My Big Fat Greek Wedding

Nia Vardalas stars as Toula, the plain unadorned 30 year old single, "unmarried" daughter of a Greek family who have successfully assimilated into American life. They are the owners of "Dancing Zorba's" a popular neighborhood Greek Restaurant in Chicago. Like Greeks everywhere, the cultural values are instilled into the offspring early in life and the extended family is *most* important ... it is central to their lives. This film is a light-hearted comedy which exaggerates some of the amusing moments about a good obedient daughter who is trying to meet the expectations of her Greek immigrant parents and who is also trying to be independent and make a life for herself.While fulfilling her parents wishes and living within the cultural milieu of the family, Toula dreams of some independence ... she realizes she can contribute something more than being a seating hostess and cashier at the family restaurant. She recalls being in grammar school when she was the only dark brown haired girl, sitting alone eating her packed lunch, home-made "moussaka". At the next table a group of blond haired girls were laughing and asked her what she was eating, Toula told them. Afterwards, one had mocked her food, calling it "moose kaka", making all the girls giggle. At that age Toula felt she was an outsider ... now as a young adult, she wants to spread her wings, take a course at the local university, prove her self-worth and that she is intelligent, not so different from everyone else. She receives the support of her mother and Aunt who convince her dad that she would be a valuable asset at her Aunt's travel agency ... he agrees and they exchange family employees, her male cousin will work at Dancing Zorbas, while Toula will work at the travel agency. After this point in the film, Toula blossoms from a "plain Jane" into an attractive young lady who begins expressing her own interests apart from the family circle. While working at the agency ... a young man walks past the window and waves to her. She recalls he was a customer at Dancing Zorba's, when she was plainly dressed, awkward and shy, while serving him coffee. Now, she is both embarrassed and flatterred by his amusing antics as he tries to capture her attention when working. His ploy works ... they meet and date. Toula makes excuses to the family that she is taking a pottery class in the evening so that she can see Ian Miller, who is a grammar school teacher and vegetarian. He comes from a family that is best described as W.A.S.P.The film has a superb build up of comedy and suspense as Toula and Ian become more serious. They learn about their unique differences but appreciate each other even more and consider them assets. One of the climaxes in the film is when Toula's female cousin catches her kissing Ian at the travel agency ... The cousin mentions the family knows Toula is dating a non-Greek because an Aunt saw them together and spread the news like wild fire. Ian learns protocol and asks Gus Portokalas, Toula's dad, for permission to date his daughter. Gus refuses because Ian is not Greek. Eventually, the families meet and iron out their differences as both Toula and Ian fall further in love ... The manner in which the couple win over Toula's dad and family is the stuff of great comedy. Both families gradually accept that Toula and Ian are meant for each other and will get married ... but only *after* Ian agrees to convert to the Greek Orthodox so he can marry within her church. Anyone familiar with Greeks who live in the USA will recognize the amusing characters, typical behavior and values that are so realisticlly portrayed in this film. The cast of characters is perfect. This film will appeal to a large audience of different age groups who enjoy comedy and romance.Erika Borsos (erikab93)

You have two people from totally different backgrounds and cultures. She comes from a huge Greek family with numerous aunts and uncles with many cousins who are loud and intrusive. His parents are both only children so it is just the 3 of them and they are on the quiet side . This is a very enjoyable heartwarming movie .

It’s a very down to earth love story….. I had to buy it!!

It's all the insanity, mayhem, and craziness of wedding planning that a comedy could ask for. Plus, let's throw in the Greek culture to shake things up a bit. Well, things were certainly shaken up a lot and we appreciate that. Fotoula "Toula" Portokalos, played by Nia Vardalos, becomes the first in her Greek (very Greek) family intending to marry a non-Greek, specifically Ian Miller, played by John Corbett. Hijinks ensue as her family first does not approve of the relationship, particularly her father, and subsequently try everything in their power to make the wedding go off without a hitch, complete with inviting the entire Portokalos clan, including all 20+ first cousins and beyond, to meet their soon-to-be in-laws. By the way, is one of the cousins played by a guy from N*SYNC or the Backstreet Boys? I can't remember which group I'm thinking of. Anyway, Michael Constantine is easily my favorite in the movie, playing family patriarch Kostas "Gus" Portokalos, a man intent on continuing every Greek tradition until the end of time and curing every ailment with Windex. The family's neighbor, played by Jayne Eastwood, who is only seen "returning" the crazy Greek grandmother, is a close second...everyone should use that performance as an example on how to play the straight-man among the craziness and the hilarious. This is a great comedy about weddings and the insanity surrounding the preparations for these festive events that will appeal to just about any culture...I mean, what culture hasn't experienced this kind of craziness in one way or another? Enjoy.

Liked the item. It was for home viewing.

Nia Vardalos's script bit into the stereotypes but it managed to not be stereotypical at the same time.The movie is about culture and ethnic identity, something that Americans were taught since Day One to reject because we're all supposed to be part of the big "melting pot." It's the main reason why the majority of the folks who put this movie down here just don't get it.Too bad people couldn't pay attention to the beautiful and timeless Greek traditions that Toula explained in the movie and the fact that even though she was marrying outside of her ethnic group, her family supported her decision (begrudgingly) and not only gave her a beautiful wedding (in a Greek Orthodox church) but her father managed to put his feelings aside and buy his daughter and her new husband a house (even if it happened to be right next door).I guess, in the end, you have to be Greek (which I'm part, through my Italian side) or be a Greek-lover to understand and truly appreciate this movie.Thumbs up to Nia for an original script and a beautiful movie (and for casting extra cute John Corbett as the non-Greek husband).

I enjoyed it. It was upbeat and human at the same time.

Un film davvero esilarante da rivedere con piacere ogni volta.Una giovane ragazza greca si innamora di un ragazzo americano. Subito i genitori di lei non prendono bene la notizia, sperando che la figlia sposasse un greco.Proibiscono alla figlia di frequentare ancora il ragazzo, ma con scarsi risultati.Poco tempo dopo, arriva la notizia delle imminenenti nozze della figlia e i due genitori si arrendono all'idea di dover accettare il fidanzato della figlia, il quale ha deciso di convertirsi alla religione ortodossa in modo da poterla sposare.Seguirà un lungo ed esilarante matrimonio greco.Non mancheranno le risate e alcune battute che resteranno per sempre impresse nei vostri cuori

This dvd didnt play its for American market !

Nia Vardalos hat die Story geschrieben, das Stück wurde danach in einem One-Woman-Play aufgeführt. Rita Wilson hat es per Zufall gesehen und ihrem Ehemann TOM HANKS empfohlen. Der war begeistert, damit entstand die Idee, aus dem Bühnenstück einen Film zu machen. Der Rest ist Geschichte!Aus dem Low-Budget-Film, der gerade mal an die 5 Mio $ gekostet hat, wurde der Filmhit von 2002, wie das weltweite Einspielergebnis von 368 Mio $ unschwer erkennen läßt!Die einzelnen Rollen wurden hervorragend besetzt, die griechischen Schauspieler bringen richtig Schwung in die Bude. Allen voran Michael Constantine, der den Gus Portokalos spielt der mit allen Mitteln versucht die Traditionen seines Heimatlandes aufrecht zu erhalten.So ist es nicht verwunderlich, dass es sein innigster Herzenswunsch ist, seine Tochter Toula unter eine griechische Haube zu bekommen. Aber er hat die Rechnung ohne sie gemacht, Toula verliert ihr Herz an den amerik. Lehrer Ian und bricht mit der Tradition "Griechin sucht Griechen".Der Erwählte erweist sich aber als Traum von einem Schwiegersohn, er ist über beide Ohren in Toula verliebt und ist sogar dazu bereit, seine Religion zu wechseln, damit die Trauungszeremonie nach griechisch-orthodoxem Regeln durchgeführt werden kann. Das macht es Gus leicht, den anfänglichen Widerstand aufzugeben.Schließlich wird das verliebte Paar mit Jubel und Trubel und lautstarker Begeisterung von der ganzen Familie aufgenommen.Die steifen wohlerzogenen Eltern von Ian sind überraschend aufgeschlossen und finden Ouzo trinkenk und Syrtaki tanzend schnell Platz im Herzen der griechischen Verwandschaft.Alles in allem eine herrlich erfrischende Komödie die aufzeigt, dass man sich die Wurzeln der eigenen Identität in der Fremde bewahren kann, aber immer für Neues aufgeschlossen sein sollte... ;)

Captivating in so many ways. It is still one of my favorites. I purchased it because I always referred to my wife as my family being like the Greek family. It is exactly as I remembered it and we both loved the movie together.