My Big, Fat, Greek Adventure
My Big, Fat, Greek Wedding 3
2023 Director: Nia Vardalos
Starring: Nia Vardalos, John Corbett, Elena Kampouris, Andrea Martin,
Melina Kotselou, Louis Mandylor
In the third installment of this movie franchise, the Portokalos-Miller family travels to Greece. And, yes, a wedding actually takes place in it, so the title is warranted. Toula Portokalos Miller (Vardalos), her husband, Ian (Corbett), and several relatives go to a family reunion in her father’s village. Her father, Gus (the late Michael Constantine), kept a diary after moving to the U.S. and he wanted Toula to bring it to his three childhood friends in Greece. So they leave Chicago and set off for this adventure. The movie is a cheerful frolic with lots of familiar characters and motifs from the past.
This escape is a welcome respite for the family’s recent troubles. Toula and Ian both lost their fathers. And adding to their grief, Maria (Lainie Kazan), Toula’s mother, is struggling with dementia. But there will be other issues to face on the trip. Fortunately, the family is met by the village mayor, Victory (Kotselou), a young, confident Greek woman. Her enthusiasm (from the Greek, enthousiasmos, meaning “divine inspiration”) is inspiring.
The family tries to acclimate to their new surroundings. None has ever been there before, but they seek familial roots and ways. On their way to the village they pass the Parthenon and the Olympic Stadium, but they don’t stop so they can catch the ferry. As they pass olive groves, Victory mentions that villagers and people from other countries work there. Her village lacks water but she has a plan. As they arrive, they note that the village is nearly empty. Ian asks how they can offer Gus’s diary if no one is there. Victory invited those who moved away back for the reunion and it is soon underway.
Although Gus dies before this story takes place, his spirit is benevolently felt here. And I would say that his vitality and energy also come across. Viewers will recall Gus’s frequent boast in the two previous films, “give me a word, any word, and I will show you how the root of it is Greek.” Toula repeats the phrase to her daughter, Paris (Kampouris), before they board the plane to Athens. A despondent Paris says “Nachos,” to shut the conversation down. But the filmmakers did not realize its origin actually is Greek. The Mexican snack was named after its inventor, Ignacio “Nacho” Anaya, who created them in 1943 at his restaurant in Piedras Negras, Mexico.1 In Spanish, Nacho is a nickname for Ignacio, the Spanish version of Ignatius. And Ignatius of Antioch (Ignatius Theophorus) was an early Christian Greek writer who was martyred in the second century.2 So, there you have it, as Gus might say. This film and its predecessors present us with love and appreciation of family and tradition. And its musical score is fun. Opa!
Copyright © 2024 by Rosi Prieto, Ph.D.
All Rights Reserved
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nachos
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ignatius_of_Antioch
Rosi,
OPA! I have yet to see the 3rd installment, but it’s definitely now on my list—right next to “How to Survive the Holidays Without Losing My Mind.” My to-watch list is growing faster than my waistline during the festive season! Hopefully, life settles down a little before the holidays so I can indulge in some cinematic escapism.
And you continue to surprise me—nachos are Greek? Who knew? Next, you’ll tell me that tacos are just Greek gyros in disguise! Here’s hoping I can find some time to watch it soon. Until then, I’ll be over here trying to convince myself that nachos count as a balanced meal. OPA!
Bill