Robert De Niro feels for the father in 'Everybody's Fine'2009-12-06

In "Everybody's Fine," Robert De Niro plays a role that he has spent most of his adult life researching out of the public eye -- an imperfect father learning along the way.

Known for his meticulous preparation, De Niro didn't have to step far out of his own shoes to connect with the film's Frank Goode, a demanding dad who, now in his 60s, wants nothing more than to gather his four adult children around the same table."Bob's at that age where a lot of guys look back and think, 'Wow, that went quick . . . maybe I should have spent more time with the kids,' " says "Everybody's Fine" writer-director Kirk Jones.

"He connected with Frank on a lot of levels, both in thinking back and moving ahead with trying to be a good father."De Niro, fresh from a day spent shooting a third "Fockers" movie in Pasadena, doesn't dispute Jones'
assessment."You're aware of time going by," De Niro, 66, says during an hour long conversation in his Beverly Hills hotel suite. "My whole thing now is just to have the strength to keep my kids in line and get them to the point
where they're independent and self-reliant. I want to make sure my kids know I'm there, and you've got to have the stamina to do that."

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