year 5 day 95

movie: Little Fockers
starring: Ben Stiller, Robert De Niro
genre: Comedy
year:2010
format: Netflix Canada

plot: When his father in law has a mild heart attack, Greg finds himself at the center of a family tug a war, having to prove he's worthy to follow in his father in law's footsteps.

I think this was my favourite of the trilogy. The comedic chemistry between Stiller and De Niro has become like second nature, giving a depth to the story that otherwise wouldn't have been there.
Here you have a guy who ends up being forced to keep a few secrets that end up getting out of control, from his father in law's desire to keep his health under the radar from the rest of the family, to doing his best to not be seduced by a coworker.

You see the set up for the coworker from the first scene. The character of the younger coworker, who is blindedly interested in the lead character, throwing them into these impossible situations, sparks a distrust with the father in law. This plays out with the De Niro character following the Stiller character around town, until he finally sees the two together. The two face off near the end of the movie at the children's party until the father in law has another mild heart attack.
There is a scene about midway in the movie, where the kids are being interviews for a private school. The tests are odd, and when the Stiller character comments on it, the De Niro character says it's the same tests the government use to find spies and assassins. I was fully expecting it to be revealed that, that was what the school was really for. 

The idea that someone just can't seem to give up the control in a situation, no matter how much someone else may have a better grasp on the situation, I think hits home for everyone. And that's pretty much the heart of this movie. The character of the father in law is just unable to accept the fact he can't be in control all the time and that it's time to let someone else hold the reigns.

what did I learn? Cake solves all problems