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My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002)


My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002)



7/10



Starring
Nia Vardalos
John Corbett
Lainie Kazan
Michael Constantine


Directed by Joel Zwick


Nia Vardalos wrote a masterpiece of a screenplay, and when the movie was made with her starring in it, neither she nor the studio could have predicted it would become a sleeper box office hit. I mean, the budget was just 5 million, and it ended up making over 360 million.
It set box office records during its release and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay at the 75th Academy Awards. Not only that, it was a great production and was well-received by audiences and critics alike.

This romantic dramedy starts by diving into the life of our lead, Fotoula "Toula" Portokalos (Nia Vardalos). She comes from a traditional, fanatically Greek family that follows strict rules. Everyone works for the family business, the women are expected to marry Greek men, and they’re supposed to have lots of kids.

Toula is different. She wants more out of life, which makes it hard for her to fit into the family’s expectations. She’s a source of worry for her family—and for herself. One day, a man walks into the family-owned restaurant for a meal, and Toula is instantly head over heels for him.

She hopes this could be the man for her, but things don’t kick off right away. With the help of her mom and aunt, Toula gets a new job away from the restaurant, working at her aunt’s travel agency. There, she runs into the man again. Long story short, they fall in love and decide to get married. The problem? This goes against her family’s traditions, and her father insists she should marry a Greek man or stick to her choice and face the consequences.

Don’t get lost thinking this is just a romantic chick-flick. The comedy and fun come from how things turn out, leading to a wedding that’s as chaotic as it is heartwarming.

In the end, the movie is an amazing romantic comedy that deserves all the praise it received. I’m not sure why this happened, but a sequel, My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2, was released fourteen years after the first film. It was neither a critical nor commercial success like the first, even though it was written by Vardalos and starred practically the same cast. The magic of the original was missing in the sequel.

This is a movie that’s fun to watch, especially if you give it sometime between viewings. It’s interesting, engaging, and full of heart. But please, oh please, skip the second part—it just wasn’t worth it in the end.

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