Mariage à la grecque

In Chicago, Toula Portokalos (Nia Vardalos) is a 30 year old Greek spinster. She has always been the frumpy outsider from a large family. Her proud Greek father wants her to marry a nice Greek boy and have a bunch of Greek kids. She works at the family restaurant where Ian Miller (John Corbett) comes in one day. She falls for the tall teacher immediately. She decides to go back to school to study computers and her mother convinces her father. She starts working at Aunt Voula (Andrea Martin)'s travel agency. She meets Ian again and they start dating before getting her father's approval.

I like the family more than the couple. Vardalos and Corbett are not necessarily top rank actors. They don't make for a great rom-com pairing. What excels is the extended Greek family. They are all great and each one brings fun joy. The movie drags when it focuses on the couple. It's not like their relationship is that compelling or dramatic. They are functional but the family is excellent.

An extremely good little film that shows that smart ideas, good writing, solid direction, likeable characters and an engrossing story will always win out in the end. Nia Vardalos stars as a Greek woman who just seems a bit out-of-place in her not always normal life. She is shy, reserved and ashamed of her heritage. Some makeup, a few college classes, stylish clothes and a travel agency job away from her father's restaurant are just the tickets to help her come out of her shell. Soon high school teacher John Corbett is entranced by her and they start a sweet love affair. Naturally she keeps the secret from her parents (Michael Constantine and Lainie Kazan) and the sparks fly when they eventually find out. They want their daughter to marry a Greek man and have lots of children, but Vardalos has other plans for her life. Corbett's love knows no bounds though as he makes it clear that she is the one he really wants. "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" happened due to good timing and lots of luck. Vardalos was struggling when Tom Hanks' wife (Rita Wilson) went to see the small play that the film is based upon. Wilson happened to see an advertisement for the show in the newspaper one day (the only day Vardalos could afford to run an ad) and the rest as they say is history. The film cost very little to make and usually second-rate director Joel Zwick ended up running the show. Vardalos' screenplay (Oscar-nominated) was the catalyst that put the film on the map and kept it there permanently. Most all the extras are real family members of Vardalos and Ian Gomez (who plays Corbett's best friend) is actually her husband in real life. Easily one of the most successful films of all time financially speaking (based upon the bargain basement cost and the astronomical showing at the box office), "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" is a wholesome film that the whole family can enjoy. It is another one of those rare films that feel like it was made during Hollywood's Golden Age of the 1940s. Not quite excellent, but dangerously close. 4.5 out of 5 stars.

My Big Fat Greek Wedding makes up for what it lacks in plot with a cast of amusing, lovable characters. Like any large extended family the Portokolos family is a collection of oddball, zany characters. Toula's father Gus can find the Greek root of any word, and believes windex to be a wondrous cure to any ailment. Toula's mother says "the man may be the head of the household, but the woman is the neck, she can turn the head whichever way she wants". And throughout the movie we see matriarchal power in action as she and Aunt Voula subtly manipulate Gus, the father. Toula's Cousin Nikki with her provocative fashion sense and brother Nick with his quiet passion for art, fill out the Portokolos personality tree.

In contrast the Millers are a subdued, small family. Ian has only two cousins. When Toula invites the Millers over for a quiet dinner to meet her parents they are in for quite a shock. The dynamics between the overwhelmingly extroverted Portokolos family and the reserved parents of the groom provide some amusing moments.

My Big Fat Greek Wedding had potential to be an exceptional film. It was hindered by a far too contrived romance and a particularly unconvincing performance by John Corbett as Ian Miller. His character was so lacking in personality, so bland, especially in contrast to the Portokolos family members. Plus the robotic delivery of his declarations of love were unbelievable. His character seemed an afterthought. Had Ian Miller been better acted, and developed as well as all of the supporting characters, the film would have been great. However, it is still an above average romantic comedy, providing many laughs and feel good moments.

i usually hate dissing the other reviewers on these things because everyone is entitled to their opinions, but, even though they usually frustrate me, i always read the reviews to gauge how a movie affects the mainstream public, as i think that's usually the most important thing to be considered.

i just finished commenting on 'the rules of attraction', and it surprised me to see how there were more positive comments about that film than this one. it also surprised me to see that most of the negative reviews of this film talked about how they were 'bored' by this movie, or how nia vardalos is 'ugly', or how this film is only for 'women' or 'old people'.

granted, this movie has very little sex, violence, or MTV editing, but it does what most movies try to do and fail at doing; creates an engaging story with interesting characters. however, it's sad to see that this quality apparently doesn't carry much currency anymore, and that people can't deal with humor that's not shoved in their face or isn't right there on the surface.

the ironic thing about this is that MBFGW isn't even that innovative or unique. it takes the normal three act romantic comedy structure and, well, dehollywoodizes it a little bit. yeah, the main characters aren't typical hollywood hot. (well, john corbett is...) but you probably aren't either. and all these people commenting on how it's 'racist' or 'stereotyped'... nia vardalos, the writer, IS GREEK! this film is adapted from her one woman show! it's interesting that 'ethnic' films have to take on, what, a documentary form or something to seem authentic? if anything is racist, that is.

it's super that 11,000 people have voted on this film and that it grossed so much $$. even though, when it comes down to it, this is just a "better" romantic comedy which stays in the box for much of the time, it IS, indeed, better than most movie fare out there and its popularity gives me hope that the "boring" movies with "ugly" people may have a chance with the jaded tards of middle america.

*Nice romantic-comedy about a Greek-American girl which has to fight against her family's strict traditions in order to marry a non-Greek boy. I think that, for the Greek people, this movie must be full of topics and stereotypes, but for the ones who don't know about Greek ways of life is pretty funny. There are all kind of weird characters (the grandma!!!), and the starring actress makes an outstanding job showing us the metamorphosis of that timid girl to a liberated one. Nice dialogs, nice rhythm... Just a nice entertainment for a Saturday afternoon.

*My Rate 6/10