My Big Fat Greek Wedding | Review

Quirky family comedy lacks panache.

Here’s a little history about the little picture that could, it started off as a play from a struggling actor and has been raking in the millions ever since. Writer Nia Vardalos’ project was once a Spring time film that opened in limited release and then critics and audiences alike raved about it eventually creating a buzz that brought the picture more than just good word of mouth but it gave it a wider distribution, months later we have a weekly top ten money-maker and finally a theatrical appearance in my neck of the woods.

My Big Fat Greek Wedding is a film about family-ideals, tradition and about values-something that we’ve seen before, but why are so many audiences elated by this pic?- simple…pick up on all the quirks found in Greek-tradition such as the good luck act of spitting on people or naming your son Nick (funny no plate throwing) and you’ve got a formula for success!? The introduction charms with the candid narration of the typical Greek family, the typical attitude towards Greeks and what Greeks think about themselves all in the eyes and words of the adult daughter, -Toula. In her awkward Welcome to the Dollhouse days as an ugly duckling with side-burns, we witness the young girl surviving the tormented lunchbox days of elementary school as well as the challenges of Greek school. Fast-forward about 30 years into the future and you’ve got a fresh pot of mildew-but this becomes a part of history as she kick-starts her life as she makes others take notice of her. The narrative content of the Cinderella transformation process, her new relationship and the family’s reaction is all uninteresting and tedious, there are just so many times you can hear her father and his thick accent, “vhy don’t you vind ay nice-a Greek boy?” and not get drained. The Greek boy who isn’t-John Corbett (Serendipity)-is a character who is more boring than vanilla-no personality with nothing to bring to the screen or to the character. The rest of cast are a bunch of souvalki portraits of the typical family-Greek or non-Greek.

What lacks here in “Greek Wedding” is the love story that brings the two together-how the hell are we supposed to believe in a 2 second relationship that builds on a window shopping encounter and ends with a change in religion. The why does he fall for her question and where is their chemistry? is averted for a narrative rush which is quicker than a ten-cent wedding at a Vegas chapel, I would have liked to identify with how the two even liked one-another especially when their only point in common was the fact that they both enjoy Greek cuisine. The role of the father could have been a little more like the Meet the Parents type, where the hard-to-please father was-extremely hard to please. As for the ‘family’ aspect, – I got a lot more out of Don Corleone daughter’s wedding sequence in The Godfather than I did in this entire film. My Big Fat Greek Wedding has a couple of moments that might make you grin but this family affair was fairly flat and all the Windex in the world wouldn’t be able to clean up this mess.

Rating 1.5 stars