The In-Laws is a 1979 American action comedy film[3][4] starring Alan Arkin and Peter Falk, written by Andrew Bergman and directed by Arthur Hiller.
The daughter of mild-mannered Manhattan dentist Sheldon "Shelly" Kornpett and the son of businessman Vince Ricardo are engaged to be married.
After a chase and shootout, Vince explains that he has worked for the CIA since the Eisenhower administration and robbed the United States Mint of engraving plates to crack a worldwide inflation plot hatched in Central America.
Shelly calls the United States Embassy and is told by the CIA agent-in-charge that Vince is a madman who was mentally discharged from the agency.
Vince stalls for time until hundreds of CIA agents, led by Barry Lutz, overwhelm the army and take Garcia into custody.
Andrew Bergman says the film began when Warner Bros. approached him saying Alan Arkin and Peter Falk wanted to do a movie together.
The consensus summarizes: "Fueled by inspired casting, The In-Laws is an odd couple comedy whose clever premise is ably supported by a very funny script.
[7] The New York Times film critic Janet Maslin wrote, "Andrew Bergman has written one of those rare comedy scripts that escalates steadily and hilariously, without faltering or even having to strain for an ending.
The Arthur Hiller-William Sackheim production brims over with laughs, but brand of screenwriter Andrew Bergman's humor (previously seen in 'Blazing Saddles') may be too wacky for mainstream audiences.
"[9] Gene Siskel of the Chicago Tribune gave the film 2.5 stars out of 4 and wrote, "In a way I feel guilty about knocking 'The In-Laws.'
This hilarious film, directed by Arthur Hiller and written expressly for Falk and Arkin by Andrew Bergman, wastes not a second in getting laughs.
"[12] David Ansen wrote in Newsweek, "What makes 'The In-Laws' so engaging is not simply the escalating madness of Andrew Bergman's story (such whimsy could easily grow tiresome), but the deadpan counterpoint supplied by the two stars, who navigate their way through mounting disasters with an air of hilariously unjustified rationality.