My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3
The more things change, the more they stay the same in this slight comedy.
Nia Vardalos and John Corbett drink in the sights in My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3.
After the loss of its patriarch (Michael Constantine, who passed away in real life in 2021), the Portokalos family is adrift. Matriarch Maria (Lainie Kazan) is losing her memory, family dinners are a thing of the past, and forever beleaguered daughter Toula (Nia Vardalos) is trying to put on a happy face so the rest of her family doesn’t worry.
As a distraction, Toula decides to fulfill her father’s dying wish: To take his journal back to his village in Greece and give it to his childhood friends. Of course, this means the family has to tag along. As Toula tries to wrangle her chaotic aunties, buffoonish brother, and pouting daughter, another problem arises. The village is basically abandoned.
Can the Portokalos clan help revitalize their patriarch’s beloved village and fulfill his last wishes?
It’s been 21 years since we first met the Portokalos family, and while the first film captured the magic of having an overbearing immigrant family each subsequent film seems to stray farther and farther from what made the original great. Vardalos, who wrote and directed this entry in the series, clearly has great affection for the characters, but her filmmaking choices often don’t serve the movie. One of the most significant emotional beats in the film is so poorly lit it almost renders the scene irrelevant. There are also some curious editing choices where shots are thrown in as almost an afterthought. The result is choppy and distracting, even when the movie is attempting a heartfelt message.
The other problem in the film is that Vardalos has way too many ideas for a 90-minute film. We touch on immigrant family dynamics, the Syrian refugee crisis in Greece, the pressures of college for sheltered kids, shocking family secrets, and dealing with elderly parents. It’s a lot, and none of it really gets developed into anything but a punchline or a throwaway resolution that doesn’t mean much.
The biggest problem, however, isn’t Vardalos’ fault: The older generation is just much more entertaining than the younger. With Kazan sidelined and Constantine gone, the quirk and charm of the movies is greatly diminished. Now, instead of fighting with well-meaning parents, we get Toula, who is neurotic but woefully normal, Ian (John Corbett), the world’s most understanding husband, and daughter Paris (Elena Kampouris) who barely has a personality aside from disgusted scoffing noises. None of them even use Windex!
Luckily for Vardalos and this movie, the aunties come to the rescue. The zany antics of Aunt Voula (Andrea Martin) are still great, mostly due to the natural pluck and charm of Martin. When she confidently tells someone “I’m Voula, I will be your favorite”, you can’t help but agree. She’s the brightest spot of the movie, with her hard-drinking, boisterous character snatching every scene she’s in. Honestly, a 90-minute movie of Voula raising hell around the world would have been an absolute delight.
If you’re new to the series, please don’t start here, you’ll never understand why the Portokalos family was so special. If you’re a fan of the series, My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 will likely be a pleasant, if slight, experience. Think of it like eating your favorite candy — no, it’s not particularly good for you, but it’s comforting and filling. This is the kind of film you catch on Max while folding laundry or take your mom to see after brunch.
Verdict: Those who love the exploits of the Portokalos family will have fun, but there’s nothing new or special here.
My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 is rated PG-13 and is available in theaters September 8.
