Plot: What’s it about?
If you’d indulge me, let’s take a trip back to 2002 (not literally, of course). Actress Rita Wilson saw a play and remarked to her husband, Tom Hanks, that they should help produce it and get it made into a movie. As we all know, that happened. The result was a worldwide box office smash that ended up grossing over $350 million dollars. I’m sure Hanks and Wilson didn’t exactly need the money, but I doubt they were complaining either. So we had a movie called My Big Fat Greek Wedding that was the talk of the town. I’ve never seen it. I do remember getting the DVD for review and it’s one of those that slipped through the cracks (hence no review on the site as of yet). I loaned the disc to my then girlfriend who watched it. She then watched it again. I thought that was odd, but it wasn’t enough to make me sit down and give it a try. Flash forward a couple of decades and that’s not changed. What has is that we now have a “part 2” and a “part 3” in an attempt to cash in on this once hot franchise. My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 didn’t hit the mark – is the third time the charm (again)?
After the death of her father, Toula (Nia Vardalos) and husband Ian (John Corbett) return to Greece for a family reunion. Toula and company head back to the village where her father grew up and plans to find childhood friends. Why? To give them a journal her father kept over the years. Toula continues her search while other side plots develop. They feel contrived and forced and the somewhat lackadasical plot seems to have the opposite effect on the viewer, leaving them confused (and frustrated). To be fair, the movie is a means to an end and with it being the only one of the three films that actually takes place in Greece. What a concept.
Video: How’s it look?
Having been to Greece, I can say it’s one of the most drop dead gorgeous places on the planet. And the local is sully showcased with this 2.39:1 AVC HD image. We get a good, if unspectacular transfer here. Still, it gets the job done, I suppose. Everything seems as it should be, but nothing really pops, so to speak. Colors and all seem fine, but again, there’s nothing outstanding about it either. I suppose fans won’t complain too much, however.
Audio: How’s it sound?
The DTS HD track isn’t one to write home about, but it certainly gets the job done. One shouldn’t expect too much from a track to a film of this sort, and that’s about what you’ll get. Vocals and all are fine, but there’s nothing overly engaging here. Fans will likely take to it, but don’t expect to be blown away.
Supplements: What are the extras?
- Audio Commentary – Writer/Director Nia Vardalos has had this as a part of her life the past two decades and it shows. She’s clearly passionate about this film and gives us some insight into the plot, the general ambiance as well as the location and more. It’s a decent track if this movie is you your alley.
- Gag Reel – As we all know by now…shenanigans on the set.
- Deleted and Extended Scenes – With just a shade over two minutes of deleted/extended scenes, you won’t learn a whole lot. And with no chapter markings, it’s rather confusing to see where these might have occurred in the film.
- On the Set with Mia Vardalos – The franchise comes full circle as writer and star Nia Vardalos adds a new role, and takes Toula’s ongoing adventure to another level, by taking a seat in the director’s chair.
- Opa! The Making of My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 – Enjoy even more fabulous fun with the Portokalos family as the cast and crew takes you to Greece for revealing behind-the-scenes interviews, sneak peeks of beautiful locations and inside stories on the film’s creation.
- Wedding Drum Song – Extended Take– Admittedly, this delivers. Running all of one minute, we get the extended version of what appeared theatrically.
The Bottom Line
While it’s true that I’ve now seen at least one of the films in the My Big Fat Greek Wedding universe, it’s probably wise of me to start with the first (and best) of the trio. These latest two sequels missed their window and weren’t able to re-create the magic of the original. Still, it’s not a total lost cause as this does have some genuinely funny moments. Universal’s disc looks and sounds great and has a nice sampling of extras to boot.
