If the CIA really did every-thing so openly as one of its operatives does in The In-Laws, it's amazing any of them could stay under cover.
The In-Laws (2003)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:125
Fresh:44
Rotten:81
Average Rating:4.9/10
Consensus: Bigger and slicker than the original, but not necessarily better.
Runtime: 1 hr 38 mins
Genre: Comedies
Synopsis: When prospective fathers-in-law Steve Tobias (MICHAEL DOUGLAS) and Jerry Peyser (ALBERT BROOKS) meet for the first time to celebrate their children's upcoming marriage, the cake hits the... When prospective fathers-in-law Steve Tobias (MICHAEL DOUGLAS) and Jerry Peyser (ALBERT BROOKS) meet for the first time to celebrate their children's upcoming marriage, the cake hits the fan. Dr. Jerome Peyser is a mild-mannered podiatrist with a well-organized daily routine designed to eliminate all possible sources of stress. In his functional (if unfashionable) fanny pack he keeps a sanitary drinking cup in case he needs a sip of water away from home, a couple of Lorna Doones in case his blood sugar slumps a few points between meals, and a personal security alarm -- just in case. Meanwhile, daredevil CIA operative Steve Tobias moves through life like a heat-seeking missile. His average day consists of dodging bullets, stealing private jets and negotiating with international arms smugglers. Steve's unpredictable lifestyle has already driven ex-wife Judy (CANDICE BERGEN) to an ashram for some peace and has strained his relationship with son Mark (RYAN REYNOLDS) -- possibly beyond repair. Now he's giving potential father-of-the-bride Jerry a serious case of pre-nuptial jitters. Steve's dramatic entrances and exits, his cryptic references to a Russian runaway named Olga and his fight with a gunman in a restaurant washroom causes Jerry to see a vision of his daughter's (LINDSAY SLOANE) perfectly planned wedding blowing up in his face. As far as Jerry's concerned, letting Steve into his family takes "til death do us part" way too literally. Before he can say the wedding is off, Jerry suddenly finds himself embroiled in the chaos that follows in Steve's wake as he is dragged kicking and screaming into a series of perilous adventures that take the mismatched in-laws-to-be halfway around the world. Adding insult to injury is Steve's partner Angela (ROBIN TUNNEY), a dedicated agent who doesn't hide her hostility toward the uncooperative doctor who is -- for better or worse -- along for the ride. But when their children are in danger, Jerry and Steve will discover they can truly be an effective team -- as jet pack meets fanny pack in this riotous remake of the 1979 comedy The In-Laws. -- © Warner Bros. [More]
Starring: Michael Douglas, Albert Brooks, Robin Tunney, Candice Bergen
Starring: Michael Douglas, Albert Brooks, Robin Tunney, Candice Bergen, Ryan Reynolds, David Suchet, Maria Ricossa
Director: Andrew Fleming
Director: Andrew Fleming
Screenwriter: Nat Mauldin, Ed Solomon
Producer: Bill Gerber, Elie Samaha, Bill Todman, Joel Simon
Studio: Warner Bros.
Reviews for The In-Laws
Humdrum direction fails to elevate an already bankrupt idea from its relentless doldrums.
Amazingly, the two versions have hit the casting bull's-eye twice in 24 years to provide superior entertainment.
Like so many other recent mediocre entries into this genre, The In-Laws plays like it was pieced together from a rough draft script, most ideas not fully developed and pages in an incorrect order.
There’s no getting around the chemistry between [Albert] Brooks and [Michael] Douglas.
Andrew Fleming made his directorial debut with a horror picture called Bad Dreams, a title that suits my reaction to his latest offering something swell -- except Bad Dreams was a lot funnier.
This set of 'In-Laws' are stuck with each other -- but we have a choice. The right one opened in 1979.
One of the problems with The In-Laws is that it spends as much time with the uninteresting and unfunny wedding story as it does with the spy stuff.
Instead of escalating the comedy the remake merely makes it empty and more expensive.
Familiar pop hits are exploited for a cheap Pavlovian payoff in this bland comedic blend of ersatz thrills, ersatz sentiment and ersatz locations (Toronto as Chicago).
Latest News for The In-Laws
April 20, 2006:
Critical Consensus: A Weak "Sentinel," So-So "Dreamz" Are Made Of This, "Silent Hill" Not Screened
This week at the movies we've got a Secret Service agent on a mission ("The Sentinel"), an "American Idol"- skewering political satire ("American... More...
April 29, 2003:
From Father of the Bride to My Big Fat Greek Wedding, there's something about marital comedies that tends to pay off; this In-Laws may skew old for summer, but we like its chances. ![]()
More...
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