There’s a major position at stake for the Byrnes-Focker family: the Godfocker. Jack Byrnes (Robert De Niro) places the key to the circle of trust in Greg Focker’s (Ben Stiller) hands as he challenges him to prove his potential to serve as the family’s next patriarch. 

“Little Fockers,”directed by Paul Weitz, the third installment of the Fockers series, follows Greg and Pam (Teri Polo) Focker and their five-year-old twins Samantha (Daisy Tahan) and Henry (Colin Baiocchi). After Pam’s sister divorces her husband for cheating, the furious Jack plans to keep an even closer eye on Greg. Amidst rumored affairs, family dilemmas and secrets, it will not be easy for Greg to live up to the Byrnes’ family standards.

The action centers on the twins’ birthday party, where the whole clan will be in attendance. From the crazy and outgoing Bernie and Roz Focker (Dustin Hoffman and Barbra Streisand) to Pam’s ex boyfriend Kevin (Owen Wilson) to a new addition to the cast, the ditzy and peppy Andi Garcia (Jessica Alba), there’s bound to be some excitement.

Despite some dry moments, “Little Fockers” keeps the audience roaring with laughter. The hilarious combination of De Niro as the overbearing father-in-law and Stiller as the inexperienced father brought the movie to its height. The contrasting pair may bring out the worst in each other in the plot, but they bring out the best in each actor’s talent.

Along with this pair, the dynamic duo of Hoffman and Streisand never fail to impress. Although the two obtain smaller roles in this film, their ‘Fockerizing’ influence on the Little Fockers brings impeccable comedy to the movie, especially since Roz finds that Bernie is in the midst of what she likes to call “manopause.” Not to mention those Little Fockers are adorable and wonderful aspiring actors.

One of the movie’s primary low points came from a very predictable plotline. It’s easy to guess practically all of the surprises that are meant to make the movie a comedy. Although many moments leave the audience hysterical, the movie did not live up to its predecessors, “Meet the Parents” and “Meet the Fockers.”

Part of this reason was the excessive emphasis on mature content. Inappropriate jokes can be funny, but the supposed family movie pushes the limit. I would strongly suggest no one under the age of 13 see the movie. While the first two films had a friendly dose of such humor, “Little Fockers” took the crude comedy to the extreme.

Although a name like “Little Fockers” should indicated that this isn’t a children’s movie, the number of four and five year olds present at a recent showing suggests that many parents may have been misled by the film’s trailer.

A few touches of minor Jewish comedy brightened the movie for me, such as the use of Yiddish as Bernie Focker “schleps” to Spain or the Fockers giving Jack Byrnes his first yarmulkah after finding out he’s approximately 1/23 Jewish.

“Meet the Parents” and “Meet the Fockers” fans will still enjoy seeing their favorite film family in action again. Although the film doesn’t live up to the franchise’s past, there are still great laughs in store for those who plan to see what the Fockers will do next.