The loud yet loving Portokalos clan heads to Greece for a family reunion in writer/director Nia Vardalos’s “My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3.”
By Dana Barbuto/Boston Movie News
Nia Vardalos returns as the star, writer, and now director of “My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3,” the second sequel to her 2002 unexpected hit. This time, the script sends the loud yet loving Portokalos clan to Greece for a reunion. While there, Vardalos’s Toula is on a quest to fulfill her father’s (Michael Constantine) dying wish of finding his three best friends and gifting them his journal.
AARP Massachusetts is holding a free screening at 7 p.m. on Sept. 13.
Constantine died in 2021 after playing the Windex-loving family patriarch Gus in the two previous films. The character famously showed how the root of any word is Greek, a joke that is a running gag throughout the trilogy. And there’s nothing more Greek than a good trilogy. After all, the word “trilogy” comes from the Greek “trilogia” and dates to the Dionysian festivals of ancient Greece. Befitting an actor as dependably good as Constantine, Vardalos, and crew (producers Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson, one of Hollywood’s famous Greeks) dedicate this movie to Constantine.
As always, “My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3” is a sitcom stretched to feature-film length. Vardalos directs from the thin-as-Phyllo-dough script she wrote, striving for the same affectionately teasing cultural humor that made the first movie one of the biggest indie hits ever. The story continues a few years after the second film, which culminated in the nuptials of Toula’s parents, Gus and Marie (Lainie Kazan), after realizing they were never officially married their first time down the aisle.
In the wake of Gus’s death and Marie’s current medical challenges, the family is untethered, and detachment is a strange feeling. Toula, the family’s “fixer,” and Ian (John Corbett)—still happily in love—organize the getaway to Greece “to bring us all together.” Smartly, Vardalos shot this final installment on location in Athens and Corfu, adding authenticity to the family’s desire to build links to their past.
During the trek, there’s much ado about a (lame) secret daughter, Paris (Elena Kampouris) is hiding, and a lurking stranger (Alexis Georgoulis) appears with another big reveal. Louis Mandylor, as Toula’s always-primping brother Nick, faces his grief, and crazy cousins Nikki (Gia Carides) and Angelo (Joe Fatone) execute their one crucial job.
As in the previous two movies, Andrea Martin’s spunky Aunt Voula steals every scene she’s in with sass and lots of unwanted relationship advice. “Greek aunties are better than dating apps,” she tells Paris, who is also fighting feelings for the handsome Aristotle (Elias Kacavas), the love interest she once ghosted. Melina Kotselou, as Victory, the Greek village’s mayor, is new to the party, earning some laughs. The engaging cast and idyllic scenery prop up the story.
For better or worse, “My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3” endearingly tries to marry heart, humor, and some hot-button topicality, such as gender fluidity and the Syrian migrant crisis. Vardalos takes a feather-light touch with these heavy issues, and as you might imagine, both subjects throw off the movie’s sweet but predictable vibe. The tonal shifts are jarring when the narrative returns to its primary focus: the kooky Portokalos. The tight-knight family might sometimes be pushy and prodding, but they represent a comforting closeness. They are relatable to everyone, no matter the heritage, and if they can work through their issues, so can you. Spend 90 minutes in their company, and you feel right at home.
With the “Wedding” films, a short-lived TV sitcom spinoff (“My Big Fat Greek Life”) and a side trip to the homeland for “My Life in Ruins,” Vardalos has made a career mining her Greek culture. Each film sticks to the same formula: setup, romance, crisis, and resolution. Toss in some festivities, meddling aunties, wacky cousins, lots of food, shots of Ouzo—and Opa!— it’s a Dionysian celebration. Don’t forget your “eating pants” and dancing shoes.
How to watch the first two ‘My Big Fat Greek Wedding’ movies
- “My Big Fat Greek Wedding 1” is available to stream on Max. A surprise box-office success when it was released in 2002, the movie is a charming culture-clash romantic comedy.
- “My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2” can be watched on Peacock. In reuniting the main cast for another trip down the aisle, the movie fails to capture the original’s magic.
‘My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3’
Cast: Nia Vardalos, John Corbett, Lainie Kazan, Andrea Martin, Joey Fatone, Elena Kampouris, Louis Mandylor, Gia Carides
Rating: PG-13 for suggestive material and some nudity
Director/Writer: Nia Vardalos
Running time: 91 minutes
Where to watch: In theaters Friday
Grade: B-
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