In a cinematic minefield full of nostalgic reboots and sequels, it’s interesting that My Big Fat Greek Wedding was one of the picks of the litter when it’s most recent third film was announced over 20 years since it’s breakout-hit first film, and over a decade since it’s quite forgettable sequel. However, the proof was in the financial pudding as both films had made reasonable waves in the box office during their theatrical runs, especially 2002s My Big Fat Greek Wedding which made upwards of $368 million worldwide on a $5 million budget, setting it as one of the most successful independent movies of all time.
Returning franchise star and writer, who is also now sitting in the director’s chair for her second feature film, Nia Vardalos has revived her beloved series by taking Toula (Vardalos), her non-Greek husband Lan (John Corbett, And Just Like That), and the rest of the eccentric extended Portokalos family to Greece for a family reunion after the passing of her father. As each family member, both young and old, begin to reconnect with their homeland, secrets are revealed about the Portokalos’ past leading Toula on a journey to discover more about her roots and her father.
Putting more emphasis on the ‘comedy’ aspect of ‘rom-com’, My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 is a barrage of hit or miss jokes that do feel like rehashes of the same jokes from the previous two films. A throwaway gag involving Windex and the “we’re just old and Greek” style punchline set the tone early on that should lead fans of the franchise down a safe and secure path of film familiarity, but for most moviegoers it will probably become tiresome and repetitive. When the jokes do hit, there is a solid amount of chuckling fun to be had, alongside a proper laugh-out-loud moment to be had here and there.
It’s quite obvious that Vardalos cares about this story and these characters with a somewhat infectious charm that can be felt on screen. That sense of familiarity through the recycled humour also extends to how Vardalos treats the Portokalos family, giving each family member a decent amount of screen time, whether it be capping off a bit with a cheeky one-liner or having a character like brother Nick go though his own journey of grief and acceptance. That passion and charm that Vardalos brings to My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 is more noticeable in the script, rather than the choppy and occasionally bland direction, but it is undoubtedly a notable aspect of the film.
However, the liberal spread of screen time for an abundance of characters in this film is also one of its major flaws. Simply put, there are far too many characters, doing far too much stuff for this story to have any real emotional direction. While Toula is off discovering more about her father, a rekindled romance dawns for her daughter, while her brother struggles with accepting that he is the man of the family now, while a stranger to the family brings groundbreaking news, while the town Mayor attempts to throw the forthcoming family reunion, and so on and on it goes. None of that even mentions that Toula’s husband Lan (Corbett), an integral part to the first film, literally just mossies around the farmland town with nothing to do aside from occasionally be distraught when family secrets are revealed (and Corbett’s acting unfortunately is as stale as his character).
It’s chaotically directionless, and the pacing of the film, along with its incredibly choppy editing, suffer because of it. Not enough time is spent, even on the central character of the film herself, exploring the myriad of stories playing out to truly latch on emotionally. As the film slowly reaches it’s ending, all of the undercooked and underwhelming plot points conveniently wrap themselves up in lines of throwaway dialogue, leaving a sense of confusion rather than closure.
Corbett’s bland performance isn’t the only guilty party in this movie either, with quite noticeable lacklustre performances often coming through the moments where the jokes well and truly miss, often due to poor comedic presence and timing. Even by standards of the cinematic equivalent of a day-time soap opera, My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 leaves a fair bit to be desired on an acting front.
A completely directionless narrative, choppy pacing, messy editing, and misfiring performances unfortunately standout in a film that does have a charm at its core, and a lot of heart from its creator. My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 is a good excuse for an easy-watching comedy, but not a good enough excuse to seek it out in the cinemas.
My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 is in cinemas now, courtesy of Universal Pictures.
