Michael Douglas and Albert Brooks together in a movie? To me, that seems nothing short of inspired pairing. The laid-back star of The American President and the bundle of neuroses currently providing a voice for Disney’s Finding Nemo should make a fun duo, especially in a little comedy that could be a welcome contrast to upcoming summer action films with all their explosions and special effects. But The In-Laws, a remake of the Peter Falk/Alan Arkin comedy of the same name, is almost too easygoing. It  lets itself drift into laziness, never going for the really big laughs. It's too tame to do anything but kill time. 

Jerry Peyser (Brooks) is a meek, somewhat neurotic podiatrist who’s preparing for his daughter’s upcoming wedding. But he has yet to meet the father of the groom: Steve Tobias (Douglas), who claims to be a Xerox salesman but is in fact a deep-cover CIA agent. The men and their families do eventually gather, but in no time at all, Jerry becomes involved in Steve’s life of spying, espionage, and dealing with shady international figures, leaving the bride and groom (Lindsay Sloane and Ryan Reynolds) to figure out the wedding by themselves.

Mere days before the ceremony is to take place, Steve drags Jerry off to France to negotiate a deal with a smuggler (David Suchet) in a sting that’s due to take place on the day of the wedding. But over the course of these manic few days, both men go through the motions of realizing what poor jobs they’ve done as fathers, with Jerry learning to let go and Steve searching for a way to make up for being an absentee dad.

Although I haven't seen the original version of The In-Laws,   I’m willing to bet a large tub of popcorn it’s funnier and more engaging than its modern-day incarnation. By no means is The In-Laws awful, but it’s a “blah” picture. All the elements to create something classic are there, yet they seem used like a monkey trying to solve a trigonometry problem.  Director Andrew Fleming (The Craft) occasionally hits upon some comedic high notes, most notably when he exploits Jerry’s nervousness and Steve’s calm demeanor. Unfortunately, these moments come few and far between. While Douglas and Brooks generate good chemistry together throughout the movie, opportunities to score some hilarious jokes are missed and big laughs passed over, all in the name of playing it safe and going with a series of quips that are somewhat amusing but too familiar to laugh at. 

Seeing The In-Laws is like being with that friend who loves telling the same stories over and over; you like to hang out with the guy, but geez, you think he’d have learned a new joke by now. Still, Brooks and Douglas provide some comedic highlights. I liked Brooks’ overly-neurotic podiatrist, whose habit of wearing a fanny pack becomes a running gag, and I enjoyed Douglas as the calm, collected secret agent who’s spent more time on missions than he has with his own son. The solid job these two do as a pair overshadows the often bland performances from supporting cast members. Suchet comes closest to establishing his own quirky character, but Reynolds and Sloane are mainly background furniture as far as depth of character is concerned, and Candice Bergen, in her umpteenth role as an outspoken mother figure, is strangely flat as Steve’s sexually-liberated ex. I won’t say anything spoilerish, but as soon as the first two scenes featuring Robin Tunney, playing Steve’s assistant, are shown, you’ll realize what her character is all about. 

I'm also disappointed in the way the film’s comedic elements clash with the action side of its story. Its awkward blend results in some phony-looking moments such as the bit where Jerry and Steve jump off a building with a parachute.

If you’re looking for a safe, formulaic time at the movies, then by all means check out The In-Laws. But if the same old schtick isn’t your bag, check out Down with Love -- which might still be playing at your local multiplex.

MY RATING: ** (out of ****)

(Released by Warner Bros. and rated "PG-13" for suggestive humor, language, some drug references and action violence.)

Review also posted at www.ajhakari.com.