplay) &
Mary Ruth Clarke (1992 screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

6 October 2000 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

First comes love. Then comes the interrogation.

Plot:

Male nurse Greg Focker meets his girlfriend's parents before proposing, but her suspicious father is every date's worst nightmare.

Plot Keywords:

Male Nurse | Nurse | CIA | Cat | Mishap

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 7 wins & 14 nominations

Cast

Robert De Niro	...	Jack Byrnes
Ben Stiller	...	Gaylord 'Greg' Focker
Teri Polo	...	Pam Byrnes
Blythe Danner	...	Dina Byrnes
Nicole DeHuff	...	Deborah Byrnes
Jon Abrahams	...	Denny Byrnes
Owen Wilson	...	Kevin Rawley
James Rebhorn	...	Dr. Larry Banks
Thomas McCarthy	...	Dr. Bob Banks
Phyllis George	...	Linda Banks
Kali Rocha	...	Atlantic American Flight Attendant
Bernie Sheredy	...	Norm the Interrogator
Judah Friedlander	...	Pharmacy Clerk
Peter Bartlett	...	Animal Shelter Worker
John Elsen	...	Chicago Airport Security
Mark Hammer	...	Greg's Hospital Patient
Amy Hohn	...	Ticket Agent
William Severs	...	Father O'Boyle
John Fiore	...	Kinky
Marilyn Dobrin	...	Atlantic American Lost Luggage Clerk
Marci Reid	...	Traveler
Frank Santorelli	...	Courier (Wrong Bag)
Russell Hornsby	...	Late Night Courier (Right Bag)
Patricia Cook	...	Little Girl
Cody Arens	...	Little Boy
Cole Hawkins	...	Little Boy
Spencer Breslin	...	Little Boy
Ina Rosenthal	...	Wedding Worker
Kim Rideout	...	Nurse
Kresh Novakovic	...	Airport Policeman (as Kresimir Novakovic)
John Joseph Gallagher	...	Cop
G.A. Aguilar	...	Cop
Lynn Ann Castle	...	Security Guard
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Robbie Bryan	...	Man on Airplane (uncredited)
Phillip V. Caruso	...	Airport Baggage Swipe (uncredited)
Alan Francis	...	Airport Security (uncredited)
Jon M. McDonnell	...	Bartender (uncredited)
Erik-Anders Nilsson	...	Patron on Plane (uncredited)
Buzz Visconti	...	Bar Patron (uncredited)
Todd Wall	...	Caterer #2 (uncredited)

Directed by
Jay Roach

Writing credits (WGA)
Greg Glienna		(1992 screenplay) &
Mary Ruth Clarke		(1992 screenplay)
Greg Glienna		(story) &
Mary Ruth Clarke		(story)
Jim Herzfeld		(screenplay) and
John Hamburg		(screenplay)

Produced by
Robert De Niro	....	producer
Greg Glienna	....	associate producer
Emo Philips	....	associate producer
Jay Roach	....	producer
Shauna Robertson	....	co-producer (as Shauna Weinberg)
Jane Rosenthal	....	producer
Amy Sayres	....	co-producer
Nancy Tenenbaum	....	producer
Jim Vincent	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Randy Newman

Cinematography by
Peter James		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Greg Hayden
Jon Poll

Casting by
Ellen Chenoweth

Production Design by
Rusty Smith

Art Direction by
John Kasarda

Set Decoration by
Karin Wiesel		(as Karen Wiesel)

Costume Design by
Daniel Orlandi

Makeup Department
Michal Bigger	....	key makeup artist (as Michael Bigger)
Victor DeNicola	....	hair stylist: Mr. Stiller (as Victor De Nicola Jr.)
Ilona Herman	....	hair stylist: Mr. De Niro
Ilona Herman	....	makeup artist: Mr. De Niro
Linda Melo	....	makeup artist
Rita Ogden	....	makeup artist
Jackie Payne	....	hair stylist (as Jacqueline Payne)
John Quaglia	....	key hair stylist (as John D. Quaglia)
Carla White	....	makeup artist: Mr. Stiller

Production Management
Lisa Rodgers	....	post-production supervisor
Lenny Vullo	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Richard Cowan	....	first assistant director
Amy Lauritsen	....	second assistant director
Deanna Leslie	....	additional second assistant director
Dominick Scarola	....	dga trainee
Marco Schnabel	....	second unit director
Jennifer Truelove	....	second second assistant director

Art Department
Tommy Allen	....	property master (as Tom Allen)
Eric Cheripka	....	assistant property master
Ann Edgeworth	....	assistant property master (as Ann L. Edgeworth)
Jason Farrar	....	construction accountant
Chris Ferraro	....	set dresser
Gerard J. Furey	....	shop craftsman
Judy Gurr	....	set dresser
John R. Johnston	....	shop foreman
Hyun-joo Kim	....	assistant art director
Steven E. Lawler	....	construction foreman
Gary Levitsky	....	set dresser
Alan Muzeni	....	set dresser
Chris T. Nelson	....	leadman (as Crhistopher Nelson)
Ken Nelson	....	construction coordinator (as Kenneth D. Nelson)
Richard Nelson	....	set dresser (as Rick Nelson)
Raymond C. Polak	....	set dresser
William Riley	....	scenic foreman (as Bill Riley)
Jeffrey Rollins	....	set dresser (as Jeffrey S. Rollins)
Amy Safhay	....	greensperson
Adam Scher	....	assistant art director (as Adam M. Scher)
Aleta Shaffer	....	art department production assistant (as Aleta K. Shaffer)
David Stein	....	assistant art director
Christina K. Tonkin	....	assistant set decorator (as Christina Tonkin)
Robert Topol	....	scenic artist
M. Tony Trotta	....	scenic artist
Alyson Wellins	....	art department coordinator
Mike Bundlie	....	graphic designer (uncredited)
John Davis	....	storyboard artist (uncredited)
Gerard V. Engrassia	....	greensmen (uncredited)
Daniel Geary	....	carpenter (uncredited)
Erik Lundell	....	greensman (uncredited)
Grant Shaffer	....	storyboard artist (uncredited)
Stephen Siersema	....	scenic artist (uncredited)
Nell Stifel	....	scenic artist (uncredited)
Jonathan Tessler	....	assistant greensman (uncredited)
Ginny Walsh	....	greens foreman (uncredited)
Joan Winters	....	graphic designer (uncredited)

Sound Department
George H. Anderson	....	supervising sound editor (as George Anderson)
David Boulton	....	adr mixer
Jeanette Browning	....	adr recordist
Joe DeAngelis	....	sound recordist
Dennis Drummond	....	sound effects editor
Kim Drummond	....	dialogue editor
Charlie Essers	....	sound re-recording mixer (Japanese theatrical version)
David Giammarco	....	dialogue editor
Galen Goodpaster	....	assistant adr editor
Frank Graziadei	....	boom operator (as Frank J. Graziadei)
Frank Graziadei	....	cableman (as Frank J. Graziadei)
Michael Haight	....	sound effects editor
Doc Kane	....	adr mixer
Jonathan Klein	....	foley editor
Andy Koyama	....	sound re-recording mixer
Goro Koyama	....	foley artist
Tod A. Maitland	....	sound mixer
Andy Malcolm	....	foley artist
Ron Malligers	....	foley recordist (as Ron Mellegers)
Cindy Marty	....	sound effects editor
Bill Meadows	....	sound recordist
James Morioka	....	assistant sound editor
Joe Schiff	....	assistant sound editor
Michael Scott	....	boom operator (as Mike Scott)
Renee Tondelli	....	supervising adr editor
Jonathan Wales	....	sound re-recording mixer
Don White	....	foley recording mixer
Don White	....	foley recordist
Paul J. Zydel	....	adr mixer (as Paul Zydel)
Cornelia Mariana Gavrilescu	....	foley recording assistant (uncredited)
Philip Rogers	....	adr recordist (uncredited)
Jerome R. Vitucci	....	playback operator (uncredited)
Rebecca Wright	....	foley recording assistant (uncredited)

Special Effects by
J.C. Brotherhood	....	special effects coordinator (as Jonathan C. Brotherhood)
Deed Rossiter	....	special effects foreman
Byron K. Lovelace	....	special effects technician (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
David D. Johnson	....	visual effects supervisor: Pacific Vision Productions
Mark Sawicki	....	optical camera (uncredited)

Stunts
G.A. Aguilar	....	stunt coordinator
Bill Anagnos	....	stunts (as William Anagnos)
Blaise Corrigan	....	stunts
Douglas Crosby	....	stunts (as Doug Crosby)
Peter Epstein	....	stunts
Tony Guida	....	stunts
Stephen A. Pope	....	stunts (as Stephen Pope)
Ron Michaels	....	utility stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Bill Almeida	....	best boy electric (as William Almeida)
Steven Blaho	....	rigging grip (as Steven A. Blaho)
Kenny Burke	....	best boy grip (as Kenneth J. Burke)
Ronald Burke	....	dolly grip (as Ronald J. Burke)
Michael Cambria	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera
Caesar S. Carnevale	....	camera loader
Phillip V. Caruso	....	still photographer
Andrew Casey	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Andrew Cheung	....	grip
Ray Collins	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera (as Raymond Collins)
Ralph G. Crowley	....	generator operator (as Ralph Crowley)
James Edmiston	....	grip
Morris Flam	....	gaffer
Kevin Flynn	....	grip (as Kevin W. Flynn)
Jamie Gallagher	....	generator operator (as Jamie E. Gallagher)
Shaun Gilbert	....	rigging lamp operator
John Gilgar	....	rigging lamp operator
Gary Hildebrand	....	rigging best boy electrician
Tom Houghton	....	director of photography: second unit
Nils Johnson	....	24 frame video operator
Amy Kupferberg	....	rigging lamp operator (as Amy M. Kupferberg)
Francis Leach	....	lamp operator
Todd Lichtenstein	....	rigging lamp operator (as Todd B. Lichtenstein)
Clay Liversidge	....	rigging gaffer
Bruce MacCallum	....	camera operator: "a" camera
Bobby Mancuso	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera (as Robert Mancuso)
Kevin McKenna	....	video playback operator
John Panuccio	....	rigging key grip (as Jack Panuccio)
Lance E. Phox	....	rigging lamp operator
Robert T. Prate	....	best boy rigging grip (as Robert Prate)
Tom Prate	....	key grip (as Thomas J. Prate)
Michael R. Rudolph	....	rigging lamp operator
Tom Shinn	....	lamp operator
Eric Swanek	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera
Phil Testa	....	lamp operator (as Philip D. Testa)
Mark van Rossen	....	lamp operator
Joshua Wingard	....	grip
Richard Yacuk	....	rigging grip
Don Zappia	....	rigging grip
Nick Cupkovic	....	rigging lamp operator (uncredited)
William MacGhee	....	electrician (uncredited)
Jason Micallef	....	electrician (uncredited)

Casting Department
Susie Farris	....	casting associate
Grant Wilfley	....	extras casting
Amanda Koblin	....	casting associate (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Joanna Brett	....	wardrobe supervisor
David Davenport	....	costumer
Patricia Eiben	....	costumer (as Patty Eiben)
John Glaser	....	assistant costume designer
Donna Maloney	....	wardrobe supervisor
Marcie Olivi	....	costumer: Mr. DeNiro
Benjamin Wilson	....	costumer
Jeff Caron	....	wardrobe production assistant (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Kent Blocher	....	assistant editor: New York
Gary Burritt	....	negative cutter
Curtis Croeni	....	first assistant editor
Christopher Marcoux	....	assistant editor: New York
Dennis McNeill	....	color timer (as Denny McNeill)
Carrie Puchkoff	....	assistant editor: New York
Elizabeth Schmidt	....	assistant editor
Kevin Du Toit	....	post-production assistant (uncredited)

Music Department
Bruno Coon	....	music editor
Mark Cross	....	music consultant
Michael Danziger	....	vocal consultant
Don Davis	....	orchestrator
Sandy DeCrescent	....	music contractor (as Sandy De Crescent)
Jim Dunbar	....	music consultant
Brenda Heins	....	music coordinator
Luana Jackman	....	vocal contractor
Randy Newman	....	orchestrator
Randall Poster	....	music supervisor
Jonathan Sacks	....	orchestrator
Frank Wolf	....	music mixer
Frank Wolf	....	music recordist
Tom Boyd	....	musician: oboe soloist (uncredited)
John Rodd	....	orchestral scoring recordist (uncredited)
James Thatcher	....	musician: french horn (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Rocco Curatolo	....	driver: Mr. De Niro
Maurice Fitzgerald	....	transportation co-captain
Kevin Harrington	....	driver: Ms. Rosenthal
Herb Lieberz	....	driver: Mr. Stiller
Thomas McGoldrick	....	driver: Mr. Roach (as Thomas R. McGoldrick)
Edward O'Donnell	....	transportation captain

Other crew
Natalie Alexander	....	adr voice
Newell Alexander	....	adr voice
Julie Arenal	....	choreographer
Valentina Aulisi	....	production secretary
Tamara Bally	....	accountant
Dawn Barkan	....	key animal trainer (as Dawn M. Barkan)
Cynthia Bauer	....	set production assistant
Milton Bearden	....	consultant: CIA (as Milt Bearden)
Brian Byers	....	adr voice
Eva Z. Cabrera	....	script supervisor
Brian Cantaldi	....	location assistant
Mitch Carter	....	adr voice
Robin Chambers	....	assistant: Mr. De Niro
Robert Clotworthy	....	adr voice
David Cowgill	....	adr voice
Wendy Cutler	....	adr voice
Juliet D'Annibale	....	assistant production coordinator
Carey DePalma	....	assistant location manager
Ike Eisenmann	....	adr voice (as Iake Eissenmann)
Orin Faison	....	set medic
Michael Ferrara	....	assistant: Mr. De Niro
Jeff Flach	....	location manager
Elisa Gabrielli	....	adr voice
Steve Ginsburg	....	second assistant accountant
Edith Hagigi	....	assistant: Mr. Stiller
Tony Hernandez	....	office production assistant
Bridget Hoffman	....	adr voice
Jenny Kane	....	assistant: Mr. Newman
Kate Kelly	....	production coordinator
Elyse Klaits	....	assistant: Ms. Rosenthal
Julie Kuehndorf	....	publicist
Annie Kuronyi	....	location assistant (as Anne Kuronyi)
Dirk Q. Long	....	caterer (as Dirk Long)
Christina MacGregor	....	adr voice
Gina Marcheschi	....	assistant: Ms. Weinberg
James Maull	....	post-production accountant (as James O. Maull)
Ryan McCormick	....	office production assistant
Tracey G. Mitchel	....	assistant: Ms. Sayres
Solange Monnier	....	craft service (as Solange G. Monnier)
Scott Michael Murray	....	assistant: Mr. Roach (as Scott M. Murray)
Edmund Nardone	....	location projectionist
Jennifer Nickson	....	assistant: Mr. De Niro
Greg Outcalt	....	accounting clerk
Judy Pursley	....	first assistant accountant (as Judy Sarton Pursley)
Daniel Riccio Jr.	....	location assistant
Paul Roeder	....	assistant: Ms. Tenenbaum
Bethann Schebece	....	set production assistant
Robert Scott Schweitzer	....	animal trainer
Reuben Seid	....	adr voice (as Ruben Seid)
Susan Silas	....	payroll accountant
Andre Sulmers	....	assistant: Ms. Rosenthal
Brenda Ventura	....	assistant: Mr. De Niro
Saskia Saffron Viner	....	craft service
Laura A. Wheeler	....	set production assistant
Maria Williams	....	assistant: Mr. Stiller
Joseph Barry	....	stand-in (uncredited)
Brett Botula	....	location scout (uncredited)
Mark Ross Edrys	....	stand-in (uncredited)
Johnny Egan	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Krista Fico	....	set production assistant (uncredited)
Jay Geller	....	metal work and welding (uncredited)
Mike Le	....	assistant: Owen Wilson (uncredited)
Jeff Lomaglio	....	shop craftsmen (uncredited)
Daisy Schwartz	....	assistant: Mr. De Niro (uncredited)
Ben Selkow	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Mimi Turner	....	location scout (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Universal Pictures (presents)
• DreamWorks SKG (as DreamWorks Pictures) (presents)
• Nancy Tenenbaum Films
• Tribeca Productions

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (2000) (USA) (theatrical)
• DreamWorks Distribution (2000) (non-USA) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2000) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2000) (Germany) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2000) (Spain) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2000) (UK) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2000) (non-USA) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2000) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Universal Pictures Canada (2000) (Canada) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2001) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2001) (Far East) (theatrical)
• Universal Home Entertainment (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Universal Home Entertainment (2001) (USA) (VHS)
• Universal Home Video (2001) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Universal Home Video (2001) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Universal Pictures Benelux (2001) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures (2001) (Germany) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (2002) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (2002) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Net5 (2003) (Netherlands) (TV)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (2004) (USA) (TV)
• Universal Home Entertainment (2004) (USA) (DVD) (special edition)
• DreamWorks Home Entertainment (2004) (France) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures (200?) (Germany) (VHS)
• Universal Studios Home Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD) (2 film collection)
• Universal Studios Home Entertainment (2010) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Universal Studios Home Video (2007) (Canada) (DVD) (2 film collection)

Special Effects

• Pacific Vision Productions (digital effects)

Other Companies

• Birds & Animals Unlimited  animals provided by
• Conway Recording Studios  additional recording
• Custom Film Effects  titles and opticals
• DreamWorks Records  soundtrack published by
• Grant Wilfley Casting  extras casting
• ISM Entertainment  product placement
• Jo Anne Kane Music Services  music preparation
• Kodak  film stock supplied by
• Lightnin' Production Rentals  transportation equipment
• Movie Movers  star trailers
• Movie Movers  transportation
• Newman Scoring Stage, Twentieth Century Fox Studios, The  music recorded at (as The Fox Newman Scoring Stage)
• Signet Sound Studio  music mixed at
• Tomkats Catering  catering
• Universal Studios Sound Facilities  re-recording facilities (as Universal Studios Sound Facility)

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for sexual content, drug references and language

Runtime:

108 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Thai | Spanish | Hebrew | French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Brazil:12 | Chile:TE | Denmark:7 | Finland:S | France:U | Germany:6 (w) | Hong Kong:IIA | Netherlands:AL | New Zealand:M | Norway:A | Peru:PT | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG | Spain:T | Sweden:Btl | Switzerland:7 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud) | UK:12 | USA:PG-13 | Greece:K-13 | Denmark:A (DVD rating) | Iceland:L | Malaysia:U | South Korea:12 | Ireland:12 | Italy:T | Singapore:PG13 (re-rating)

Filming Locations:

Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

The home video footage of Teri Polo during the opening credits was filmed by her ex-husband Anthony Moore.

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): Spoiler for Top Gun (1986): Pam says "Goose dies at the end [of Top Gun.]" He actually dies about halfway or 2/3 or of the way through the movie, nowhere near the end.

Quotes:

Kevin:There he is. Okay, G-Man, we've got swordfish and we've got salmon, what'll it be?
Greg Focker:How 'bout a little of both, K-Dog, I'm pretty hungry.
Jack Byrnes:I think they call that the 'munchies'.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Episode #21.80" (2013)

Soundtrack:

Ya Ya

a truly marvelous comedy

Funny as well as touching, `Meet the Parents' blazes forth as one of the outstanding comedies of recent years.

Co-writers Greg Glienna and Mary Ruth Clarke, along with director Jay Roach, have managed to make a film that is often laugh-out-loud hilarious without ever becoming overbearing or obnoxious, the style of choice for far too many other comedies made in this day and age. Although the film overflows with madcap situations and even outright slapstick at times, these comic elements are always tethered to the reality of the premise and to the emotional states of the characters involved.

The foundation for any great comedy must, first and foremost, be its ability to connect with its audience on a personal level. `Meet the Parents' does so from the very start by tapping into the universal dilemma we all face at one time or another of desperately trying to make a good impression on someone we feel holds nothing less than the fate of our lives in their own two hands. For some of us this person might come in the form a boss or a potential employer or, as in poor Greg Focker's case, those most dreaded figures of all – the prospective in-laws. The comedy arises from seeing the chain of ever more preposterous events and circumstances that come along to sabotage his efforts. Greg is a goodhearted, well-meaning nebbish who wants nothing more out of life than to marry Pam, the girl he loves. First, however, he must climb over the rather formidable barrier of her eccentric father, Jack Byrnes, played to perfection by Robert De Niro, who certainly has his own offbeat way of looking at the world.

The triumph of this film is that it never overdoes anything. The people in Pam's family and in their coterie of friends are all twisted it's true, but twisted in sly, subtle ways that knock both Greg and us slightly off our balance. Like Greg, we never quite know where these people are coming from and this greatly enhances the comedic quality of the film. Tone is everything in comedy and here the tone is just right. Byrnes can seem at one moment to be a reasonable loving father, then turn immediately around and make the most unbalanced comments about the most trivial matters. Even when the movie is at its most outrageous in terms of plot complications and slapstick, it never veers off the scale into incredibility. Part of the reason is that we feel so much empathy for Greg, the best Everyman character I have seen in a movie in a long time. Ben Stiller gives a beautifully understated comic performance in the main role. Greg's completely understandable feelings of nervousness, intimidation and growing frustration help to keep the film anchored in reality, even as the story threatens to spiral off into undisciplined absurdity. Luckily, the filmmakers never let this happen. They are also blessed with the genius of Mr. De Niro, who never makes a false move as the seemingly crazy ex-CIA agent who may or may not be harboring a few secrets of his own. Above all, De Niro never lets us bank on the extent of his character's eccentricity, which brilliantly enhances this `weekend from hell' scenario. For crazy and maddening as he can be at times, we can't help loving this character.

Finally, unlike in many other romantic dramas and comedies, the relationship between the young couple in this film is both believable and touching. Greg and Pam are so likable - and the odds against them seem so staggering - that we find ourselves rooting them on from first moment to last. Their moments together are genuinely touching at times, particularly in the film's closing stretches.

Kudos go out to everyone involved for making `Meet the Parents' one of the slyest, wittiest and flat-out funniest movies to come our way in a long, long time.