A strong and fun script that fails due to poor direction
7 years after the surprising but welcome sequel to My Big Fat Greek Wedding, the rom-com series has now turned into a trilogy with My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 which was released in September 2023. With the same loveable cast, the Portokalos head to Greece for a reunion in their father’s village. Nia Vardalos returns as Toula who agrees to the plan after making a promise to her late father, Constantine to meet his best friends and give them his journal.
Joining her is her husband Ian, daughter Paris, her brother Niko, Aunt Frieda, Voula and her assistant, Aristotle. They arrive at the quaint little village of Vrisi with a population of 6. Except that the reunion is being organised by the mayor, Victory and the Portokalos are the only ones who have accepted. With Victory being optimistic that more people will show, Toula sets out on a hunt to find her father’s friends.
My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 starts off with cheery folk music, fun and head-bopping, setting the mood for the rest of the movie. It keeps the story going and enhances the quirkiness of our goofy and loveable main characters. Tons of inside Greek jokes are made with the film letting the viewers in on the joke, making us feel part of the big and happy family.
Everything we love about My Big Fat Greek Wedding is back but this time right in Greece, so get ready for double the dose. The scenic location makes it that much more exciting as the city folks try to make themselves at home in the small village, leading to chaos and hijinks.
Sometimes it does feel like we are on a Greek tour, but the funny keeps you entertained such as Ian saying that they have gone back in time only for a shepherd to use an iPad. My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 also breaks the usual Greek stereotypes without being too didactic. It stays light-hearted throughout and enjoyable, the most important element of any family comedy.
There is some dark humour too that keeps the plot from getting heavy. But sometimes it doesn’t work, along with bits of slapstick and crude humour that don’t go with the tone of the film. The acting feels a little off as well for some of the minor characters, such as Victory and Nikos.
As for Paris, all of her original character development in My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 is thrown out of the window for your typical emo teenager as she feels like a mesh of every angsty teen trope.
The pacing is inconsistent at times with the camera looming on some supposedly important shots only for it to never be referenced again. The amateurish direction seems obvious as director Nia Vardalos is unsure of how she wants the story to unfold. Some scenes are played out as if the actors are in slow motion while other times the ambience feels incomplete with no sound.
Some of the jokes rely on deadpan humour and 0 reactions but don’t land which just leads to the characters and the viewer blinking at each other in awkward silence. My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 definitely has a strong story but fails due to misguided direction, once again solidifying the importance of having a director who knows how to bring a story to life.
To summarise, My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 has a strong and fun script that fails due to poor direction, guess Nia should stick to acting. Sure, the movie has its moments with breathtaking visuals that make you want to visit Greece ASAP. But unfortunately, it is not enough to save the film. Stick to the first two instalments if you are nostalgic for millennial rom-coms.
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Verdict - 4/10
4/10