My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002)

76% of critics liked it
(129 reviews)
69% of users liked it
(700,474 ratings)

One woman's rocky road to the altar gets played for laughs in this comedy, adapted from the one-woman off-Broadway show written by and starring Nia Vardalos. Toula (Vardalos) is a Greek-American woman who is in her early thirties and single, with no immediate prospects of changing that status any… More One woman's rocky road to the altar gets played for laughs in this comedy, adapted from the one-woman off-Broadway show written by and starring Nia Vardalos. Toula (Vardalos) is a Greek-American woman who is in her early thirties and single, with no immediate prospects of changing that status any time soon. This bothers Toula a bit, but not half as much as it distresses her mother (Lainie Kazan) and father (Michael Constantine), who want to send her to Greece in hopes of finding a husband in the old country. Toula isn't interested in leaving the country to find a man, but since she works in the family business -- a Greek restaurant in Chicago called Dancing Zorba's -- she has to hear about it whether she likes it or not. One day, after seeing a handsome stranger in the restaurant and not having the courage to talk to him, Toula decides she needs a bit of self-improvement. Despite her dad's misgivings, Toula signs up for a night-school class studying computers, trades in her glasses for contact lenses, gets a different job at a travel agency, and spruces herself up with a new look and a new attitude. To her very pleasant surprise, she once again encounters the handsome stranger, who soon asks her out on a date. Schoolteacher Ian Miller (John Corbett) is seemingly perfect -- he's tall, handsome, smart, good-natured, and soon in love with Toula -- except for two little things: he's not Greek, and he's a vegetarian, both of which horrify Toula's family. When Ian pops the question (and Toula says yes), the bride-to-be has to negotiate a reasonably peaceful meeting between Ian's upper-class parents and her own working-class extended family. There's also the matter of the wedding, which Toula's mother is planning around the notion that quantity IS quality. My Big Fat Greek Wedding also features Ian Gomez (Vardalos' real-life husband), Louis Mandylor, Andrea Martin, and Joey Fatone (from the pop group *NSYNC). Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson helped produce the film through the auspices of their production company, Playtone. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: PG, 1 hr. 35 min.
Directed By: Joel Zwick
Written By: Nia Vardalos
Genres: Comedy, Romance

In Theaters: Apr 19, 2002 Wide
On DVD: Feb 11, 2003
Studio: IFC Films

Critic Reviews

Joshua Rothkopf, Chicago Reader
Second City alum Nia Vardalos stars in this ethnic comedy, which she also wrote -- an ambitious way to break into a leading role; too bad the results are insubstantial.
Peter Howell, Toronto Star
You don't have to be Greek to enjoy My Big Fat Greek Wedding, and that's precisely the point of it.
Rick Groen, Globe and Mail
My Big Fat Greek Wedding is a very slim movie that succeeds on its own modest terms without pretense or apology. No wonder it's easy to like.
James Berardinelli, ReelViews
The movie is consistently funny without ever going over the top -- a rarity in movies.
Loren King, Chicago Tribune
The reliability of the genre doesn't excuse predictable jokes, pat fiascoes and so many stereotypes that one is tempted to alert the Greek anti-defamation league.
Claudia Puig, USA Today
Wedding feels a bit anachronistic. Still, not every low-budget movie must be quirky or bleak, and a happy ending is no cinematic sin.
, Film4
A captivating comedy with a heart of gold, My Big Fat Greek Wedding is a must-see for its sheer unbridled delightfulness. An Amelie for 2002?
Nell Minow, Common Sense Media
Perfect sleepover movie for tweens (and moms!).
Rob Nelson, City Pages, Minneapolis/St. Paul
It's greek to me.
Felix Vasquez Jr., Cinema Crazed
What ultimately drags this movie down is the pacing of the story.
Joe Lozito, Big Picture Big Sound
Ms. Vardalos' has loaded her charmingly fluffy script with cute idiosyncrasies in place of actual characters.
, Time Out
The result feels a little over-egged at times and the love match lacks chemistry, but Ian's whistlestop induction into a different style of language, food, drink, dress and dancing allows a few good one-liners.
James Plath, Reel.com
tackles big fat cultural stereotypes with all the finesse of a sumo wrestler--but with genuine affection
Steven D. Greydanus, Decent Films Guide
Endearing eccentricities, such as Toula's father's improvisational Greek etymologies of words like "kimono" and his reliance on Windex for a range of external-use medicinal purposes, help humanize the characters.
Ryan Cracknell, Apollo Guide
It's funny, it's familiar and you can see a lot of the situations transferring over to your own life.
Andrea Chase, Killer Movie Reviews
It is a romantic comedy in the best classic Hollywood style, albeit one with some sharp writing and genuinely human as well as funny moments.
Brian Mckay, eFilmCritic.com
Vardalos is not a great actress, but she is a likeable one ... John Corbett will never steer you wrong ... a cute premise, but it has all been done before
Jeremy Conrad, IGN DVD
It was nice to watch a lighthearted comedy that has more heart behind it than most of the 'comedic' drivel that seems to always snag the #1 spot in the box office from week to week.
Enrique Buchichio, Uruguay Total
...los actores parecen estar divirtiéndose a lo grande.

Read all 19 critic reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

Alexander D

If you've seen a wedding movie, regardless of whether it is a comedy, a drama, or something else, you've seen MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING. I could give away the ending, to refresh the memories of those who saw it when it came out ten years ago, but it's so predictable;… More
If you've seen a wedding movie, regardless of whether it is a comedy, a drama, or something else, you've seen MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING. I could give away the ending, to refresh the memories of those who saw it when it came out ten years ago, but it's so predictable; take an honest guess and you'll probably be right on. The same goes with all the humor here: unoriginal and thoroughly predictable. I'll give credit to the Windex joke for its initial sense of originality, but it occurs in dialogue so pervasively that it seems to lose its spark almost instantly. Highly overappreciated; a true letdown.
Bethany M

Really funny!
Unknown H

As a Greek person this movie was only partially accurate and therefore irritates me.
Cassie H

An adorable romantic comedy starring Nia Vardalos & John Corbett about a 30 year old woman that helps her family run their family restaurant, Dancing Zorba's. Toula (Vardalos) is expected to get married to a greek man & run the restaurant until she dies. Then one day she… More
An adorable romantic comedy starring Nia Vardalos & John Corbett about a 30 year old woman that helps her family run their family restaurant, Dancing Zorba's. Toula (Vardalos) is expected to get married to a greek man & run the restaurant until she dies. Then one day she meets Ian Miller (Corbett) who she decides to change the way she looks for him. Then she meets him again when she works at a Travel Agency. They go on a couple dates & they fall in love :) Her family of course doesn't approve because Ian is not Greek. So she has to sneak around with him for a while until Toula's family decides to have Ian baptized. Even more hilarious antics ensue when Ian's family meets Toula's family. This is an heart warming tale of true love & the family who you love at the end of the day no matter how crazy they are :)
erika b

did not understand it
Candy R

Rom com about a geeky Greek girl who lives at home with her family. They are proud Greeks, big, loud and love food. Toula meets a non Greek guy and he tries to fit in. Funny and touching.
KJ P

It was funny at times, but gets dull after a while!
Conner R

A horribly corny and over the top sob story about a pathetic girl turning into a Cinderella type. The entire cast was annoying and almost intolerable, not funny by any means. The fact that this made as much money as it did is extremely alarming.
Anthony L

Wow, look how different our cultures are! Yawn.
Thomas B

meh
Jennifer D

Simply hysterical!! Very well done!
Ross C

Great fun, but only if you've had enough exposure to Greek culture to appreciate how good a satire it is, otherwise it's just another American romantic comedy. Filmed in Toronto's Danforth Greek community - it was good to see recognisable locations.
Mason W

My Big Fat Greek Wedding, is such a funny comedy starring Nia Vardalos, John Corbett, & Lainie Kazan. This movie shows the good and the bad when a family that is devout Greeks deal with the (Vardalos) getting married to someone that is not of the same heritage....it has many… More
My Big Fat Greek Wedding, is such a funny comedy starring Nia Vardalos, John Corbett, & Lainie Kazan. This movie shows the good and the bad when a family that is devout Greeks deal with the (Vardalos) getting married to someone that is not of the same heritage....it has many funny scenes worth watching.
Alice S

Lots of fun, but I was waiting for Toula and Ian to have some kind of fight about his early noncommittal assessment of her "weird" family. Toula seems to be generally okay talking smack about her own family, but I sensed that if someone else even corroborates the fact, she… More
Lots of fun, but I was waiting for Toula and Ian to have some kind of fight about his early noncommittal assessment of her "weird" family. Toula seems to be generally okay talking smack about her own family, but I sensed that if someone else even corroborates the fact, she would get defensive.
Taylor B

I didn't like it.
Jennifer X

totally NOT funny. as in, like, made me want to blow my brains out.
Red L

I've always meant to watch MBFGW. Nia Vardalos originated in Winnipeg which is my home town. The movie is pretty funny although I feel the Greekness feels exaggerated. Great writing Nia!
Rachel F

Pretty good
Dean M

Nia Vardolos is the most popular Greek-American comedienne in this fantastic and hilarious comedy film.
Megan S

Seen it, don't remember a thing.

Read all 20 featured audience ratings

Cast

            Nia Vardalos as Toula

            John Corbett as Ian Miller

            Michael Constantine as Gus

            Lainie Kazan as Maria

            Andrea Martin as Aunt Voula

            Joey Fatone as Angelo

            Gia Carides as Nikki

            Louis Mandylor as Nick

            Bess Meisler as Yia Yia

            Fiona  Reid as Harriet Miller

            Bruce Gray as Rodney Miller

            Ian Gomez as Mike

            Jayne Eastwood as Mrs. White

            Gale Garnett as Aunt Lexy

            Gerry Mendicino as Uncle Taki

            Marla Vacratsis as Aunt Frieda

            John Kalangis as Greek Teacher

            Christina Eleusiniotis as Toula at 6

            Kaylee Vieira as Schoolgirl

            Marita Zouravlioff as Toula at 12

            Sarah Osman as Athena at 15

            Petra Wildgoose as Car Pool Friend

            Melissa Todd as Car Pool Friend

            Stavroula Logothettis as Athena

            Constantine Tsapralis as Foti

            Frank Falcone as Suitor

            Eugene Martel as Suitor

            Joe Persechini as Suitor

            Peter Xynnis as Suitor

            Anthony Kandiotis as Priest

            Nick Kutsukos as Bouzouki Player

            Peter Tharos as Yianni

            Chrissy Paraskevopoulos as Cousin Jennie

            Kathryn Haggis as Cousin Marianthi

            Charlene Bitzas as Aunt Nota

            Chris Savides as Greek Chanter

            Constantine Vardalos as Greek Chanter

            Scott Khouri as Waiter

            John Tsifliklis as Wedding Singer

            Peter Chalkiopoulos as Wedding Band

            Peter Gogos as Wedding Band

            Spiro Milankou as Wedding Band

            Victor Politis as Wedding Band

            Jim Rouvas as Wedding Band

            Arielle Sugarman as Paris
See full cast