There isn't much I could add to Tom's comment, except that for an European it is so refreshing to see an American director really make fun of America and Michael Lehmann definitely is always doing an excellent job at just that. That's probably why he still hasn't made any box office-hit, despite the fact that, in my humble opinion he still has to make a bad movie. Yes, I and many of my friends even loved Hudson Hawk ("Sssh, You're embarrassing your country!"). And Meet the Applegates is one of our all time Party-Favorites.