My Big Fat Greek Wedding

Name: My Big Fat Greek Wedding
Genre: Comedy, Romance
Released: April 19, 2002
Duration: 95 min
Rating: 62
Cast: Michael Constantine, Nia Vardalos

2002

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 29 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 100 Ratings

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7.4

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7.4	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 100 Ratings

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My Big Fat Greek Wedding

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Movie Details & Credits

IFC Films | Release Date: April 19, 2002 | PG

Starring: Michael Constantine, Nia Vardalos

Summary: A romantic comedy based on the one-woman show written by and starring "Second City" alumna Nia Vardalos.

Director: Joel Zwick

Genre(s): Comedy, Romance

Rating: PG

Runtime: 95 min

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Critic Reviews

Peter Travers

Like Vardalos and Corbett, who play their roles with vibrant charm, the film, directed by Joel Zwick, is heartfelt and hilarious in ways you can't fake. It's a keeper. Read full review

David Edelstein

There is a long and honorable tradition of broad intermarriage comedies (from the Romans to Abie's Irish Rose to La Cage aux Folles), and this one comes at least shoulder-high to the best. It has been directed by Joel Zwick in a happy, bustling style and acted with madcap ethnic relish. Read full review

Rick Groen

With Corbett's laidback persona nicely countering Vardalos's authorial performance, the picture radiates a pure affability that's awfully attractive. My Big Fat Greek Wedding is a very slim movie that succeeds on its own modest terms without pretense or apology. Read full review

Paula Nechak

There's such a good-natured heart beating beneath the cliches that it's easy to appreciate the film's willingness to poke gentle fun without a whiff of nastiness or judgment. Read full review

Dave Kehr

An amiable, offhanded comedy about ethnic identity and last-chance romance. Read full review

Chuck Wilson

Vardalos is a pleasing mix of Elaine May and Bonnie Hunt; in other words, she's not a sex kitten, but she's funny and smart. Read full review

Owen Gleiberman

The wedding, which turns the very concept of ''Greek'' into the sort of hideous, pandering clichés that look rejected from bad Jewish and Italian sitcoms. Read full review

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User Reviews

LeoTs3181983

Sep 3, 2010

My Big Fat Greek Wedding is a great movie with a great cast. There are some silly moments however,but Nia Vardalos did worse in I Hate Valentine's Day!

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

MeghanC.

Mar 7, 2003

Funny.

0 of 0 users found this helpful

TrishB.

Aug 30, 2006

I thought it was very entertaining; a definite "feel good movie'.

0 of 0 users found this helpful

Spangle

Aug 27, 2017

Playing out like a sitcom, complete with musical transitions between scenes, My Big Fat Greek Wedding is one of those unexpected box office smashes that became a bit of a cultural touchstone. Written by and starring Nia Vardalos as 30-year-old Greek virgin who is expected to find a nicePlaying out like a sitcom, complete with musical transitions between scenes, My Big Fat Greek Wedding is one of those unexpected box office smashes that became a bit of a cultural touchstone. Written by and starring Nia Vardalos as 30-year-old Greek virgin who is expected to find a nice Greek boy to marry and have kids, the film is an uproariously funny work with sharp wit and great cultural jokes about Toula's (Vardalos) painfully large and Greek family. With a wedding around the corner to American white boy Ian Miller (John Corbett), the Greek family behind Toula must grow to accept this non-Greek into the family over the course of the film's 90 minutes, all while celebrating their Greek heritage throughout. Though perhaps not a great piece of filmmaking, My Big Fat Greek Wedding shows that two things are true: real life is often funny enough on its own and writing what you know yields phenomenal results when done right.

As a comedy about a wedding and an obnoxious family, My Big Fat Greek Wedding is not exactly a deep work. There are some light themes that emerge, but they seem to just pop up out of the circumstances shown in the film, instead of any actual purposeful intent. For example, themes about assimilating into a culture you are unfamiliar with or having to accept the unfamiliar person into your world are both discussed at length due to Ian joining the family, but these are hardly major developments or revelations. Plus, as a comedy, this fish-out-of-water element is played more for comedy than any semblance of thematic nuance. That is not an issue, mind you, but this is certainly not a film with a lot of substance. Rather, it is one that exists purely to entertain and make you laugh, which makes it a tough film review to rate. At which point does one recognize there are faults in this film - the televisual feel that is pervasive in the film and the bad acting, namely - and still recognize that the film nailed all of its stated goals.

Personally, I prefer to head towards the latter when it comes to films such as this. Consistently funny, smarted scripted, and capable of making fun of a culture in the way that only those who are a part of that culture can, My Big Fat Greek Wedding is an absolutely hysterical film. It is one of those few films that nails jokes throughout with no sign of letting up. Often times, these joke-a-minute films start to lose steam at a certain point, but this never does by retaining the same wit throughout, as well as the correct running gags (Windex). As a romance film, the "meet cute" moments are cliche to be sure, but still effective in putting a big, goofy smile on your face. It is a cheesy and sugary romance, but rings with authenticity and realism due to the problems faced by this cute couple in advancing their relationship to marriage. Never overstaying its welcome with the comedy or the romance, the short runtime allows the best moments of both to stay in with the film feeling rather stream-lined and focused, never straying into subplots or bloat that could have rendered it a far worse film.

My Big Fat Greek Wedding is a quintessential example of using the romantic comedy formula to your advantage with a funny, smart, and cheesily romantic work. It may be predictable and cliche, but it shows why those cliches became cliches in the first place. A charmer from beginning to end, the film is a guiltless pleasure.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

esmeh99

Apr 22, 2023

great film, very much enjoyed and is a light watch that the whole family can enjoy

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

alejandro970

May 14, 2022

What's wrong with an intercultural marriage? What makes this romantic comedy attractive is how it solves that question and with a lot of style, without clichés that smell of corny. To see with no more pretense than to have fun and learn what other practical uses the window cleaning liquid has.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

ElVulturo

Jan 25, 2006

Perhaps the worst movie of all time. Awful, awful, awful. I feel like I've been stabbed after watching it. You could write a rather large book about just how terrible this movie is, but for now I'll stick with the 'highlights'. 1. The character of Ian. He's barely Perhaps the worst movie of all time. Awful, awful, awful. I feel like I've been stabbed after watching it. You could write a rather large book about just how terrible this movie is, but for now I'll stick with the 'highlights'. 1. The character of Ian. He's barely human. A walking doormat, bereft of an identity, emotions, or a spine. It's a wonder how he gets out of bed. So your bride to be has a pushy but loving family that won't give her any space. Do you react angrily to their constant demands? Try to instigate a little give and take in the relationship? Gently steer her towars some form of independence? Hell no. You bend over and take it as deep as humanly possible. Baptism? Church Wedding? Completely ignore his own parents? Ditch his best man because he's not Greek? Generally act like a human doormat? No problem! Not once does he get angry, or even question the motives of his new inlaws. So her parents don't want her to marry a non-Greek? His solution, to give up his identity and try to act as Greek as humanly possible. Which brings us to... 2. Stereotypes. Those crazy Greeks! Always with the wackiness! And look at the "ingenious" contrast between their over the top ways and those stiff, uptight Wasps. No doubt hilarity will ensue. One wonders how the write restrained from having Ian have a 'funky' black sidekick who can't help but say "awww helll no" when offered some Ouzo and the one millionth rendition of the Zorba dance. 3. Anti-feminist. The message the family sends to their daughter? You can marry anyone you want (and even then, not really, only if he tries really really really really hard to be as Greek as humanly possible). Not that you can be whatever you want. Or aspire or achieve anything you set your mind to. No. You can marry anyone you want, provided that we still control your life and steamroll your values whenever we choose. At the end of the movie, the father, in a great emotional display, traps his daughter by buying her a house NEXT DOOR. Wow, thanks dad. How unbelievably "out there". 4. It's not funny. If you love "everyone loves Raymond" or "Yes Dear" then you'll love this steaming turd. Witness punchlines you'll see coming a mile off! Enjoy the most tired movie cliches of all time! 5. One dimensional characters. Apart from the female lead, not a single character in this movie felt like a real person. And even then she was only one step above being a spineless automaton. We've got the senile grandma, the prankster brother, the wacky aunt, the overprotective father, the uptight Wasps. I must have missed the scene with the Rabbi, the Irishman, and the thrifty Scot. Conclusion: It's not that you can't have a good comedy based on ethnic and cultural clashes; it's been done a million times before. What's missing here is the clash, any semblance of conflict, or heart, for that matter. You don't have to be making highbrow arthouse cinema to do this well. For example, "Bend It Like Beckham" does much the same thing, only it has the advantage of a good plot, interesting characters and jokes that are actually funny. If I sound bitter, well, guilty as charged. I sat through a nine hour bus ride with this abomination blaring from multiple screens. After the huge box office and all the hype, I was ready to like this film. But it sucks. Terribly, horribly, utterly, completely.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful

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82	#82 Most Discussed Movie of 2002
28	#28 Most Shared Movie of 2002