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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