Rating: 
Summary: Check out the used prices!
Review: While it's not exactly reinventing the wheel, this is definitely one of the far better romantic comedies I've seen in quite some time.I'm not quite sure I would have sprung twenty bucks to buy it, but CHECK OUT THE USED PRICES!! You can own a copy of this for around six or seven bucks now! That's just a shade more then the cost of a rental! What a great value for your dollar!
Rating:
Summary: Big Fat Funny Sweet Touching Movie
Review: Hey, it's not THE COLOR PURPLE, ok? It is however, a highly successful movie when you factor in how LITTLE money was spent to make the darn thing. Yes, there is a lot of hype, and, yes, that can turn you off--It turns me off a lot of the time. But, it is a nice film. Not great, no, but good. And the main character--who is also the writer of the movie and one-woman show that inpired the movie--is such a real life American Dream success story, how can you pss this up??? It's a sweet little funny romantic comedy--and you learn some stuff about Greeks to boot! Come on, what could be better? Just sit back and enjoy it and try not to think so much!
Rating:
Summary: Nice, but not nearly as good as is sometimes said.
Review: If you listen to the hype, "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" is one of the best romantic comedies of all time, and is ground-breaking and amazing film-making. Which is, perhaps ironically, building up expectations higher than is really fair. The film is a sweet, light and fun romantic comedy with visibily middle-tier production values. The much-hyped ethnicity of the central characters is something that, for the most part, we haven't really seen in mainstream American cinema, but at the same time, only the particulars make it unique: In many ways, this is the same story we've seen dozens of times about Jewish characters, Italian-American characters, Irish-American characters, et cetera. This isn't a condemnation of the film, but I do disagree that this is something startling and unique. The cast are generally of a high quality, and it's especially nice to see John Corbett resurface after too many years out of the limelight. (And where are the "Northern Exposure" DVD sets, already?) The writing is charming, but unexceptional, but particular note needs to be made of writer/star Nia Vardalos, who is by no means a classic romantic lead, and who is made up to look her worst through much of the film, to the point of it being almost a little embarassing to watch at times. While the attraction Corbett's character feels for her is never properly explored, it's wonderful to watch her flower in the light of his affection. Not the best romantic comedy ever, but a rewarding and entertaining film. Just go into it knowing that its reputation has somewhat overblown many viewers' expectations. Recommended for fans of romantic comedies looking for something (a little) different.
Rating: 
Summary: This Film Was A Pleasant Surprise
Review: I have trouble believing that some people aren't crazy about this movie, but at least I know I like it. This movie was born out of a play that Nia Vardalos wrote and starred in, which I haven't seen, but if it inspired this it's gotta be pretty good. Toula Portakalos is played of course by Nia herself. Toula is single and working at the family's Eating establishment, Dancing Zorba's. She's a seating maiden. Toula's father, named Gus is played by the talented Michael Constantine who puts forth an incredible performance. He encompasses all qualities Humorous, Knowledgeable, and tender at times. He is Very Proud of being Greek and says "There's two kinds of people in life, The Greeks and those who wish they were Greek." He is also quite practical, he uses Windex to heal wounds and cuts. Toula's mother, Maria, is played by Lainie Kazan (She Was in "Gigli" Forgive her). She is more softspoken until being insulted by her husband ;). She is kind and supportive of the kid's desires, much moreso than Gus. Voula is Aunt of Toula and (obviously) Maria's sister. Toula's younger brother, Nick is a smart aleck who is yet to be married, he's played by Louis Mandylor.
Nick has the personality of a Studly young male wandering aimlessly through life, almost a male version of Toula, just more upbeat. He works at Dancing Zorba's too as a cook. He reminds the parents of his promise to marry a nice young Greek girl. Toula's sister is more ideal in the parents eyes. She married young and had 3 kids. There is ever present backing soundtrack in the form of Greek music, I'm not sure the name of the Harp-Sounding instrument being played. It's intertwined with a more subtle piano. Nice. Joey Fatone from the Teen Pop Group N Sync is in the movie, andd Im no fan of that music Genre, I myself prefer Heavy Metal but that's beside the point. I have to cleanse myself of all prejudices I may have against the guy. He has scant few lines. His character is that of Husband to Toula's sister. Ian Miller (played by John Corbett) is Toula's future Groom-to-be. His occupation is a School teacher and Best Friend to Mike, who is played by Ian Gomez (Ironically enough in real life he's the "Ian" Character in every sense of the word as he's married to Nia Vardalos.) Toula meets Ian in the most Storybook of ways, him and Mike stop by Zorba's to dine. And it may or may not have been love at first sight, but this is for certain, him and Toula felt a connection right then and there: Toula told a joke that most people would find to be "Corny" but he laughed, much to her surprise. The two don't cross paths again for a little while. Toula wants to branch out and broaden her horizons by taking Computer Classes at the Local college. She had done so in High School but had lost sight of the activity. Her Dad (Gus) doesn't react too kindly to the news, for fears falling in with Druggies at campus and also it sidetracks his ultimate wish: For her to get married and have kids. Well that's where Toula's mother (Maria) comes in. She goes to bat and persuades Gus into thinking that College is a good idea. Toula at the time also goes through a style and beauty renaissance. She ditches her thick Glasses in favor of Contact Lenses and gets "Wavier" hair. It is at work for a Travel Agency where Toula Sees Ian walking by from behind the windows and it's Puppy Love from there. Thickening the plot is the fact that Ian is not Greek. He's also an Atheist and a Vegetarian. (I can't imagine why anyone wouldn't eat meat but thats irrelevant right now.)
These are qualities that won't gel very well with Toula's relatives, especially the fact he isn't Greek, no one in family history has even dated a Non-Greek. The film plays out pretty nicely from there. Along the way is plenty of humor that may even keep a Non-fan of Romantic Comedy entertained. Hey it worked for me. Plus, this film manages to avoid much of the Schlock, Schmaltz and Cheesiness that bog down some similar films. Being An Irish-Catholic there's also a certain amount of Ethnic pride that I can relate to while viewing. One of the main themes of "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" is culture clash. In there being certain conflicts between some (not all) members of various ethnic backgrounds. Like For instance Ian Miller being Non-Greek and how that plays out in Toula's family, which is very big. She has 26 First Cousins. Also, on the Tales side of the coin there is the element of Ian's father and mother (who are played by Bruce Gray and Fiona Reid). They come off as your well-to-do W.A.S.P-ish pair. In fact they remind me of that painting of the old bald farmer with a pitchfork standing beside his wife! A few people think that this movie perpetuates Stereotypes. That short-sighted statement reminds me of those who believe Gangsta Rap portrays Bad Stereotypes about Black People. What Utter Hogwash. It doesn't. These Rappers are detailing their life experiences of living in a Rough Crime infested neighborhood. You would have to be Thuggish and Rough-and-tumble to survive in an area like that. On A similar note, "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" does not portray Greek-Americans in a stereotypical manner. NOWHERE In the entire running time does the film imply "This is how the lives of all Greek Families are." Instead it just gives the lifestory and fairy tale courtship of a member of a fictitious Greek clan.
Rating:
Summary: This Film Was A Pleasant Surprise.
Review: I have trouble believing that some people aren't crazy about this movie, but I know I like it At LeAst. This movie was born out of a play that Nia Vardalos wrote and starred in, which I haven't seen, but if it inspired this it's gotta be pretty good. Toula Portakalos is played of course by Nia herself. With that we are shown footage of Toula back at the age of 6, where the other girls were blond and delicate, whereas she was a Swarthy 6 year old with sideburns. The rest of the girlsd eat conventianal American lunches in the Cafetaria while she eats mousakka. Toula is single and working at the family's Eating establishment, Zorba's. She's a seating maiden. Toula's father, named Gus is played by the talented Michael Constantine who puts forth an incredible performance. He encompasses all qualities Humorous, Knowledgeable, and tender at times. He is Very Proud of being Greek and says "There's two kinds of people in life, The Greeks and those who wish they were Greek." He is also quite practical, he uses Windex to heal wounds and cuts. Toula's mother, Maria, is played by Lainie Kazan. She is more softspoken until being insulted by her husband ;). She is kind and supportive of the kid's desires, much moreso than Gus. Voula is Aunt of Toula and (obviously) Maria's sister. Toula's younger brother, Nick is a smart aleck who is yet to be married, he's played by Louis Mandylor.
Nick has the personality of a Studly young male wandering aimlessly through life, almost a male version of Toula, just more upbeat. He works at Zorba's too as a cook. He reminds the parents of his promise to marry a nice young Greek girl. Toula's sister is more ideal in the parents eyes. She married young and had 3 kids. There is ever present backing soundtrack in the form of Greek music, I'm not sure the name of the Harp-Sounding instrument being played. It's intertwined with a more subtle piano. Joey Fatone from the Teen Pop Group N Sync is in the movie, andd Im no fan of that music Genre, I myself prefer Heavy Metal but that's beside the point. I have to cleanse myself of all prejudices I may have against the guy. He has scant few lines. His character is that of Husband to Toula's sister. Ian Miller (played by John Corbett) is Toula's future Groom-to-be. His occupation is a School teacher and Best Friend to Mike, who is played by Ian Gomez (Ironically enough in real life he's the "Ian" Character in every sense of the word as he's married to Nia Vardalos.) Toula meets Ian in the most Storybook of ways, him and Mike stop by Zorba's to dine. And it may or may not have been love at first sight, but this is for certain, him and Toula felt a connection right then and there: Toula told a joke that most people would find to be "Corny" but he laughed, much to her surprise. The two don't cross paths again for a little while. Toula wants to branch out and broaden her horizons by taking Computer Classes at the Local college. She had done so in High School but had lost sight of the activity. Her Dad (Gus) doesn't react too kindly to the news, for fears falling in with Druggies at campus and also it sidetracks his ultimate wish: For her to get married and have kids. Well that's where Toula's mother (Maria) comes in. She goes to bat and persuades Gus into thinking that College is a good idea. Toula at the time also goes through a style and beauty renaissance. She ditches her thick Glasses in favor of Contact Lenses and gets "Wavier" hair. It is at work for a Travel Agency where Toula Sees Ian walking by from behind the windows and it's Puppy Love from there. Thickening the plot is the fact that Ian is not Greek. He's also an Atheist and a Vegetarian. (I can't imagine why anyone wouldn't eat meat but thats irrelevant right now.)
These are qualities that won't gel very well with Toula's relatives, especially the fact he isn't Greek, no one in family history has even dated a Non-Greek. The plot plays out pretty nicely from there. Along the way is plenty of humor that may even keep a Non-fan of Romantic Comedy entertained. Hey it worked for me. Plus, this film manages to avoid much of the Schlock, Schmaltz and Cheesiness that bog down some similar films. Being An Irish-Catholic there's also a certain amount of Ethnic pride that I can relate to while viewing. One of the main themes of "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" is culture clash. In there being certain conflicts between some (not all) members of various ethnic backgrounds. Like For instance Ian Miller being Non-Greek and how that plays out in Toula's family, which is very big. She has 26 First Cousins. Also, on the Tales side of the coin there is the element of Ian's father and mother (who are played by Bruce Gray and Fiona Reid). They come off as your well-to-do W.A.S.P-ish pair. In fact they remind me of that painting of the old bald farmer with a pitchfork standing beside his wife! They don't have much knowledge of Greece or people descended from that country. They thought Armenia was next door to it. With all of what I stated, I won't spoil the film by giving away any more plot information. I'll give you a hint though it all ends happily. A few people think that this movie perpetuates Stereotypes. What utter Hogwash. That reminds me of those who believe Gangsta Rap portrays Bad Stereotypes about Black People. It doesn't. These Rappers are detailing their life experiences of living in a Rough Crime infested neighborhood. You would have to be Thuggish and Rough-and-tumble to survive in an area like that. On A similar note, "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" does not portray Greek-Americans in a stereotypical manner. NOWHERE In the entire running time does the film imply "This is how the lives of all Greek Families are." Instead it just gives the lifestory and fairy tale courtship of a member of a fictitious Greek clan.
Rating:
Summary: Greek and Proud of it.
Review: At least her family is. Toula Portakolas just wants to do something with her life, and all her family wants her to do is get married to greek man, and make greek babies. Her oppurtunity comes when she meets a non-greek man by the name of Ian Miller. Both start becoming closer, and Toula is left with only one choice, to tell the family. If you want a small quiet wedding, and you have a big Greek family, good luck to you. I have to say one of the best DVD's we have. Great quality, and is just as clear as can be. The acting is the best I've seen it in a long time. I was happy to see John Corbett come back into the movie career. Lainie Kazan, haven't seen her in a while, but loved her as Maria. They couldn't have picked anyone else as good as her. The comentary by John Corbett, the director, and Nia Vardalos, was very interesting. Nothing can top this movie as the number one romantic comedy of all time because, well, it's the truth. OPA!!!
Rating:
Summary: Don't Use This Film For a Study of Greek Culture
Review: "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" is a funny film. And I recommend people watching it for the many laughs found in it. But I am afraid that it is a mistake for folks to believe that this flick is a completely accurate portrayal of Greek Culture in America. It is not! And it disturbs me that some people actually think it is. Plain and simple, the makers of this film had to play on and even exaggerate stereotypes to keep it funny and sell it to the public. The Greeks are a people who are rightfully proud of their ancestral contributions to Western Civilization. The film was correct in showing us that. And they indeed value familial bonds - as do most North Americans. Again the storyline was correct in that regard. But generally, the Greeks are nowhere near the clannish or meddlesome individuals that this film would have us believe they are. Professor Bruce Thornton, a scholar of the classics and humanities has written in "Greek Ways: How The Greeks Created Western Civilization", "What is unusual in the Greeks is a real curiosity about people different from themselves and a willingness to consider whether those peoples might have something worthy to offer."
I would submit that the vast majority of Modern Greeks living in North America, still hold true to this idea. If they didn't, there is no way that they would have done as well as they have in the United States. While Greeks like to preserve their culture, they also enjoy mixing with other people. And they take great delight and feel appreciation when non-Greeks learn a few Greek words, enjoy a Greek dish or come to admire some Greek custom. I would submit that since much of authentic Western culture has it's roots in Ancient Greece; there is probably more similarity between Greek-Americans and other Americans of European descent, than there are differences. Think about it. Buy the film and keep in mind that it is about one Greek-American girl falling in love with a nice young White Anglo-Saxon Protestant. But please don't take it as a serious study of Greek culture in America. That would be like thinking all of Canada is covered in snow year round. It is not.
Rating: 
Summary: Cute but Predictable
Review: This movie tries to hard to be cute and funny. I liked some parts to it and the characters were likeable enough. The father with his Windex for every solution was funny. I just could not get into the whole movie. It's a nice movie, but it's a little predictable. If you want some fluff, this is it for you.
Rating:
Summary: Great Movie
Review: This movie was motivating. It related to the real world. How theirs people in life that are along for a long time, and finally the man of their dreams comes along.
Rating:
Summary: Why, why, why?
Review: This was a sweet idea but could have been SO much more. I like the idea of a heroine who isn't picture perfect. I like the idea of a large family of immigrants. I like the idea of dealing with rather ordinary folk, showing matters which matter to them, where they're not going to influence the whole world, only themselves. Still, the film felt very flat. Toulah was supposed to be wonderful, but how? Why did Ian fall in love with her? Did they have anything at all in common? Why did she make him come alive? Is it only because his life was so extremely boring before they met (one gets that impression, although I think the funniest line is at the end of the film, when Ian's father says to Ian's mother, come on, Harry, let's dance). Why did they leave Greece, if Greeks were so perfect? Why was the father so scared of fitting in? Why didn't anyone help Toulah date or even pretty herself up before she turned 30? It's not as if her female relatives weren't interested in clothes! These questions could have been answered without injuring the ordinariness of the film.
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