I am very late to this film. Yeah, yeah, biggest independent film
ever. Feel-good romantic comedy of the year. Sweet story that is
character-driven and not a big bunch of lies propagated by the
waifish divas of the screen that find the rest of normal women
desperate to figure out what’s wrong with them romantically. I have
excuses – I’ve been busy, I just bought a new house, I’ve got to
finish studying for my GMATs, I spent last week watching “The
Transporter,” I was still scarred by seeing “Serving Sara.”
Before I start in, I must express my concern about the good thing
that has happened to this film. See, we have the phrase “Independent
Film” being associated with a box office take in excess of 100
million dollars.
This may just well usher in what has happened in music. Where once
alternative music meant buying a 5-song EP by a struggling band
begging any air time they could get, we now have bands like Creed
and Nickleback clinging to that same alternative label. I can see a
time in Hollywood where “Independent Film” will simply mean “I
convinced Julia Roberts to wear no makeup, work for scale plus a
piece of the box office – did I mention that I optioned the script
for 10 bucks from a destitute junky and had my teenage daughter
punch it up with some current lingo?”
Anyway, what we have in “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” is a simple love
story about two people who come from different backgrounds. And
while the Greek heritage provides the title and much of the hilarity
in the film, it is really a film for anyone that’s felt as if they
were the strange one in a relationship. Back on soapbox – this is
the point of the character-driven story. (This fact will escape big
studios who are already rushing forward to produce “My Grande
Quebequios Wedding” starring Tori Spelling and Ryan Phillipe.)
Anyway, what we have is the story of Toula played by Nia Vardalos
(who also wrote the film), a woman we find that is convinced her
identity is doomed to be wrapped up in her family. Her partner is
Ian Miller, a man struggling to form an identity because his family
had none. Between the two of them, there is the ying and yang that
meet to form that perfect balance of individualism and family
identity that a couple needs to have any sense of individualism.
(Really, this all makes sense.)
Toula’s family makes for great comedy. And one might assume that
these were far-fetched tales of Greek families that no longer exist.
Ah, but you haven’t been to Easter dinner at the Contakis household.
While the decor is much more tasteful, the mounds of food are there
(including the lamb cooked on a spit), the noise is certainly there,
the cousins are there, and the urge to hug everyone in sight run
rampant. It is a must-go-to if you’re ever invited! Alas, Tony is
already married, and his son Jimmy is already promised to
another…perhaps there is room for adoption…
Of course, though, this is a film about the simple truth in any
romantic relationship. That it is inevitable that the one person
you’ve chosen to love will eventually meet that family that you’ve
had to love. The great fear is that our family is as crazy as we
believe and that our chosen love will run screaming from the room.
When they don’t run, we then realize that the scary part is just
beginning. It’s exactly the way that it really is, even if you’re
not Greek.
See, even I can get sappy once in a while.
The Usual:
What It’s Worth: Get yourself out to the movies now! And for
goodness sake, this is a date flick – wander over to the coffee shop
to share cake afterwards.
Main Reason To See This Film: It’s a real love story that doesn’t
involve some wholly contrived plot where the woman ends up with the
short end of the stick by the time the credits roll.
Main Reason Not To See This Film: You have an unnatural phobia that
centers largely on turquoise bridesmaid dresses and big hair.
MPAA Rating: PG
