Meet the Fockers; What's Eating Gilbert Grape?; Leon

Watched a few films over the weekend with friends; none of them was bad, and one was exceptional.

I loved Meet the Fockers, the 2004 sequel to Meet the Parents. I'm a sucker for the first film, so it was with great delight that I sat down to the follow-up, even though I'd been told (by critics - bah!) that it was crap. Well, if you order popcorn, you don't judge it by haute cuisine standards. By popcorn standards, this was a blast. It was funny, silly and of course all very cheesey when it got to the sentimental bits. The film is helped by an excellent cast in Ben Stiller, Robert De Niro, Dustin Hoffman and Barbra Streisand. Teri Polo seems a little awkward, and isn't given much to do.

My friend insisted I watched What's Eating Gilbert Grape?, the 1993 drama starring Johnny Depp and Leonardo DiCaprio. When I saw Lasse Hallstrom was director, I wasn't keen - I find Chocolat and The Cider House Rules spoiled by a sentimentalism that gets just a little suffocating by the end. I am pleased to report, then, that Gilbert Grape was more low-key than I expected, and genuinely moving.

But Leon (1994) was the greatest surprise of the weekend for me. I was impressed that Luc Besson managed to get such truly emotional drama to sit so comfortably alongside the traditional elements of an action thriller. Jean Reno is heartbreaking in the title role of a man whose career is killing people, and yet who connects to life through his love for a potted plant, Gene Kelly and an orphaned girl (Natalie Portman). The two stars effortlessly brought tears to my eyes from their first encounter.

My ratings?

Meet the Fockers * * * * *
What's Eating Gilbert Grape? * * * * *
Leon * * * * * (I will not be surprised if this climbs to a five on subsequent viewings)