Kirk Jones directs the next chapter of the film that will be once again produced by Rita Wilson and Playtone partners Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman. A Portokalos family secret brings the beloved characters back together for an even bigger and Greeker wedding. My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 talks plenty about the need to change with the times. But no way does this movie buy into the concept of practice what you preach.
While it can be a little slapstick-y, Nia Vardolos puts such discernible, infectious love into her work (both in performing the role and writing the screenplay) that it is a pleasure to watch.
Time has passed for the Portokalos family, but everyone is exactly the same as the first time we saw them. Such a regressive aspect is just one of many problems that dwell within My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2.
What we're left with is something that recalls Crocodile Dundee in L.A. - the misbegotten notion that bringing back characters long past their sell-by date is a good idea.
There is so much food, music, dancing and crying that you want to come out, at the end, and find a quiet place to watch paint dry. Unless, of course, you loved MBFGW1 and have spent 14 years waiting for MBFGW2.
What once bubbled up from a sincere love of Greek family has now congealed into the all-too-familiar Hollywood tale of milking a cash cow until it cries for mercy.