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In the spring of 2002, an independent comedy from Niah Vardalos became an unexpected theatrical success. My Big Fat Greek Wedding benefited from word of mouth throughout the summer, ultimately grossing over $240 million nationally. The original Hollywood Reporter review is below:
My big Greek wedding is a light but enjoyable comedy about the courtship and marriage of a Greek-American woman by – much to the shock of her large and noisy family – a non-Greek. Most of the film’s humor comes from the characters’ ethnicity and the clash of cultures. The film offers no particular insight into the Greek-American community; the game would be exactly the same if the family was Latin American, Chinese or Indian. Indeed, several independent films with similar stories screened at this year’s Sundance Film Festival.
Co-produced by Tom Hanks and his wife, Rita Wilson (of Greek origin), this IFC The film’s release will likely have little theatrical impact outside of its obvious ethnic audience, but should make for an enjoyable cable diversion. The main attraction here is this actress-writer Niah Vardalos plays its own story. The scenario for Greek wedding is based on an autobiographical one-woman show written and starring this Second City alumna.
His character, Where are you nowis just a puzzle for the extent Portokalos Chicago clan. At 30, with her disheveled clothes and glasses, she is “past the expiration date” to marry a nice Greek boy. She works in her parents’ restaurant, Dancing Zorbawhere everyone treats her like an ugly duckling.
Taking control of his life, Where are you now enrolls in a computer course despite the objections of his Old World father. Fix yourself – new hairstyle, contact lenses, makeup and tight clothes – Where are you now is ready to meet the man of her life. Which she promptly does. Only, it’s a WASP school teacher named Ian (John Corbett, who reminds a little of the young Jeff Bridges), not at all what the Portokalos the clan has in mind.
Thus begins an awkward romance far from the prying eyes of the family, the eventual discovery of the affair, the to-ing And from about her engagement to a “foreigner” and finally the big Greek wedding of the title where, apparently, everyone of Greek ancestry in the greater Chicago area is invited.
This scenario contains some good lines, and VardalosLiveliness prevails despite the clichés and caricatures. But if you think Greek characters are stereotypical, they’re not as bad as Ian’s anal-retentive WASP family.
Tearing apart their roles like they were fresh meat, Michael Constantine plays At Toula’s macho dad, Lainie Kazan — who else? – as the more sympathetic mother, Andrea Martin as the busy aunt and Gia Carides and Joey from ‘N Sync Fatone like flamboyant cousins.
Filmed in Toronto under the direction of TV sitcom veteran Joel Zwick, Greek wedding lack of cinematic flair. This feels more like a film made for the small screen. But as Where are you now, he has a good-natured personality. — Church honey cuporiginally published April 17, 2002.
