My Big Fat Greek Wedding
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Movie Reviews of My Big Fat Greek Wedding
Movie Review: Well Written Comedy About Life in a Big Greek Family
Summary: 5 Stars
When "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" was released early in 2002, not many people had the opportunity to see it because it was only released in a handful of theaters. However, word of the film spread quickly and within a short period, the film opened in theaters throughout the world. Consequently, a film that only cost $5 Million to make grossed $359 Million in theaters worldwide. Why? Because "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" is a very funny, engaging and entertaining film about a woman struggling to find her own identity against the pressure she receives from the members of her very large, extended Greek family. The woman, Fotoula 'Toula' Portokalos (Nia Vardalos, who also wrote the film), is 30 when the film begins. She has worked at her father's restaurant, "Dancing Zorba's", for many years and has no college education, has low self-esteem and maintains an unattractive appearance. Her father, Gus Portokalos (Michael Constantine), and her mother, Maria Portokalos (Lainie Kazan), have very traditional values that view a woman's role in life is to get married to a Greek man and have Greek children.While working at the restaurant one day, Toula sees a very handsome man (John Corbett, known for his role in the 1990 TV series "Northern Exposure") come into the restaurant with a friend. Toula nervously pours their drinks and takes their food order, but later wants to hide. The experience encourages Toula to make some much-needed changes in her life, including her appearance for which she enlists the aid of her cousin Nikki (Gia Carides). Wanting more in life than marriage and bearing children, Toula manages to convince her parents to let her take classes at a nearby college. In addition, her Aunt Voula (Andrea Martin) finds a cunning way to let Toula leave the restaurant to work next door at her travel agency. While working happily at the travel agency, that same very handsome man walks into the travel agency and introduces himself as Ian Miller (John Corbett). A romance develops between them, but how will Toula's very traditional family react to Toula dating a man who isn't Greek?
Nia Vardalos received many accolades for "My Big Fat Greek Wedding", including an Oscar nomination for Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen. I hope to see many more wonderful films from her. Other memorable performances from the very large cast include Christina Eleusiniotis who played Toula at age 6, Marita Zouravlioff who played Toula at age 12, Bess Meisler as Gramdma Yiayia, Louis Mandylor as Nicolas 'Nick' Portokalos, Fiona Reid as Harriet 'Harry' Miller and Bruce Gray as Rodney Miller.
Some people may find Nia Vardalos' description of a Greek family to be overly stereotypical, but the purpose of the film was clearly to entertain, not offend. Overall, I rate "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" with a strong 5 out of 5 stars. Also, I had no idea that there were so many uses for window cleaner.
Movie Review: Too believeable to be from Hollywood
Summary: 5 Stars
It is a rare gem of a movie when people can poke fun at themselves and yet not mind that everybody else is laughing as well. this movie truley does have something for everybody. if you are Greek, you will love the familiarity of this movie and will find yourself comparing the people in the film to your own family. You will also find yourself laughing at a few areas in the movie and see nothing but bewildered stares from the non-greeks in the theater. If you are not Greek you will simultaneously wish you were and be glad you are not when you see the closeness, love, overbearing nature and complete lack of any privacy poor Tula goes through in this film.The movie starts with Tula, a 30 year old Greek girl who is looked at as somewhat of a failure by the family because she has not done what she is supposed to do, Marry a Greek man, Have Greek Children, and cook for everybody until the day she dies. but at least (As said by her aunt) she will be there to take care of her parents when they are old. As tula slowly starts to find her own way, thinking about goind to collage, switching jobs from the family resterant, ect.. enter Ian Miller, from a conservative, WASPy family, and somebody unlike everybody else in Tula's life. This movie could have so easily de-generated into the typical Hollywood pap, i.e. become preachy about Tula's right to do what she wants, or done the Three's company plot of "She tells a fib about her life, he finds out, gets angry, they make up at the end" or lastly and most commonly, made out the WASP family to be bigoted and unaccepting characitures who finally come around after basking in the glow emitted by the Greek family. This movie did none of that, instead you follow Tula and Ian as they realize they are falling in love, and then get to sit through the hilarious real life trouble they have dealing with their differences, most especially Tulas relatives dissbelieve that she would date somebody non-Greek. I gurantee you will NOT have a more enjoyable experience at the movies this year whether you are 12 or 92. The main plot is wonderful, but the little side notes, such as Ians mother bringing a bundt Cake to tulas family and nonbody knowing what it is, or Tulas father believing that windex can cure almost anything, add just another layer to this movie until comedy perfection is achieved. If your young daughters are refusing to go point out to them that a member of N'sync is in the cast then you can listen to them discuss whether or not he gained weight on the ride home. The combination of comedy, real looking people, not large headed starved, botoxed former modles and the real sense of affection with which this writer tells the story are too few and far between. There is a reason this movie is making more money each week than the week before even though it was realeased months ago. You will not be dissappointed.
Movie Review: Hilarious
Summary: 5 Stars
When I found out that I was going to see "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" I was not too excited. I thought that the movie would be a cheesy romance that I would loathe. My prediction on the movie was one hundred percent wrong and I ended up loving the movie. The film is a romantic comedy with many layers that make for an interesting viewing and loads of fun. The main character in this comedy is a thirty year old Greek woman. She works as a hostess at her family's Greek restaurant, Dancing Zorba's. Her main job in life, which is given to her by her family, is to marry a Greek man and make many Greek babies. She has no relations with any men and is very far from completing her job that is given to her. She takes up computer classes from a local Chicago university and then takes a seminar on computers and tourism. She gets a job at her aunt's travel agency and one day while working, she meets a man that is perfect for her. But there is one big problem. He's not Greek. This movie documents the love story between the two, how the Greek family reacts to everything, and eventually the big wedding. This is certainly one of the funniest movies that I have seen this year.
Since the main character in this film is Greek, we learn a lot about Greek families in general and a bit about their culture. We learn that Greek families are very close knit and know what everybody in the family is up to. We learn a bit about the Greeks' culinary tastes and social habits as well. For a dinner that is supposed to introduce the Greek woman's parents and her boyfriend's parents the whole Greek family comes because that is normal among them. This film is a quick little tool to pick up some information on the Greek culture.
What makes this movie as funny as it is are the characters, mainly all of the Greeks that make up the big family. There are a plethora of aunts, uncles, and cousins that just make you laugh by obeserving their actions and what they say. One of the funniest characters in the film is the Greek woman's father. Whether you are watching him tell somebody how any word is derived from the Greek language or watching him spray the Windex all over the place, you are bound to laugh. All of the characters are very believable people, too.
In addition to the comedic brilliance of this film, there is a deep message that is essential in life. When the family of the Greek woman rejects her non-Greek boyfriend this is an example of intolerance. They only want the woman to marry a Greek regardless of how good the man is on the inside. The message that you will get when you walk out of this movie is that you should respect people for who they are on the inside, not by their ethnicity.
For lots and lots of laughs and a great time, this is the movie to watch.
Happy Viewing!
Movie Review: OPAH, MORE OUZO-PLEASE!
Summary: 5 Stars
BIG FAT WEDDING is another very funny movie involving weddings. Monsoon Wedding comes to mind and the Miller family reminded me of the Senator and his wife in "BIRD CAGE". I really love this type of movie, the dialog is at a clip and the characters are great. U know the plot by now so will spare u that and get to the actors. Michael Constantine (Gus Portokalos) as the dogmatic Greek 'Head' and my ever favorite Lainie Kazan (Maria Portokalos) as "the neck that turns the (head)" keep u rolling in the aisle's.Gus Is also the inventer of all the cures in the world,( he goes around with a bottle of windex in his hand and sprys everthing) to cure it.Gus is a firm beliver in family tradition, ie, daughter marries young to a Greek man has babies and raises and cooks and shuts-up, and let's men do their men things. Toula is the daughter and she is 30 and homely and isnt's interested in the greek men that Gus brings around for her.
Comes a day when Mr. Right, comes into the restaurant that the Portokalos family own, and Toula works there... she sees Ian Miller(John Corbett) and actually falls apart, very funny scene. She can do nothing but stare, John is amused and leaves with his buddy.
Toula decides to make her-self over, change her hair , lipstick, rouge etc.and loose weight and comes out looking quite pretty.
Eventually Toula goes to night school to learn travel computers and works for her Aunt. John come in and they finally get together. They date , but the family does not know she is seeing Ian. Gus is dead set against the mixed marriage. But the old barriers start to break down with the help of the "Neck", Maria P. And soon the wedding is being planned.
Toula's brother (Nick) Louis Mandylor-Theodosopulos is always trying to get Ian in trouble by telling him to say things in greek, once at the dinner gathering he told Ian to say something to all the people there, but, Ian was skepticle and asked Nick's cousin if that was what it meant(thank all of you etc) the cousin said yes, and Ian shouted the sentence to the group, only to find out , he said "I Have three testicles. Dead-silence, then everyone knew what happened and laughed.
This was a very enjoyable movie and all the cast and the greek music was great. The family held together even though the non-greek married the daughter. He did become baptised in the Greek Orthodox church. Go see it folks u will laugh all thru it. I give this movie a five star salute.
ciao yaaah69
Movie Review: This one's at least a 6!!
Summary: 5 Stars
This little tiny HBO film turned into the biggest romantic comedy of the year. Doesn't that say it all? In order for a little film that no major studio picked up to rake in that kind of box office bucks, there has to be something to it, right? YES! There's quite a bit to it actually. I've seen just about every romantic comedy you can think of, so a unique one REALLY grabs me, and this one grabbed me and didn't let go! First, who is Nia Vardalos and why haven't we seen her before? She was FANTASTIC. I have to confess that I was expecting a hack acting job because I heard that this was her creation, so she clearly wasn't a seasoned actress. Not the case! Vardalos gives a convincing and endearing performance as Toulah, a frumpy Greek woman who is conspicuously lacking a man at 30, when most Greek girls have married and spawned at least a couple kids. Her parents, and the rest of her huge quirky family, also give great performances as overly-involved relatives who participate in every little aspect of Toulah's life. John Corbett is the love interest and the other main character in this film, and WOW, he is so perfect in this role. Not only is he adorable, he totally looks the part of a nice, sensitive, down-to-earth HS lit. teacher. As the story goes, Toulah is man-less, and therefore childless at the ripe old age of 30. Her parents are none to pleased with her progress to this end. Toulah works in her parents' Greek restaurant until she gets a yearning to do something different with her life. She winds up winning Dad's approval to go to college for computers, so she can work at her aunt's travel agency. Along with this major change, Toulah also dabbles with makeup and hairstyles to make herself more attractive, and to fit in, which is something she never did as a child. Toulah lands the job at her aunt's travel agency and this is where the Toulah-Ian (Corbett) romance buds, much to the dismay of Toulah's parents because Ian is not Greek. The culture clash that ensues lends much hilarity to the film. Ultimately, romance wins out, as you might imagine given the title, but the real story is not the wedding so much as the events leading up to it. This movie is fun to watch over and over. The DVD could have had more extras, but the movie alone is worth the purchase.