Solemplex To me, this movie is perfection.

NekoHomey Purely Joyful Movie!

Console best movie i've ever seen.

Gurlyndrobb While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

mcmason-72160 I saw this movie when it came out in 1979. I went to see it because I loved Peter Falk and Alan Arkin and Arthur Penn. But I found that the movie tried way too hard to get laughs and the script was seriously lacking. At best, it is amusing but not really funny.

thejcowboy22 Straight and narrow New York Dentist Sheldon Kornpett (Alan Arkin)is reaching an exciting time in his life. It the upcoming wedding of his pride and joy daughter Barbara to Tommy Ricardo.Tommy has parents and it's not so much about Tommy but it's the IN-LAWS. Mainly Tommy's eccentric off the wall seat of his pants C.I.A. government agent Father Vince (Peter Falk). Vince after meeting the Kornpett's for the first time at their home goes off to their basement. Plants some evidence in the Kornpett"s basement. The next day Mrs Kornpett discovers the piece of evidence and calls in the government agents. That same day Vince interrupts our Dentist during his busy time,(office filled with patience's) and asks him for a small favor if he could leave his office for a few minutes, break into his office and retrieve something. One thing leads to another and the two are off and running. They drive around a Manhattan as thugs or counterspies chase them. When the two Vince and Shel find out that his home is swarming with agents wanting some answers it's off to Titerboro airport. Just a thought, Vince reminds me of a pushy classmate who makes you do stuff you wouldn't normally attempt. Vince is so matter-of-fact and is never phased by any anything that is thrown his way. Next it's off on a private jet with friendly Asian crew and plenty of magazines. Shel and piloted by Vince fly to some off the map Latin country where their national flag is that of a Naked woman. Our Dentist is overwhelmed and inconsolable and wondering how he ever got mixed up with this so call agent who has a knack for criminal tendencies. Upon their arrival,things go from bad to worse as the two are being shot at by Nationals on the tarmac as Vince suggests that Sheldon serpentine to avoid the onslaught of bullets.They get a room at a downtown fleabag hotel. Vince claims, "You've done enough Sheldon and I really appreciate that so wait here and I'll go off to meet the Dictator by myself." Sheldon has a bad feeling and comes along anyway. Next our two meet the dictator/Presidente of the country and have a nice lunch as Sheldon asked, "The food is exquisite, "Can I get the recipe?" Unfortunately Sheldon and Vince can't share the gourmet fare because after dessert it's off to the firing squad for execution. This all reads bad on paper but it's all laughs from start to finish. Will the father of the bride make the wedding in time. Will the father of the groom think of a way out. No matter what decision is made it's all comedy.

srkutos Having read a number of reviews, I have to wonder if I saw the same movie everyone else did. I will have to admit that I do not like Allen Arkin, but not even Arthur Hiller, an actor, and director that I very much respect, could breathe life into this flaccid and boring script. I happen to have seen this film recently, and I discovered that I disliked it even more than I did when I saw it in a theater in 1978. One has to question a film's worth when its best joke/gag consists of Falk and Arkin fleeing from gunfire screaming, Serpentine, Shelly...Serpentine...big yuk!!! Perhaps I expect too much from film comedies, but I like to laugh as much as the next guy, but I found myself checking my watch wondering when this experience would be over

dimplet The In Laws could use some improvement. The secondary dialog could have been clever and interesting, but instead seems like filler. And the secondary acting is merely adequate.What makes The In Laws worth watching is the interaction between Peter Falk and Alan Arkin, two great actors. It is the yin and the yang, the hot and the cool. And when you listen to them, particularly early on, it seems like improv. They really are reacting to each other.The plot is a bit contrived, and makes little pretense of realism after awhile. But it works. You really don't know what, exactly, Falk is doing, and which side he is on, or even whether he is just crazy. That is fundamental to the movie.Once they arrive in South America the roots of the movie become clear. This is a revamping of ideas from Woody Allen's Bananas - 1971, particularly the crazy dictator, and the American accidentally caught up in Banana Republic politics. Then the style of The Inlaws makes sense: the lightweight acting, the silliness and absurdity. It is a genre where the bar is set fairly low, but not as low as some of the so-called comedies that followed.My favorite part, aside from the banter between Falk and Arkin, is the bit where James Hong gives a one-on-one "flight attendant" spiel to Arkin in Chinese.Of course, Richard Libertini is great as the cracked general.