<i>’’Love is here to stay.. So is her family’’.</i>
What will you think when you hear that a small budget movie making it’s way to the top, like the Blairwitch project? What will you think it grosses 200+ million in US alone?
A Hollywood wedding in HAHK style....
What will you think when a small movie produced by Tom Hanks and all makes it to the top? What will you think when the writer gets nominated for the Oscar?
(Trivia... <i>made for about $5 Million, In the fall of 2002 it surpassed Dances with Wolves (1990) as the highest grossing movie never to have hit number one at the box office. (It has made $241 Mn+ so far) </i>)
Well, you will think that the movie should be out of the world or an excellent one. Right??
Well you are right, if you havent gotten used to such plots very often. You may be wrong if you have watched thousands of family-attached sentimental love stories all your life.
Coming from my background, I would say, it is an average ’’Indian drama’’ if it was produced in India.
On the other hand, being produced in US and the hit it is, the way it touches the fabric of this liberal society, it is an exceptional comical and funny movie.
Many of the wedding movies have become major hits in US. Especially if they are funny ones (e.g. Father of the Bride series, Meet the parents..) :)
<b>The Plot. </b>
If you are 30 years old woman and are unmarried, you are considered a failure in greek circles. That’s what <i>Toula Portokolos(Nia Vardolos (Writer of the script as well)) </i> is.
The ever protective parents of her are so worried about her. All her cousins did the right thing of marrying Greek boys and making Greek babies (All named same, if they have 3 babies!!) . Every one is very much worried about Toula.
Toula works as a seating hostess in her family restaurant, <i>Dancing Zorba’s</i>. She wears a big glass, closes the shop late in the night and opens it early in the morning. She has no life. Until she feels she wants to join a computer course.
Things change afterwards, her father gives in after reluctance for many of her wishes and finally she runs her aunt’s travel agency.
Then the inevitable happens. She falls in love with a handsome teacher named <i>Ian(John Corbett) </i>. Ian is a ’’Xeno’’ to her family. Her father, who is so proud about his heritage that he has columns like the colossus in front of his house, is very upset.
What happens... The predictable thing. To know it, watch the movie..
<b>The finesse moments</b>
The great thing about the movie is its comic moments. Nia’s father <i>Gus(Michael Constantine) </i> is the one who takes the cream by being the funniest guy in the entire movie. There are many instances with him. Be it using Windex for everything or using etymological expertise for any word in the diction. He touchingly enunciates a Greek etymological evangelist. This movie is about the worldly life. The world is more than a melting pot for all. The world is a fruit basket where apples (Millers) and oranges (Portokaloses) must and can happily live together with warmth, mutual respect, and happiness
Here’s a snippet.
Nia’s classmates
<i>Mr. Portokolos : What do you say about the word ’’Kimono’’
Gus Portokalos: Kimono, kimono, kimono. Ah! Kimono is come from the Greek word kimona, which is mean winter. What do you wear in the winter? A robe! So, there you go!
</i>
The other thing is the family attachment and the sentiments surrounding the family. There are scenes glorifying everyone in the family. Subtle words and humor make it great.
His brother who is portrayed as a prankster many a times shows his love and affection greatly.
This is a movie about fun and love and values.
<b>Cast and Crew</b>
Nia Vardalos .... Toula Portokalos
John Corbett (I) .... Ian Miller
Lainie Kazan .... Maria Portokalos
Michael Constantine .... Gus Portokalos
Gia Carides .... Nikki
Louis Mandylor .... Nick Portokalos
and N’Sync’s
Joey Fatone .... Angelo
<b>Directed by </b>
Joel Zwick
Writer
Nia Vardalos
<b>Producers</b>
Paul Brooks (I) .... executive producer
David Coatsworth .... co-producer
Gary Goetzman .... producer
Tom Hanks .... producer
Rita Wilson .... producer
Original Music by
Alexander Janko
Chris Wilson (IX)
Cinematography by
Jeff Jur
Film Editing by
Mia Goldman
<b>Bottom-line: </b>
If you want to see a heartful, comical and funny, different, filling movie for a change.. Please see this one. Do not watch this movie after seeing soppy Indian drama. Do not watch this after HAHK as it will ruin the effect.
See it on a sunday afternoon when you want to relax. (I saw it after my move to Minneapolis from Denver. A nice an relaxing thing to do!!)
Have a nice day.
<b>Please do leave comments.
Inquizitor</b>