A Sequel 14 Years in the Makiing
By Skip Sheffield
Fourteen years ago I saw an advance screening of “My Big Fat
Greek Wedding.” I thought at the time this charming, offbeat comedy is going to
be a hit. I repeated that same thought when I had the good fortune to meet the
stars; Nia Vardalos, who also wrote the script, and John Corbett, who played
her non-Greek boyfriend who became her husband.
Both stars are back for “My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2,” and
they look remarkably the same as they did 14 years ago. Does lightning strike
twice? Maybe, but in this case it is hard to top the novelty of the original.
Toula (Nia Vardalos) and Ian Miller (John Corbett) are now a
settled married couple with a 17-year-old daughter, Paris (Elena Kampouris).
Paris has applied to several colleges for admission. Her parents want her to go
to Northwestern, in her home town of Chicago. Paris would rather go to New York
University, in the big, bad Big Apple.
The wedding of the title refers to a ceremony with Toula’s
parents Maria (Lainie Kazan) and Gus Portokalos (Michael Constantine), who run
Zorba’s, the family Greek restaurant. Through some clerical error they are not
legally married.
Ian Miller is now a school principal. Toula still works at
her family restaurant. There is a little side business with Paris being matched
with a suitable Greek boy and the older men getting inappropriately sloshed.
There are no alerts to be spoiled. That’s pretty much it. There are a few
pleasant laughs along the way, thanks in part to always-reliable Andrea Martin
as kooky Aunt Voula, but “Greek Wedding 2” breaks no new ground. Nia Vardalos
has not been as successful in her endeavors as she was with the huge sleeper 2002
hit of the first “Greek Wedding.” Nia Vardalos is a nice lady and I wish her
the best, but I think this gold mine is pretty much played out.
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