My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002)
Directed by Joel Zwick
Written by Nia Vardolas
Starring Nia Vardalos Michael Constantine, John Corbett, Lanie Kazan
Release Date April 19th, 2002
Published April 18th, 2002
My heritage is Irish, which by stereotype means I love potatoes and lots of alcohol. I do like potatoes but I don't drink. Not everyone lives into a stereotype. Nia Vardalos, the star of My Big Fat Greek Wedding, also doesn't live up to the stereotype of a Greek woman. She is supposed to marry a nice Greek boy, have lots of children and cook until she dies. Nia's character, Toula Portokalos, aspires to be more than the stereotype.
Wedding is the story of Toula Portokalos, a frumpy depressed waitress at her family's restaurant called Dancing Zorba's. Her father Gus (Michael Constantine) is a very loving man who believes Windex can cure almost any ailment. Gus wants Toula to marry a Greek boy and have Greek babies. Toula would rather go to college and learn about computers and get out from under her family for a little while. Toula's mother Maria (Lanie Kazan) understands her daughter’s ambition and coerces Gus into letting her go.
After a makeover from her frump phase into the attractive girl she had always hidden, Toula goes to college and decides to become a travel agent. After getting a job in her Aunt's travel agency Toula meets Ian (John Corbett). They have immediate chemistry and before long they are ready to head down the aisle. If only it were that simple. First Ian must get past Toula's father, a difficult task because Ian isn't Greek. Then Toula must meet Ian's parents who are WASPs, White Anglo Saxon Protestants. In other words, the Whitest people on the planet.
The problem is I'm not sure what this film was aiming for. Were the scenes with Toula's Aunt played by Andrea Martin meant to be over the top or was she supposed to be taken seriously? The way Martin plays the role it's difficult to tell.
Some of the characters also live into the various stereotypes, while our leads Vardoulias and Corbett play everything straight. Maybe that was the attempt; juxtapose Ian and Toula against the more stereotypical characters in order to show what they are attempting to overcome. If that was the attempt I'm stretching to get it. The film's tone defies that explanation a couple times throughout the film.
The film is still very amusing at times, like when Ian's parents are introduced to Toula's family and extended family and they meet Toula's six cousins and nephews all named Nick and her cousin Nikki. Also, Toula's grandmother, who was brought over from the old country and is always trying to go back.
The laughs are there and so is the heart. Despite the stereotypes each character is shown to have a great heart and is written with love. The film is drawn from Vardoulas' own life so she does genuinely love each of these characters, so her broad interpretation of each character is done with love. My Big Fat Greek Wedding is a light, fun little film with some solid laughs. I recommend you check it out, especially if you are Greek.
