My Big Fat Greek Wedding": A Family-Friendly Film For All Age

The 2002 romantic comedy My Big Fat Greek Wedding is rated PG and has a rating of 6.6 on IMDb. The film was a surprise success, earning over $360 million worldwide on a $5 million production budget. It has since spawned two sequels, My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 and My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3, and a short-lived spin-off TV series, My Big Fat Greek Life.

Plot summary

My Big Fat Greek Wedding is a romantic comedy about a young Greek woman, Toula, who falls in love with a non-Greek man, Ian Miller. Toula works at her family's Greek restaurant, Dancing Zorba's, and still lives at home with her parents, Gus and Maria, at the age of 30. With the help of her mother and aunt, she persuades her father to let her go back to school and get a job at her aunt's travel agency. It is there that she meets Ian, a tall, handsome teacher. However, Toula is unsure how her father will react to Ian, who is not only a foreigner but also a vegetarian.

The film follows Toula's journey as she navigates her relationship with Ian while trying to get her family to accept him. It explores the challenges of intercultural relationships and the importance of family and cultural traditions. The plot focuses extensively on romance, with Toula and Ian kissing and making out in cars, and it is implied that they have sex. The film also includes social drinking at parties and dinners, with characters drinking ouzo at festive events.

The film uses Greek and immigrant stereotypes for humour, such as Toula's father wanting her to "get married and make babies". However, these stereotypes are based on the real experiences of the screenwriter and lead actress, Nia Vardalos, who created a one-woman show about her Greek family and their response to her marrying someone who wasn't Greek. The film also showcases loving relationships between multiple generations of mothers, daughters, aunts, and cousins, with diversity in body shapes and ages.

Overall, My Big Fat Greek Wedding is a crowd-pleasing, feel-good movie that combines cultural clashes with romantic comedy tropes. It received positive reviews for its eccentric script and lead performance by Nia Vardalos, who also wrote the film. It was also a financial success, earning over $360 million worldwide on a $5 million production budget.

Rating

The original My Big Fat Greek Wedding film from 2002 has received a range of ratings from various sources. On IMDb, the film has a rating of 6.6 out of 10. Rotten Tomatoes does not provide an overall rating for the film, but individual reviews on the site give it ratings ranging from 0.5 to 5 out of 5 stars. Common Sense Media, on the other hand, provides a rating of 4 out of 5 stars, based on 14 parent reviews. The site also suggests an age rating of 11+.

The film's two sequels, My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 and My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3, have received more mixed reviews. On IMDb, the second film has a rating of 6.0, while the third film is rated 4.7. Individual reviews on Rotten Tomatoes for the third film give ratings ranging from 1 to 5 stars, with an average rating of 2.8 stars.

In terms of box office success, the original My Big Fat Greek Wedding is considered one of the most financially successful films ever made in terms of cost-to-return. The film earned over $360 million worldwide on a production budget of just $5 million. The second and third films also appear to have been financially successful, with the second film returning nearly five times its production budget.

Themes

My Big Fat Greek Wedding is a romantic comedy that explores several themes related to family, culture, and personal growth.

One of the central themes is the importance of family and staying true to one's roots. The film depicts a close-knit Greek family with strong traditions and cultural values. Toula, the protagonist, initially struggles with her cultural identity as a Greek woman, but eventually embraces her heritage and gains a deeper understanding of her family's traditions. The film showcases the dynamics of a large family, highlighting both the blessings and challenges that come with having many relatives. It also emphasizes the value of family support and the role they can play in helping individuals achieve their goals.

Another theme is the clash of cultures and the challenges of interracial relationships. Toula falls in love with Ian, a teacher who is not Greek, and the film explores the difficulties they face in getting their families to accept their relationship. Ian embraces Toula's culture, showing curiosity and willingness to adapt to her traditions, which serves as a positive message about embracing cultural differences. The film also uses humor to portray Greek and immigrant stereotypes affectionately, drawing on the real-life experiences of screenwriter and lead actress Nia Vardalos.

Personal growth and taking control of one's life is another theme. Toula undergoes a transformation, starting as an "ugly duckling" and later gaining confidence and taking charge of her life. With the support of her mother and aunt, she pursues her goals of getting an education and finding a job, which ultimately leads her to finding love. The film also touches on the theme of body image, as Toula's makeover plays a role in her journey towards self-acceptance and happiness.

The film also emphasizes the role of women in Greek culture, showcasing the expectations placed on Greek women to marry and have children. It centers on the relationships between multiple generations of women, including mothers, daughters, aunts, and cousins, and highlights the strength and support these relationships can provide.

Overall, the film's themes revolve around family, culture, personal growth, and embracing one's heritage, with a focus on the dynamics of a large, close-knit Greek family.

Reception

The original "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" film received a positive reception from audiences and critics, with a rating of 6.6/10 on IMDb and 76% on Rotten Tomatoes. The movie was nominated for an Oscar and won 20 other awards, with a further 29 nominations. It was also a financial success, earning over $360 million worldwide on a $5 million production budget.

The movie has been described as a crowd-pleasing culture-clash romantic comedy and a funny, well-paced, and well-acted film. The light-hearted and eccentric nature of the film, combined with its sharp script and lead performance from Nia Vardalos, has been praised. The film's portrayal of the importance of family and cultural traditions, as well as its positive representation of women and diverse body shapes and ages, has also been well-received.

However, some critics have noted that the film relies on Greek and immigrant stereotypes for humour and that the romance between the lead characters lacks chemistry. Additionally, the ugly duckling makeover trope at the beginning of the film has been criticised for sending mixed messages about body image.

The second film in the series, "My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2", was released 14 years after the original and was also a financial success, returning nearly five times its production budget. While it has been described as "cute", it is considered unnecessary and not as good as the original.

The third instalment, "My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3", has received mixed reviews. Some critics have called it "light-hearted and sunny" and a "sweet story", while others have found it unfunny and poorly written. It has been described as "comfort food" and "feel-good", but not a work of dramatic art. The beautiful scenery and the work of cinematographer Barry Peterson have been praised, but the character development and narrative have been criticised.

Sequels

The original "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" was released in 2002 and was a huge success, earning over $360 million worldwide on a $5 million production budget. The film is a romantic comedy about a young Greek woman, Toula, who falls in love with a non-Greek man, Ian, and struggles to get her family to accept him. It received a PG rating due to mild sexual situations and some language.

Due to the success of the first film, two sequels were made: "My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2" and "My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3". The second film was released 14 years after the original and was also a hit, despite receiving mixed reviews. It followed a similar formula to the first film and featured the same cast, including Nia Vardalos as Toula, John Corbett as Ian, and Lainie Kazan as Maria, Toula's mother.

The third instalment in the series was released in 2023 and saw the return of the original cast, with the addition of new characters. In this film, Toula and her family travel to Greece for a family reunion and explore their father's ancestral home. While the film received some positive reviews for its beautiful scenery and sweet story, it was also criticised for its lazy writing and lack of character development. It was rated PG-13 for suggestive material and some nudity.

In addition to the three films, there was also a short-lived spin-off TV sitcom called "My Big Fat Greek Life".

Frequently asked questions