My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3: Woke, Wonderful, And Worth The Wait

My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 has been criticised for its awkward and bizarre nature, with some viewers even walking out of the film. The plot has been described as thin and disjointed, with random and unfunny jokes. However, some viewers enjoyed the film, calling it heartwarming and hilarious and praising the beautiful scenery. The film has been labelled as woke by some viewers due to its inclusion of an NB character, Victory, who has been described as a Greek, NB mascot.

The film's poor reception

My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 received generally negative reviews from critics, with a poor Rotten Tomatoes score of 29%. The film has been described as "atrocious", "cringe-worthy", and "terrible", with criticism levelled at the script, editing, and acting.

The film has been criticised for its lack of heart, with viewers feeling no connection to the characters. The music and comedic timing have also been called out as poorly executed. The plot has been described as "thin", "lazy", and "unnecessary", with some viewers questioning whether a third instalment of the franchise was needed.

The film's director and writer, Nia Vardalos, has been criticised for her lack of talent and vision. One viewer commented that the film "should have been taught in film schools as an example of how, with everything at your disposal, you can still create a terrible film if you lack talent and vision as a director."

The poor reception of My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 is evident in its box office performance, with the film grossing $39 million worldwide, significantly less than its predecessor, which made almost $60 million.

The impact of the absence of Michael Constantine

The third instalment of the My Big Fat Greek Wedding franchise was released in 2023, two years after the death of Michael Constantine, who played patriarch Gus Portokalos in the first two films.

The film acknowledges Constantine's absence by killing off his character before the events of the movie, with the plot centring on the Portokalos family's trip to Greece to fulfil Gus's last wishes. The family is shown grappling with their grief, with Toula, played by Nia Vardalos, leading her family to Gus's ancestral village, where he was never able to return.

Vardalos, who wrote and directed the film, shared on Instagram that Constantine had given his blessing to the new sequel before his death. She wrote the screenplay to reflect his decision not to join the cast, stating that she "treasured his last messages" to her.

The film received generally negative reviews from critics, with some viewers commenting that the absence of Constantine and his character's tension with other family members negatively impacted the film. One review stated that "without the dad there is ZERO tension because everyone just gets along and agrees with each other".

The film's plot

The plot of My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 centres on the death of the family patriarch, Gus Portokalos, and the impact of his passing on the Portokalos family. The film begins with Nick, now separated, returning home and behaving immaturely, while Athena and Yiannis care for Maria, who is experiencing dementia. Toula and Ian, happily married, are facing the challenges of parenthood as their daughter Paris struggles with the responsibility of college.

The family is invited to Gus' Greek hometown of Vrisi by Victory, a distant relative and the town's mayor, for a supposed reunion. On the trip, Toula reveals she is bringing Gus' journal, which contains his life story, to give to his three childhood friends in Greece. They arrive in Athens, where Victory greets them, and go sightseeing. In the nearly abandoned Vrisi, they find Gus' childhood home and meet Alexandra, Gus's former flame. Victory then confesses that there is no reunion, and she had hoped the Portokaloses would help revive the village.

The family goes to a nearby town the following day, where Toula searches for Gus's friends without success and gets drunk on ouzo. Nick searches for the village's oldest tree, and Ian befriends a monk who has information about everyone's activities in the village. Meanwhile, Aristotle, a college friend of Paris, tries to communicate with her, but she rebuffs him. At dinner, Toula and Ian meet Peter, Alexandra's son by Gus, whom he never knew about, along with his son Christos, and Alexandra's assistant Qamar.

The next day, Toula informs her family about Peter but continues to struggle to locate Gus' friends. Fortunately, the monk gave Ian a list of those who had left the village, including one who moved to Syros. Toula shares this with Nikki and Angelo, who head to Syros and return with them. Meanwhile, Toula discovers that Nick brought Gus's ashes to Greece, intending to scatter them by the oldest tree in Vrisi, per his father's wishes.

That evening, the family learns about Christos and Qamar's engagement, along with the revelation that Paris is on academic probation. Peter and Alexandra disapprove, but Ian offers to intervene for Paris. However, the younger generation rejects external interference, choosing to address their issues independently. The next day, Peter and Alexandra come to terms with Christos and Qamar's relationship. Victory recognises the potential of a wedding to revitalise the village and initiates plans.

Toula and Ian are encouraged to relax and enjoy their vacation while the rest of the family collaborates on the wedding plans, with Toula and Ian's assistance in the final stages. The wedding of Qamar and Christos is a joyous celebration, with Qamar's family in attendance. Paris opens up about her split with Aristotle, citing struggles with independence, and they agree to take things slow. Nikki and Angelo arrive with Gus' friends, and Toula presents them with his journal.

Later, Toula, Nick, and Peter privately scatter Gus' ashes around the tree, and Victory's mayorship is praised. Toula and Nick decide to bring Peter back to America with them as part of the family. The film ends with the siblings playfully disputing over who should now lead the family, each citing their actions during the journey.

The film's editing

The editing of *My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3* has been criticised by viewers, with some calling it "bizarre", "atrocious", and "amateur". One viewer commented that the film "should have been taught in film schools" as an example of a movie with all the right elements that still ends up "amateur" due to a lack of talent and vision from the director.

Many viewers have complained about the choppy editing, with one person saying that they "genuinely thought that someone from the theater fucked up and clipped the scenes together in the wrong order". Another viewer said that the film felt like a "bunch of random scenes strung together".

The film's director, Nia Vardalos, has been criticised for her lack of experience and talent. One viewer commented that Vardalos is "clearly a bad director with a talented crew", while another said that the film was "not competently made at all".

In addition to the criticism, some viewers have commented that the film had some "fantastic scenery" and was a "worthy addition to the MBFGW franchise".

The film's representation of Greece

My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 was filmed in Greece, with principal photography taking place in Athens from June to August 2022. Large portions of the film were also shot on the island of Corfu in July and August 2022. The film showcases various locations in Greece, including the centre of Athens, a nearly abandoned village called Vrisi, and a nearby town where the characters consume ouzo.

The film has been praised for its beautiful scenery, with one Rotten Tomatoes review stating: "With beautiful scenery and a sweet story, My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 may not be as great as the original, but it's still good, light-hearted fun." However, another review on the same platform criticises the film's representation of Greece, stating: "For being in the home country, there wasn't enough drama or loudness. And I think that was because there wasn't enough people. Having a dead town did not help."

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