Rating: Summary: Old fashioned fairy-tale about a clash of cultures. Review: "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" is a very funny movie with a talented cast. Nia Vardalos is excellent as Toula Portokalos, a homely thirty-year-old virgin, who is lonely and depressed. Her traditional Greek parents, expertly played by Lainie Kazan and Michael Constantine, constantly nag her about her unmarried state, and she feels unfulfilled and useless.Miraculously, Toula manages to get out of the rut that she has been in for years. She puts on makeup, gets a new hairdo, and takes computer courses so that she can help out in her aunt's travel agency. Most surprising of all, she meets and falls in love with a handsome wasp, Ian Miller (John Corbett). So what's the problem? Ian isn't Greek and his straight-laced parents are not prepared for the loud and aggressive crowd that comprises Toula's extended family. Will the young lovers find a way to reconcile their ethnic differences and make both families happy? Since, "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" is a fairy tale, the lovers' fate is never in doubt. In spite of the contrived nature of the story, it is filled with gentle humor and warmth. Sit back, relax and enjoy this sweet movie. It is pleasurable, entertaining and delightful.
Rating: Summary: amazing Review: Best movie ever!...(besides gone with the wind. Sorry, I'm an atlanta greek)
Rating: Summary: Absolutely wonderful movie! Review: This is the funniest movie I've seen in a long time, we enjoyed every minute of it. The characters were hilarious and the actors were wonderful. The whole audience was laughing so loud that we actually missed some lines. We will have to see it again, and hopefully it will come out on video so I can buy it. It is something that many nationalities can relate to and how families and their traditions can actually be so funny. It was a truly heartwarming, funny, terrific movie. Everyone should go see it.
Rating: Summary: My big fat greek wedding Review: I laughed, I cried and I'm not greek. It was highly entertaining. We talked about ia alot afterwords. I would and do recomend this to anyone.
Rating: Summary: A toast to ethnic families, and the WASPs who love them! Review: This is a terrific movie, full of laughs and ruefully realistic to those of us from ethnic families. Everyone in the ensemble does a great job, and it's interesting that Toula's mom is played by Lainie Kazan (who is Jewish), her aunt by Andrea Martin (who is Armenian) and her cousin Angelo by Joey Fatone (Italian): a perfect fit for all. In my family, we cheerfully absorb the WASPs who marry in by hitting them with a combination of food, fun, and love -- and it works! In this movie, the WASPs lighten up just fine; it's only the Turks that are "dissed"-- no problem there. Thanks, Tom and Rita, for producing this movie. Notice that at the wedding reception, the song "All My Only Dreams" from the movie "That Thing You Do!" is playing as the bride and groom enter. Just one of the clever touches in this worthy film.
Rating: Summary: AMAZING & SCARY !!!! Review: What a great film!!! Truly slaps me into "Greek" reality. Born in America, but being 100% Greek myself, the movie portrayed a believable (and at times scary) Greek family, with its Greek traditions, with its Greek "quarky" attitudes... I want my parents to see this film and I predict my father will find nothing unusual about the "yard art" and the home. He will most likely admire it. (with the majority of Greeks being tacky amd tasteless, in my opinion). It is truly heart-warming film. Nia Vardalos created a masterpiece. Kazan and Martin truly did a great job being "Greek"... only one thing: Greeks make cakes with "holes" in the middle as well. TOO FUNNY!!! This is a MUST see movie whether you are Greek, Italian, Jewish, etc. Americans will enjoy the film but will not absorb the full impact unless you have been raised in a European family. The cultures are so different. See this movie a second time (as I did). Its amazing how much I missed the first time. I can hardly wait for this to come out on DVD. It is predicatable at times, but who cares!!! You won't stop laughing!
Rating: Summary: Big, Fat and True! Review: I lived this life! I grew up in an ethnic family whose parents immigrated from the Middle East and this movie really is true about the dilemma of the first generation transplants whose parents sacrifice everything to give their children a better life in this country. From the WASPy American boyfriend with the geographically challenged parents to the nosy extended family who sit around the table and plan your life, and give you counsel. My parents even said the same thing about my sister's boyfriend when she started dating: "Does he come from a good family, is he a good boy, I don't know anything about his parents!" "They are dry, like toast!" yadayadayada, and "NO, you CAN'T date, it's UNHEARD of where we come from!!" I saw this movie four times and laughed and cried. The only thing this movie left out was showing how very unfunny it is to go through the embarrassment and tears of having to grow up not only as a misunderstood teenager but having the double whammy of cultural identity crisis. This movie did show the very true dilemma of parents struggling to understand a culture that they didn't grow up with. This movie made me appreciate all the more what my parents had to go through. Even my "dry, American friends" who are married to ethnic spouses were tickled and could relate!
Rating: Summary: OH, SO VERY TRUE! Review: If you are greek, you MUST go see this movie! Being greek myself, I went and saw this movie with my family, who by the way, are all greeks, and let me tell you, you will not stop laughing! This movie was to die for. I could not stop laughing throughout. With Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson as the Producers of this movie, made it all the better. This movie did an outstanding job depicting greek tradition and family values. This movie reminded me of my life growing up as a greek kid living in america. I could really relate to this movie. I cant wait till it comes out on DVD! This will be added to my collection of movies. For traditional families who love movies, this movie is for you. It is a movie for anybody who enjoys a good laugh! As the greeks say, Yasou and Opa!
Rating: Summary: Greeks, grins, grumps, and grannies--great! Review: What a terrific movie. Very funny, very warm. A superb ensemble cast, a great script, and excellent pacing make this a real winner. The mix of cultures is very well done--not, as some reviewers have said, tritely at all. John Corbett's ultra WASPy Ian Miller is a perfect foil for Nia Vardalos' ultra Greek Toula who, at the age of six, was the only girl in her school who was swarthy with sideburns. She's smart, attractive, and most of all full of innocent charm which is a huge plus in these days of Hollywood bombast. The culture mix is upped several notches when Ian's SUPER-ultra WASPy conservative, reigned-in parents come to Toula's house for a "quiet dinner" which turns out to be an uproar attended by no less than about 25 people--Toula's family, of course, invited by her parents. It's great to see the uptight Millers consume mass quantities of ouzo, encouraged by their host's entreaties, and the resulting discombobulation. Innocence, in fact, is everywhere in this film and gives it the tremendous charm and warmth it has. Confusing innocence for triteness is a huge mistake. Here, both leads radiate the innocence of pure romance which is very moving, and the romance is beautifully balanced with a lot of very funny moments. Toula's father, played by Michael Constantine (a Greek), is constantly lecturing his family on how Greek is the language of origin of ALL words--even kimono--and applying Windex to EVERY pain or hurt a human being can experience. He can be a grump, but it's obvious he has real heart. His mother comes directly from Greece to stay with the family and is the source of some truly inspired hilarity. Does the couple meet cute? Depends on how you define that. The real answer is, No, they don't; they meet normally, like two people might realistically meet. Toula's mother is played by Lainie Kazan, a veteran (like Constantine) who portrays the correct balance of smartmouth and sentiment in her character. Also notable is Anrea Martin, a Second City TV alumna, as Toula's aunt. Nia Vardalos, Toula, also wrote the film and did a great job as both lead actress and writer. Highly recommended.
Rating: Summary: SEE IT! Hilarious and Warm-Hearted! Review: This movie is the best feel good family film to come out in a while. In a time when people need to laugh, this one hits the spot. Saw it few times and keep bringing "converts". I'm not greek, but this is really about ANY family who loves each other despite all those crazy things a family can do to each other to drive each other crazy. GO SEE IT!
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