“I Would Rather Die than be Your In-Law.”

Light and refreshing. It is how we feel after watching the movie `The In- Laws.` It`s mainly about comic and action, but like every Hollywood movie, it also touched upon the issue of family relations.

This movie is about conflicts between future fathers-in-law, who cannot get along with each other. The prospective fathers-in-law Steve (Michael Douglas), who is a CIA operative, and Jerry(Albert Brooks), a podiatrist, will merry their children soon. However, Steve regards Jerry as a `narrow-minded man` and Jerry thinks that Steve is an irresponsible father who doesn`t care about his family.

The wedding day is comming and Jerry prepares for the wedding ceremony of his precious only daughter on his own. Yet, Steve, who hide his identity as a copying machine salesman, is having busy time, trying to prevent the nuclear submarine trafficking. Jerry sees Steve, who is under cover, having strange conversations with a beautiful woman in the restroom and beating up some strange guys, and he declared that the wedding is off!

The charm of the film lies on the two very contrasting images of two actors. The face of Albert Brooks who plays Jerry in the film is not familiar to us but you will soon be able to recognize his voice. It is because he voiced Marlin, the father of Nemo in the animated film, “Finding Nemo.” He gained so much of his fame from his comical acting that a retrospective of him was even held in the American Comedy Art Festival.

A big surprise of the film is Michael Douglas. The hilarious film just does not match with his hot, sexy masculine images of him in his previous films, such as the `Fatal Attraction,` and “Basic Instinct.” But the outcome is wonderful. Douglas acting is so marvelous and natural that he perfectly suits for Brooks `laughter buddy.”

There is even more. Sometimes it does not go well with the mood of images but certainly songs played in the movie amuse our ears. The sound track includes the `Get Down Tonight` of the KC& Sunshine Band, `It`s Now or Never` of Elvis Presley and `A Lover for You` of Paul McCartney.

The film is worth seeing. But do not expect too much. Remember, more hilarious a film is, more void it has. It opens Friday. Rated for over 12 years.

gskim@donga.com