My Big Fat Greek Wedding managed to be a sleeper hit in 2002 in a way most romantic comedies aren’t. It had a charm about it that made it endearing and funny, but watching the third entry in 2023 made me wonder if the ship had sailed a long time ago. Some of that charm is still there; yet it also comes with the baggage of awkward performances, strange timing, and a bloated cast.
 

After the passing of her father, Toula Portokalos (Nia Vardalos) and her family embark on a journey to Greece to reconnect with their Greek roots and fulfill his final wishes. The goal is to hold a large reunion in his old village and hand over his journal to his childhood friends. The premise is fine on its own, but the various subplots don’t add much to the film other than reinforcing the central theme of how important family is. In the realm of romantic comedies, this one really leans into the romance -- and repeated corny moments -- more than the laughs. 

The biggest issue throughout the film is that the script is mediocre, and a lot of the film has strange moments that make scenes seem as though they end abruptly and awkwardly. The biggest offender is the subplot about Toula’s daughter, Paris, and Aristotle, the guy she initially snubbed. The movie doesn’t need either character, and it seems that they’re only there because the writer wants a couple of younger people to keep the cast from appearing too old. Aristotle comes off as an acting student who wandered into the set to halfheartedly to deliver some lines. 

If the movie were to have one saving grace, it would be Andrea Martin as Aunt Voula. She’s the only one in the cast who is giving it her all, and her character stands out. She delivers most of the lines that are funny, and without her, the whole thing would be much more bland. What’s also strange is that the star, writer and director Vardalos’s performance is quite flat by comparison. I would assume that making this movie was a passion project for Vardalos, but you can’t tell from the editing or her performance, since she doesn’t seem to have the same enthusiasm that Martin does.

The original My Big Fat Greek Wedding was a cult hit that managed to also draw in an audience that normally wouldn’t bother with a romantic comedy. Its eccentric characters and comedic timing were the beating heart that made it work, and those elements are missing in this new entry.

By comparison Greek Wedding 3 comes off like a travel commercial for Greece, mixed with a Lifetime original movie. Fans who loved the original might think this one is decent, but I can’t imagine other viewers walking away satisfied.

Author Bio:

Ulises Duenas is a senior writer at Highbrow Magazine.

For Highbrow Magazine