Synopsis
Director Jon Turteltaub followed up the hit While You Were Sleeping (1995) with this fantasy similar to Charly (1968) and a film from the previous year, Powder (1994). John Travolta stars as George Malley, a humble mechanic in a rural California town. On his 37th birthday, George celebrates at a pub with friends Nate (Forest Whitaker) and Doc (Robert Duvall), the local physician. When he steps outside, George observes a bright light in the sky that knocks him briefly unconscious. When he awakens, George has incredible intellectual powers. He checks books out of the library in armfuls, becomes an inventor, a psychic, has telekinetic powers, predicts an earthquake, and memorizes Portuguese in minutes. Using his newfound powers, George becomes a hero, but he can't totally win over the spooked townsfolk or the standoffish Lace (Kyra Sedgwick), a single mom burned by love once too often. As George's kindness breaks down Lace's reserve and a romance begins, his fame spreads, bringing him to the attention of the FBI and curious university scientists. Similarities between George's powers and the alleged benefits of Travolta's religion, Scientology, led to charges that the film was veiled pro-Scientology propaganda.
What Critics Say
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Movie News
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The Phenomenon That Is 'Meet the Parents'
HOLLYWOOD, Oct. 30, 2000 -- The question buzzing around Hollywood today is: How could a little comedy that's been out for a while beat out the most anticipated sequel of the year? The surprise hit comedy "Meet the Parents" managed to hold "Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2" at bay and hold on to the No. 1 spot at the box office for the fourth week in a row. It also passed the $100 million mark at the box office. Could it be "Parents'" star power? It does, after all, star film veteran Robert De Niro and Ben Stiller, who had a big comedic hit with "There's Something About Mary."
Highly unlikely say, some industry analysts. Word of mouth seems to be the culprit in this case.
"'Meet the Parents'" hit audiences in a good way," says Daily Variety film critic Todd McCarthy. "They think it's the funniest film they've seen in a long time, and I think word got out about that."
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