Movie Monday October 3: My Big Fat Greek Wedding

It’s raining here in New York and has put me in the mood for a rom-com. My pick this week is probably one of my favorites of all time, My Big Fat Greek Wedding. It has complicated family dynamics, “star-crossed lovers”, and a whole lot of comedy and hijinks.

**Warning, mild spoilers ahead, so if you haven’t watched the movie yet, what are you doing?**

Toula Portokalos (Nia Vardalos) is unhappy with her life. The middle of two seemingly perfect siblings, Toula is seen as frumpy and meek compared to the rest of her large Greek-American family. Though she loves them, she feels like her life’s going nowhere at 30. She works in her family’s restaurant with little complaint and is constantly reminded by her father Costas (Michael Constantine) that “she’s getting old” and needs to get married. When she tries to do something more with her life, taking a computer course at a local college, she’s met with an emotional dismissal by her father. Her mother Maria (Lainie Kazan), on the other hand, supports her and eventually convinces Costas to allow it. Slowly she starts to make changes in her life. She does well in school, makes new friends, and starts to take care of herself instead of just others. Eventually she meets Ian Miller (John Corbett), a non-Greek man she had a previous brief encounter with at her family’s restaurant. He’s smitten with her immediately and she’s won over by his goofiness and charm. Though she keeps their relationship a secret from her family, they eventually find out. Her parents are initially against it, and try to set her up with Greek men, but Toula continues to see Ian. When Ian proposes, however, her family starts to come around. Ian converts to the Greek Orthodox Church and begins to try to integrate himself into the Portokalos clan. At times it’s overwhelming, like when the Millers meet Toula’s entire extended family, or when the wedding plans are co opted by cousins, sisters, and aunts, but Toula and Ian eventually make it to their wedding day. In the end, both families come together and celebrate a big fat Greek Wedding.

I really love My Big Fat Greek Wedding. To me, it’s an almost perfect romantic comedy. Toula is beautifully written and portrayed by Nia Vardalos, who wrote and performed the one woman show the movie is based on. She makes improvements in her life not because of a man but because she wants better for herself. The makeover montage is also great because she never loses what’s special about her or her Greek heritage. Also John Corbett’s goofiness and easygoing nature is perfect when put up against the loud and intrusive Portokalos family.

The themes of the movie also make it stand out from similar stories. Family and love are ultimately what’s important, but it’s not a fairy tale. The problems the main couple faces are very real for a lot of people, especially in communities with rich cultures. Nothing feels exaggerated, from the fights to the celebrations. Even Ian’s proposal fits perfectly into the narrative. It’s quiet and intimate against the boisterous and funny scenes. A picture perfect proposal wouldn’t have felt right for these two characters.

The ensemble cast brings each character to life. The smaller roles like cousins Nikki (Gia Carides) and Angelo (Joey Fatone) round out the cast in the bigger scenes. Andrea Martin’s Aunt Voula, though, is a scene stealer. She has so many quotable moments and verges of stereotypical sometimes, but there is heart and emotion that keeps her grounded.

I always recommend My Big Fat Greek Wedding to anyone looking for a fun and family friendly rom-com. It’s relatable no matter your cultural or family background, but especially to people with large extended families.

One moment that made me laugh: There are too many to name, but the first one that always comes to mind is Aunt Voula’s very quotable “that’s okay, I make lamb” at Easter. It’s just an absurd moment in a funny scene and is one of the reasons I love Voula.

One moment that made me cry: When Toula’s father gets upset when she says she wants to go back to school. The only issue I have with this movie is the casual misogyny and patriarchal figures. It’s a product of its time, same with the characters, but moments like this always make me sad. Toula has been limited because of her circumstances and lack of empathy from her father. Eventually he comes around, but at the beginning he’s just plain mean.

I’d give My Big Fat Greek Wedding 9 windex sprays out of 10.