The In-Laws (I) (2003)
6/10
The Fat Cobra...
3 April 2017
Warning: Spoilers
Dr. Jerry Peyser's daughter, Melissa is about to marry Mark Tobias.

Things are going well until Jerry stumbles across some secret information, Mark's father, Steve is an undercover CIA operative.

scared that Jerry will compromise his current assignment if he starts talking to authorities, Steve drags Jerry to an intercontinental mission that involves a dangerous criminal, Jean-Pierre Thibodoux, and his very strange ways.....

This film is nothing more than a vanity project for Douglas, showing that even at his age, he still has the chops to lead an action role, and with the addition of little mouse Brooks, shows that he still is the alpha male in Hollywood.

Bravo to that man. Any self-respecting actor would realise that Douglas has carved a wonderful career in his forty plus years as a leading man. He always took risks with his movies, and in doing so, has made some of the most memorable films in the eighties and nineties.

Wall Street, Fatal Attraction, falling Down, Basic Instinct, The Game, Disclosure, are all in their own respect, game changing films.

So what was his rationale for him appearing in this? Did Catherine say something to him that made him feel old? heaven only knows.

But it's harmless stuff, Douglas plays the wannabe twenty-something spy to Brooks scared of his own shadow foot doctor.

So what we have is set piece after set piece with Douglas looking cool, and Brooks in full on self-deprecating mode.

Halfway through the second act, we bump into David Suchet, who plays the campest bad guy this side of Max Zorin. He really plays his character well, and it's a joy when he's on screen.

Ryan Reynolds pops up as Douglas' Son, with the most amazing eyebrows in the film, doing nothing more than getting more stressed as the film goes on.

It's totally forgettable stuff, it sunk without a trace on it's initial release, but all in all, it's a good hangover film.
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