‘My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3’ Review: Nia Vardalos and John Corbett Head Home for a (Mostly) Painless Third Episode

Have you ever been invited to a family reunion that you didn’t want to attend? You may be tired of seeing your relatives and listening to their familiar routines, which can be downright annoying at times. But then you force yourself to go and find yourself having a good time after all, at least for a while.

That’s about the experience of seeing My Fat Greek Wedding 3the latest chapter in the saga of the eccentric Portokalas family, previously seen in the wildly popular 2002 original and much less successful 2016 sequel (the less said about the short-lived 2003 sitcom spin-off My Fat Greek Life, all the better). If you enjoyed spending time with Nia Vardalos’ Toula and the rest of her extended clan, you’ll probably have a good time again, even if the characters and gags are sparse due to repetition.

And as a special treat, you get to hang out with them in Greece, which will only leave you wondering why they didn’t get there sooner. After Denzel Washington’s Robert McCall went to Italy The equalizer 3, this is the second time in as many weeks that a third installment in a popular franchise is set in a beautiful foreign setting. Forget “revenge journeys”; the new popular trend is ‘filming on revenge locations’.

This episode is a loving tribute to the patriarch Gus of the Portokalos family, played by the late Michael Constantine, whose character plays a prominent role in the storyline anyway. His relatives go to Greece not only for a family vacation, but also to fulfill one of his last wishes: his handwritten diary documenting his life, to his friends who he grew up with. Of course they could have sent it via Fed Ex, but then you wouldn’t have a follow-up.

The mission proves not easy, as the village Gus comes from is now almost devoid of inhabitants, although it does have a very enthusiastic young mayor, Victory (Melina Kotselou), who warmly greets Toula and her clan. Shortly after arriving, they jump into the sea fully clothed, because apparently when you go to Greece, you immediately lose control of your abilities.

The holidaymakers include Toula and her famous non-Greek husband Ian (John Corbett, starring as a middle-aged hunk in this and And just like that), their college daughter Paris (Elena Kampouris), Toula’s brother Nick (Louis Mandylor), Aunt Voula (Andrea Martin, the MVP of the series, is effortlessly laughed at), Aunt Frieda (Maria Vacratsis) and Paris’ ex-boyfriend Aristotle (Elias Kacavas), who has invited the mischievous Voula to try and get the young couple back together. Staying at home are matriarch Maria (Lainie Kazan), who now suffers – but not too badly – ​​from dementia, and cousins ​​Nikki (Gia Carides) and Angelo (Joey Fatone), although the latter eventually find their way to the island as well.

The film serves as a virtual travelogue of the country, from bustling Athens and remote mountain villages to the beautiful islands and bustling dance clubs. Vardalos, who is scripting and directing for the first time in the series, has come up with some minor plot elements to accompany the beautiful landscapes, including the reveal of a hitherto unknown family member and a romance between a Syrian refugee (Stephanie Nur) and a young Greek man whose father strongly disapproves. But since this is a comedy and not a hard-hitting drama about the Greek immigration crisis, the conflict is quickly resolved and everyone gets along well. And spoiler alert: there’s another wedding, although it’s not just Greek, but also Greek/Syrian.

Most of the time, the movie delivers a series of throwaway gags that wear out quickly, such as Nick’s constant habit of grooming himself in a disgusting manner in front of the others (Mandylor earns points for lack of vanity). Other supposed comedic highlights include the visitors being repeatedly offered alcohol, with Toula overdoing it and giggling uncontrollably, and Nikki and Angelo scouring the islands for Gus’ old friends. Let’s just say the old jokes come across much better when you’ve prepared yourself with Ouzo.

Still, it’s hard to be too grumpy about the movie and these lovable characters, who all mean well and have their endearing qualities. There’s a genuine sweetness to the core of the series that more than makes up for the lack of comedic sophistication, and Vardalos is such a warm on-screen presence that it’s a joy to spend time with her. Although next time she might leave some of the family at home.