Dogwatcher
23 Apr 2003, 14:49
My Big Fat Greek Wedding was the surprise cinema hit of last year and its charm carries over to the small screen.
A refreshing, although sometimes unoriginal, low budget comedy, My Big Fat Greek Wedding proves that big is not necessarily best in the movie world, even if it is when it comes to organising Hellenic weddings.
Toula Portokalos (played by Nia Vardalos) is 30, Greek, and works in her family's restaurant, Dancing Zorba's, in Chicago.
All her father Gus (Michael Constantine) wants is for her to get married to a nice Greek boy. But Toula is looking for more in life. Her mother convinces Gus to let her take some computer classes at college (making him think it's his idea). With those classes under her belt, she then takes over her aunt's travel agency (again making her father think it's his idea). She meets Ian Miller (John Corbett), a high school English teacher and they begin secretly dating.
MBFGW is a whimsical piece of film making about acceptance – of yourself and those around you.
The movie is based on Vardalos’ one woman play and had a helping hand from Oscar winner Tom Hanks who was involved in the production.
Much of the film is based on real life experiences and also stars Australia’s Gia Carides and N’Sync’s Joey Fatone.
From the start Toula’s differences are accentuated, ironically through a scene similar to that featured in the opening moments of the very disappointing Australian film The Wog Boy.
In MBFGW we get a close and fairly romantic look at the lives of Greek people who live away from their spiritual home.
While much of the film was stereotypical but, considering the subject matter at hand, that was to be expected. This is a life story and it’s about growing up in a stereotypical Greek family.
MBFGW was a hit because of its lack of pretension and laid back style. A great film for a lazy Sunday afternoon.
Rating: 4/5.
A refreshing, although sometimes unoriginal, low budget comedy, My Big Fat Greek Wedding proves that big is not necessarily best in the movie world, even if it is when it comes to organising Hellenic weddings.
Toula Portokalos (played by Nia Vardalos) is 30, Greek, and works in her family's restaurant, Dancing Zorba's, in Chicago.
All her father Gus (Michael Constantine) wants is for her to get married to a nice Greek boy. But Toula is looking for more in life. Her mother convinces Gus to let her take some computer classes at college (making him think it's his idea). With those classes under her belt, she then takes over her aunt's travel agency (again making her father think it's his idea). She meets Ian Miller (John Corbett), a high school English teacher and they begin secretly dating.
MBFGW is a whimsical piece of film making about acceptance – of yourself and those around you.
The movie is based on Vardalos’ one woman play and had a helping hand from Oscar winner Tom Hanks who was involved in the production.
Much of the film is based on real life experiences and also stars Australia’s Gia Carides and N’Sync’s Joey Fatone.
From the start Toula’s differences are accentuated, ironically through a scene similar to that featured in the opening moments of the very disappointing Australian film The Wog Boy.
In MBFGW we get a close and fairly romantic look at the lives of Greek people who live away from their spiritual home.
While much of the film was stereotypical but, considering the subject matter at hand, that was to be expected. This is a life story and it’s about growing up in a stereotypical Greek family.
MBFGW was a hit because of its lack of pretension and laid back style. A great film for a lazy Sunday afternoon.
Rating: 4/5.