THE IN-LAWS
Year: 2003
USA & UK: Warner Bros
Cast: Michael Douglas, Albert Brooks, Robin Tunney, Ryan Reynolds, Lindsay Sloane, Candice Bergen, Mike Beaver, Chang Tseng, A Russell Andrews, Perry Perlmutar, Miranda Black, Emmy Laybourne, Drew Lee, Cara Pifko, Maria Ricossa, David Suchet
Director: Andrew Fleming
Countries: USA / Germany
USA: 95 mins
UK: 97 mins
USA Rated: PG-13 for suggestive humor, language, some drug references and action violence
UK Certificate: 12A contains strong language once, moderate violence, sex and drug references
USA Release Date: 23 May 2003
UK Release Date: 11 July 2003
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 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 cause 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.