My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2

"Who says a woman has to be married?"

"You, all our lives."

Toula Portokalos-Miller's (Vardalos) life is not what she expected.  Her teenage daughter Paris (Kampouris) is a senior in high school and pushing her away.  The family travel agency and dry cleaners have both closed, only her father, Gus' (Constantine) restaurant is still open.  Her siblings, Athena (Stavroula Logothettis) and Nick (Mandylor), have young children so she is forced to help her parents.  Gus is convinced that he is related to Alexander the Great, and while he is doing research he comes across his marriage license, which the priest never signed.  Their priest will not sign the license unless he marries them.

Maria wants the wedding she never had, including a real proposal.  Gus refuses, so he is forced to sleep on the couch.  Toula tries to fix everything, including Paris' desire to go to college in another state.  Her desire to fix everything puts a strain on her marriage to Ian (Corbett), who is now the principal of the high school.  Can the family pull together and give Maria and Gus a memorable wedding?


In 2002 the film My Big Fat Greek Wedding was a surprise hit.  People fell in love with Toula and her eccentric family.  The film was popular enough for CBS to order a follow-up TV show, My Big Fat Greek Life, that continues the story.  Most of the main cast appeared in the TV show, with the exception of Jon Corbett who had already accepted a role on another show.  Toula was changed to Nia, and Ian (now played by Steven Eckholdt) became Thomas.  The show was cancelled and only got 7 episodes.  That did not stop fans and cast members from badgering Nia Vardalos about a sequel.

It took 13 years, but Vardalos and the majority of the cast returned for the sequel.  Vardalos again wrote the script, this time with Kirk Jones in the director's chair.  While it is still funny, the script is not as tight as the original.  The characters are still funny, but the real standout is Andrea Martin as Aunt Voula.  Martin is hilarious whenever she is on screen, whether she is saying something ridiculous or reacting to someone else.  Vardalos and Corbett still have great chemistry, but they aren't as interesting this time.  The rest of the family are as quirky as ever, and it is fun to see what everyone (including Ian's parents) are up to 13 years later.

It is still a funny, mostly clean, movie that makes you feel much better about your own family... but the original was better.  There is a rumor that a third film is planned, but nothing has been announced at this point.

My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 (2016) 94 minutes
Rating: PG-13 for some suggestive material
Director: Kirk Jones
Starring: Nia Vardalos as Toula Portokalos-Miller
John Corbett as Ian Miller
Elena Kampouris as Paris Miller
Lainie Kazan as Maria Portokalos
Michael Constantine as Gus Portokalos
Andrea Martin as Aunt Voula
Louis Mandylor as Nick Portokalos
Gia Carides as Cousin Nikki
Gerry Mendicino as Uncle Taki
Joey Fatone as Cousin Angelo
Alex Wolff as Bennett
Ian Gomez as Mike
Bess Meisler as Mana-Yiayia