Her Big Fat Greek…Movie Review

Is Vardalos’ screenplay worthy of an Oscar nomination?

By Rebecca Redshaw

Reprinted from NotesFromHollywood.com

I didn’t know what all the fuss was about when this movie opened. And even with slim pickings on the big screen until the last few months, I never felt compelled to buy a ticket. So, I waited until the DVD release to watch MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING and after seeing this film, I still don’t get it.

Is Nia Vardalos convincing as a late-blossoming woman of Greek heritage with a family the size of Peoria? Yeah. Are Lanie Kazan, as her mother, and Michael Constantine, as her father, fun to watch even though they are predictable charicitures in every frame? Yeah. Is her love interest, John Corbett, cute to look at? Yeah. Is Vardalos’ screenplay worthy of an Oscar nomination in the company of Pedro Almodavar’s TALK TO HER and Todd Haynes’ FAR FROM HEAVEN? Nope.

…BIG FAT… would make a wonderful sitcom. What a great idea! And that’s what’s happening with this Made for TV movie that somehow made it to the big screen. Maybe it was the backing of producers Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson (his wife). Maybe it was the slow marketing build over the months and truly, the lack of any good adult films until Miramax released its Academy selections. If I knew the reasons for any movie’s success, I wouldn’t be writing this column, no sir-e-Bob. I’d be pushing out more of those mediocre, big profit babies.

Generally, I think sequels are a waste of time, rushed through production once the powers that be realize the first pic went boffo at the box office. [Exception: GODFATHERS II & III] But I think I’m onto something here. How does this sound?

MY BIG FAT ITALIAN WEDDING? Homemade wine and all the cannolis you can eat! MY BIG FAT BRAZILIAN WEDDING? Carnival atmosphere and the bridesmaids wear thongs! And when you run out of ethnicities (after a few hundred sequels), go to brand names. MY BIG FAT HARLEY WEDDING? Everyone rides FatBoys and the mother of the bride flashes her boobs! How about my personal favorite, MY BIG FAT SARA LEE WEDDING? Desserts would be served before, during AND after the ceremony and the tiered wedding cake would be SL’s very own cheesecake. Talk about ultimate product placement.

Want something Greek? Want to see a good movie?

Go out to eat and enjoy wonderful moussaka and to die for baklava. Then go to the video store and rent a good little movie you may have missed at the theatre. Rent SOUL FOOD. Rent MY FIRST MISTER. Rent STRICTLY BALLROOM.