My Big Fat Greek Wedding
(2002) dir. Joel Zwick
viewed: 03/02/03
The story of this film’s success is probably far more interesting than the film itself, which is largely a pretty bland and tepid comedy, sweet-natured, but pretty weak. My mother and many other family members of her generation all loved it and had seen it months ago, just as its hype was building up steam. Yet I had also heard from sources with whom my perspective may be more closely aligned that the film really wasn’t anything special. Some have noted its essentially “sit-com” quality and so its re-birth as just that seems utterly appropriate.
Somewhere along the development of the stereotypes that star/screenwriter Nia Vardalos cultivates about her family and Greco-American culture one might find some interesting areas of discourse. Not necessarily Vardalos’ intentional discourse, but the sense of creating an image of an immigrant subculture for popular culture to easily devour and regurgitate in typical means. The television show will probably carry this along to some end.
That said, I wouldn’t be surprised if Vardalos wins an Oscar for her script, even though it’s pretty weak stuff in my opinion. That is just how those things go.
