A Miss Lonelyhearts gets her fantasy fulfilled, delivers an appealing ethnic story and is genuinely funny. That winning combo makes Nia Vardalos’ Big Fat Greek Wedding a smart, family-friendly comedy.
Greek-American, Italian-American, Jewish-American, Albanian-American, we all bob around in the great American melting pot. So we understand the temptations and perils of assimilation that MBFGW spoofs.
Thus it’s not Greek to us. It’s American.
Nia Vardalos peaked playing a semi-autobiographical version of herself. Gotta hand it to the gal, she did it her way. Conceived it, wrote it, starred in it.
John Corbett is quietly appealing as her whitebread fantasy. From Northern Exposure onwards, he’s always been the epitome of easy-going presence.
Michael Constantine & Lainie Kazan are fine as old-school Greek parents. Grown kids of a certain age will recognize Constantine from Room 222.
Other notables:
Think of it as movie comfort food – big fat movie comfort food.