"The Little Fockers"

I swear, I had no intention of seeing this movie, but the parking garage at AMC was so crowded, that I drove around and around (20 minutes!) trying to find a parking space, so I was too late to get in to the movie I wanted to see ("The Fighter"). So I just went for the next available film. Oh, my. What a waste of excellent actors in this really crude, cliche, "comedy," with humor and situations that seemed aimed to appeal to Jr. High School boys. (The title alone can give you a clue as to the inevitable pun upon pun used ad nauseum). However, it had flashes of funny, and I found myself laughing, and enjoying some of the stupidity, in spite of myself. I wish there had been more of Dustin Hoffman (he plays Ben Stiller's father) -- because he was, of course, just great! Hoffman's all too brief appearance opens with him getting a phone call from his wife while he's in the middle of his Flamenco dancing class in - was it Spain? Marvelous! On the other hand, perhaps because that's what the part called for ( obnoxious father-in-law), but it's the first picture I ever saw in which I just couldn't stand Robert DeNiro. He is worthy of much better material. Also, I actually liked Owen Wilson in this, though I usually find him annoying. But, here he was totally suited to the part (obscenely wealthy, but generous, nice guy - despite his obvious crush on Stiller's wife, played by Teri Polo -- who seems to be the only 'normal' character in the film) Then there's Ben Stiller, the hapless hero, a male nurse, who is ensnared by the gorgeous (really gorgeous!) Jessica Alba, playing a Pharmaceutical Rep named Andi Garcia, who tries to get him to endorse and advertise a product whose benefits match (or surpass?) those of Viagra, but are deemed to be safe for heart patients. The ongoing animosity and rivalry between De Niro and Stiller finallly erupts in fisticuffs, well, just not nice -- especially since Stiller got the worst of it. Anyway, you get a small but perfect turn by the inimitable Barbra Streisand, who must have gotten quite a kick out of playing the TV host of a show all about sexuality. She's charming. All in all, I would say TWO STARS (which are two more than some critics awarded it.), because though it wasn't really good, it wasn't THAT bad, and I definitely did laugh. (Note to self: Stay away from theaters located in shopping malls during the holidays.)