Meet the Parents

Greg Focker (Will Ferrell), a devoted Jewish American nurse living in Chicago, sets out to propose to his beloved girlfriend Pam Byrnes. In an effort to gain her father's blessing, he decides to take a bold step and pop the question at her sister Debbie's wedding, held at their parents' estate on Long Island. His plan is put on hold when the airline company loses his luggage, containing the precious engagement ring.

As Greg arrives at the Byrnes family home, he meets Pam's father Jack (Robert De Niro), mother Dina, and their mischievous cat Jinx. Despite exuding a friendly aura towards Greg, Jack exhibits an air of skepticism, questioning Greg's career choice as a nurse. In an attempt to win him over, Greg gifts Jack an extraordinary flower, only for it to go unnoticed despite Jack's background as a retired florist.

Greg's unease intensifies when he receives an unexpected lie detector test from the perceptive Jack. Pam reveals that her father's former profession as a florist was merely a cover, and in reality, Jack is a retired CIA operative with expertise in interrogating double agents.

As Greg navigates the complexities of meeting Pam's family and friends, including Debbie's future in-laws, he can't help but feel like an outsider. His insecurities deepen when he learns that Pam was previously engaged to Kevin (Owen Wilson), a charming, handsome, and wealthy individual who remains on friendly terms with her. Moreover, he becomes the Best Man at Debbie's wedding.

Despite his best efforts to impress Pam's family, Greg inadvertently becomes the target of ridicule. His mishaps include accidentally breaking Debbie's nose and giving her a black eye during a pool volleyball game, causing sewage to flood the backyard, breaking an urn containing Jack's mother's ashes, and setting the wedding altar ablaze. Jack's suspicions about Greg being a marijuana user escalate when he misinterprets his endorsement of the song "Puff, the Magic Dragon" as a nod to drug use.

The situation takes a turn for the worse when Pam's brother Denny (Dylan Baker) hastily claims to have found evidence of marijuana in Greg's luggage, further fueling Jack's mistrust. In an attempt to replace their beloved cat Jinx, who has gone missing, Greg temporarily adopts a stray with uncanny similarities, only to watch as it wreaks havoc on the house and destroys Debbie's wedding dress.

As the truth about the replacement cat is eventually exposed by a neighbor finding the real Jinx, the entire Byrnes family demands that Greg leave Long Island.

As the tension between Jack (played by) and Greg reaches a boiling point, Greg accuses Jack of lying about taking the Medical College Admission Test. The revelation sparks an intense showdown between the two men, with Jack vehemently denying any wrongdoing. However, in a stunning counterattack, Greg reveals that he has been privy to some astonishing information - including details of Jack's secret meetings, passport transactions, and clandestine conversations in Thai.

As the truth begins to unravel, Jack's defenses crumble, and he is forced to confess that his covert activities were actually related to a surprise honeymoon for Debbie (played by) and her fiancé Bob. The bombshell leaves Greg reeling, and he promptly flees the scene, only to find himself detained at the airport due to his oversized luggage.

Meanwhile, back at the Byrnes residence, Pam (played by) shows her parents, Dina and Jack, a copy of Greg's MCAT transcript, which had been faxed from his parents. The revelation that Greg's real name is Gaylord, not Gregory, raises more questions than answers, particularly for the CIA, who had been unable to find any record of a Gregory Focker.

As the drama unfolds, Jack continues to harbor reservations about Greg's suitability as Pam's partner, but Dina intervenes, passionately defending her future son-in-law. A subsequent phone call from Pam to Greg, filled with heartfelt apologies and professions of love, finally begins to chip away at Jack's resistance. Realizing that Pam truly loves Greg, Jack makes a sudden epiphany and rushes to the airport to clear the air with his future son-in-law.

The two men engage in an emotional reconciliation, with Greg opening up about his deep-seated fears of not living up to Jack's lofty expectations. Satisfied with Greg's loyalty and devotion to Pam, Jack extends his blessing, inviting him into their family. The stage is set for a new chapter in the Byrnes-Focker saga, as Greg proposes to Pam, with Jack and Dina listening in from the shadows.

In the aftermath of Debbie's wedding, Jack takes it upon himself to gather evidence of Greg's true nature, covertly recording his candid conversations and exposing Denny (played by) as a marijuana aficionado. The revelation serves as a wake-up call for Jack, forcing him to confront the reality that sometimes, love can conquer even the most entrenched biases.