Meet the Parents

Meet the Parents is a 2000 American comedy film written by Jim Herzfeld and John Hamburg and directed by Jay Roach. It stars Ben Stiller as Greg Focker, a nurse who suffers a series of unfortunate events while visiting his girlfriend's parents (Robert De Niro and Blythe Danner). Teri Polo stars as Greg's girlfriend and Owen Wilson stars as Pam's ex-boyfriend.

The film is a remake of the 1992 film Meet the Parents directed by Greg Glienna and produced by Jim Vincent. Glienna – who also played the original film's protagonist – and Mary Ruth Clarke wrote the screenplay. Universal Pictures purchased the rights to Glienna's film with the intent of creating a new version. Jim Herzfeld expanded the original script but development was halted for some time. Roach read the expanded script and expressed his desire to direct it. At that time, Steven Spielberg was interested in directing while Jim Carrey was interested in playing the lead role. The studio only offered the film to Roach once Spielberg and Carrey left the project.

Released in the United States and Canada on October 6, 2000 and distributed by Universal Pictures and DreamWorks Pictures internationally through United International Pictures, the film earned back its initial budget of $55 million in only 11 days. It became one of the highest-grossing films of 2000, earning over $165 million in North America and over $330 million worldwide. It was well received by film critics and viewers alike, winning several awards and earning additional nominations. Ben Stiller won two comedy awards for his performance and the film was chosen as the Favorite Comedy Motion Picture at the 2001 People's Choice Awards. It was followed by the sequels Meet the Fockers (2004) and Little Fockers (2010), and the reality television show Meet My Folks and the sitcom In-Laws, which both debuted on NBC in 2002.