MOVIE REIVEW: MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING (2002)

I first saw this film in an independent theater in the small town where I attended college. This happened while I was taking the course that led to my rating scale, but this film slipped by unrated because I did not start tracking the films I watched until after that semester was over. When I watched the sequel, I went to find my score for this, the original, and I was shocked to find that I had not revisited it in full since that small-town theater. So this is a long overdue assessment of a true gem of a film.

Nia Vardalos plays Fotoula “Toula” Portokalos, a 30-year-old Chicago native who belongs to a very outspoken and colorful Greek family that wears their heritage pride on their sleeves. Family is of such importance to the Portokalos family that Toula, always wanting to make her family proud of her, has held herself back in life to help keep the family restaurant running smoothly. When an attractive (but non-Greek) customer catches her eye, Toula gets the itch to become her own person. She starts taking computer classes, under the assurance that it will help the family business, but it also helps her meet and date the aforementioned customer. Their whirlwind romance crashes head-on with her family’s disapproval of her relationship with someone who doesn’t share their ancestry.

Had this film come out of the usual Hollywood system, you can almost bet that it would have failed. Vardalos created the idea as a one-woman performance piece and maintained creative control as the screenplay developed for an independent production company. That independence and creative control make all the difference. Where Hollywood might insert tired clichés, My Big Fat Greek Wedding retains its heart and soul. This makes it the endearing film that it is- it’s here to tell a cute story in its own way rather than trying to be a Greek version of any proven Hollywood commodity or template.

While the characters may all fit into common storytelling archetypes, Vardalos rounds most of them out. Most of the characters have a dynamic range to them, by which I mean in the audio sense- they can be loud and entertaining but also softspoken and sincere. No one is left out in the cold as a plug-and-play caricature; Vardalos builds each one so they form an interconnected family that feels plausible.

You can tell that the cast responds to and embraces the labor-of-love script. The chemistry between characters is palpable and no interactions feel forced. The chemistry between the two romantic leads is also a triumph because it feels understated and authentic. Hollywood would have bungled that up for sure with the rom-com production line format.

While My Big Fat Greek Wedding is Vardalos’s vehicle, you sense the enthusiasm that everyone involved has for this project. It’s an independent film but it is also a team effort. That independence of thought and the flow of enthusiasm and spirit is why this film became a sleeper hit and one of the most profitable independent films ever made. It’s endearing, charming, and easily worth repeating. While Toula’s family may all be exaggerated just bit beyond us believing that a real person like that might exist somewhere in the world, this film feels like an old friend that you can call up and feel good about, no matter what.

FINAL RATING: 3.75 out of 5