They’ve only made a handful of films together but, given that two of those films can rightly be considered amongst the greatest ever made, it’s fair to say that a Harvey Keitel/Robert De Niro reunion is something most film fans would want to see. And now they’re about to get their wish.
For, to the Scorsese double whammy of Mean Streets and **Taxi Driver **(sorry, James Mangold, but **Cop Land **doesn’t quite make the list), we can soon add… Little Fockers?!? Oh. Wow. Well, they do say be careful what you wish for.
Keitel has signed on to the third film in the **Meet The Parents **series (to call it a trilogy would be far too grandiose) which will, of course, reunite the comedy team of Ben Stiller and Robert De Niro. Keitel, last heard in Inglourious Basterds (his was the voice on the radio at the end), will play a contractor who works for Stiller’s hapless Greg Focker, which will no doubt bring him into contact, and conflict, with De Niro’s tough and perma-disapproving ex-CIA man, Jack Byrnes.
OK, so it won’t have quite the impact of a Charlie/Johnny Boy reunion, nor will it feature a bit where a clearly insane De Niro taunts, then shoots a pimped-up Keitel, but it should be good for a few chuckles at least. Right?
Keitel is one of the newcomers to the Fockers family, along with Jessica Alba and Laura Dern. Regulars Teri Polo, Blythe Danner and Owen Wilson are already on board. Still no word yet about the plot – although we know that rugrats will be involved – or the return of Dustin Hoffman and Barbra Streisand yet.
Paul Weitz, trying to move on quickly from Cirque Du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant, is directing the flick, from John Hamburg’s script.
So, excited about the Keitel/De Niro team-up? Wish Scorsese was involved somehow? Well, he still can be – thanks to the magical power of Cam*e-o™!