Dear readers, I have a confession to make: I was a doubter when it came to Universal and Paramount’s legacy-quel Focker-In-Law. You can blame Meet the Fockers for that, as my disappointment in the first Meet the Parents sequel was so strong I bypassed Little Fockers altogether. So imagine my surprise in this very moment, which now has me wanting to see Ben Stiller’s match up with franchise newcomer Ariana Grande, after one well played trailer.
Debuted on the floor at this year’s CinemaCon event in Las Vegas, Focker-In-Law is basically a movie that brings the circle of trust to its natural close. Or at least, that’s what Universal’s first reel of footage would have one believe; as Ms. Grande is now in the Byrnes/Focker Hot Seat. The Wicked star and SNL guest hosting vet definitely looks more than ready to square up with Ben Stiller and Robert De Niro.
And fitting enough, it’s the handling of both of these legacy characters that really has me sold on Focker-In-Law. But don’t merely take my word for it! Watch the first trailer for yourself, right here!
Now that you’ve got your first taste of Focker-In-Law, let’s talk about why this legacy-quel has actually turned my head.
I Am Ready To See Ben Stiller And Ariana Grande Go Head To Head
Bringing in Ariana Grande to play against type is also rather brilliant, as there’s enough unpredictability promised with Focker-In-Law to keep things fresh. That’s thanks to her character Olivia Jones being closer to her potential grandfather in law’s type of person. Working with the “circle” metaphor of the saga, Ben Stiller’s on-screen persona is about to have some very intense flashbacks to his crawl through rom-com hell in 2000.
Greg Focker still can’t get out of his own way, fumbling every chance he gets to try and assert dominance. Meanwhile, Jack Byrnes is still a retired company man with tricks up his sleeve; and he seems just fine with both counseling Greg – but letting him ride the lightning when he doesn’t want to listen. Ariana Grande’s presence gives us some fresh material to work with, and her entry into this roster already feels like a home run for Focker-In-Law.
Focker-In-Law Honors The Film That Started It All
Oh Gaylord Focker…you poor, poor man. Once again, Greg can’t get out of his own way – and everyone else’s happiness is going to be the cost. Focker-In-Law repeats that trick, but does so in a way that kind of convinces me that this should have been the only sequel to Meet the Parents. With Ben Stiller now playing the protective father, it’s like watching the same movie, but through a very novel lens of reversal.
Also, as someone who broke into hysterical laughter while seeing Meet the Parents in theaters, I appreciate the sly callbacks we’re getting in writer/director John Hamburg’s picture. Between Ben Stiller’s awkward Pinocchio joke, and his being tackled by Jack’s German Shepherd, it’s like coming home for the holidays. I guess Mr. Byrnes became a dog person after all! Who’d have thought?
We’ll see how the next chapter of the Focker Franchise legacy ups the game, when Focker-In-Law opens in theaters on November 25th. So if you’re planning on proposing this Thanksgiving, you may want to think it through a little more. Which gives you plenty of time to catch up with everything new in the world of pop culture, through the THS Movie News archives. Or, you could head over to Starz’s streaming platform, and rewatch the entire Focking series that brought us to this very point.
![It’s Almost Showtime! Check Out These New ‘Sing 2’ Posters [First Look]](https://www.thathashtagshow.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Sing-2-1-e1608565202705-440x264.jpeg)
That Hashtag Show
