John Corbett and Nia Vardalos in “My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3”. (Yannis Drakoulidis/Focus Features)
“My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3” (91 min., rated PG-13 for partial nudity and some sexual awareness) 8 out of 10
Given its clear, good-natured themes and portrayals of endearing, likeable characters, it’s hard not to embrace, at least to some extent, the third and likely final sequel in the “My Big Fat Greek” series. Wedding”. This being the third after the first one released with a bang in 2002, written and directed by Nia Vardalos, and its less than satisfactory follow-up in 2016, she is once again behind and in front of the camera using as many of the same actors as possible to giving purpose to his fond memories of his Greek culture and heritage.
What made the first film so good was Vardalos’ outrageously humorous take on Greek family traditions and eccentricities, which she captured so authentically with winking ideas. Being Greek, I found the material to be perfectly targeted to how I was raised by a second generation Greek American family. But now that most of those insightful gags and jokes have run their course, Vardalos has decided to turn his gaze from Chicago to his native Greece. The move gives the series a fresher look by venturing into new territory so Vardalos can poke fun at her beloved extended family while visiting their home country.
While the patriarch of the Portokalas family is no longer there since Gus (Michael Constantine) has since died, and mom Maria (Lainie Kazan) is shown suffering from dementia, Toula (Vardalos) wants to honor her father’s last wish to return his handwritten diary to him. documenting his life to his dear friends in Greece. Along with her beloved husband (John Corbett) and several family members, they all take a trip to Greece to pay their respects to Gus and reunite with his long-lost friends that Gus grew up with before immigrating to the United States. They are joined by Nick (Louis Mandylor), Toula’s brother, Aunt Voula (Andrea Martin), Paris (Elena Kampouris), their college-aged daughter, Aristotle (Elias Kacavas), Paris’ ex-boyfriend whom Aunt Voula secretly invited – and a few other members for good measure. I can’t imagine how much this all costs.
Arriving in Greece, things don’t go as planned… of course. Toula struggles to reunite with her father’s old friends, things get heated between Paris and her parents as well as with Aristotle who has been lured by Aunt Voula to rekindle their stumbling romance. And then they discover that Gus left behind a family he started before moving to America, which sparks an unexpected emotional dynamic. And there are the usual family feuds. But being a situational comedy with lighthearted intentions, all of these questions are resolved in one way or another to lead to a happy ending.
Most of the film presents the holiday within the fabric of Greek traditions…lots of eating, drinking, dancing – and even a traditional Greek wedding – with stunning scenery, quaint mountaintop villages and magnificent views of the Wed. The film excels at capturing the Greece we know for its centuries-old traditions, without any allusion to the extreme poverty that has hit the country in recent years. And there is no political agenda. The story centers on its endearing characters that Vardalos has once again brought to the screen. Yes, the sight gags are a bit worn and the dialogue isn’t that well written, but there’s a genuine sweetness to these lovable characters that can’t be understated. It’s a nice way to end things (I think).
“My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3” was released in theaters on September 8.
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