THIS sequel to the 2000 hit Meet the Parents is as good as the first instalment - and that's a rare thing.

Actually, it's not such a surprising event when you have director Jay Roach at the helm. Still fresh from cutting his teeth on the Austin Powers trilogy, Roach has come back with another touch of comedy class.

Picking up where the first film left off, Meet the Fockers sees Greg Focker (Ben Stiller) and Pam Byrnes (Teri Polo) getting ready for their fast-approaching marriage. But before that can happen, Pam's parents Jack (Robert De Niro) and Dina (Blythe Danner) must meet Greg's mum and dad.

However, saying that Greg is slightly nervous about his fiance's parents meeting Bernie (Dustin Hoffman) and Roz (Barbara Streisand) Focker would be an understatement.

Let's cut to the chase. Meet the Fockers works not because of what happens on screen. To be honest, most of the jokes have been done before or you can predict them coming as easily as as you could predict Michelle McManus being first in the queue at a cake shop sale. Nope, this works because of the actors in it. It's that simple.

I must admit I was a bit hesitant as to whether I could take two hours of Streisand, but she emerges as a major player in the film. While De Niro, Stiller and Hoffman get most of the jokes, she holds it all together with her common-sense character.

It's the comedy aspect that will attract people to this movie. Stiller's turn as the son hits the same heights as the original, and you wait in earnest for his time on screen with De Niro.

Hoffman comes close to stealing their thunder, but just falls short as the completely unreserved and unembarrassed father.

The whole premise hits too close to home for us all, which is why we find it so funny. Most of us have been in the position of introducing our significant other to our family, bracing ourselves for the inevitable childhood stories. Well, I know I have.

Mind you, I haven't yet got to the point where my girlfriend's dad injects me with truth serum just before I give a speech - but I hope that, if he does, it's as funny as it is on screen here.

Go see it for the comedy, but remember it for the closeness to reality.