I had put off watching this film for a while until I seen it for sale in Virgin Megastore, Argyll Street, Glasgow for the very reasonable sum of only £6.99, so I thought well if I don’t like it my daft brother will.

Directed By: Joel Zwick
Produced By: Rita Wilson (Mrs Tom Hanks); Tom Hanks; Gary Goetzman

The Cast:
Toula Portokalos – Nia Vardalos
Maria Portokalos – Lainie Kazan
Gus Portokalos – Michael Constantine
Ian Miller – John Corbett
Nikki – Gia Carides
Nick Portokalos – Louis Mandylor
Yiayia – Bess Meisler
Rodney Miller – Bruce Gray
Harriet Miller – Fiona Reid
Mike – Ian Gomez
Mrs. White – Jayne Eastwood
Aunt Voula – Andrea Martin

Rated PG – For viewing with Parental/Guardian Guidance only

95 minutes long

DVD Extras were very disappointing:
Trailer – original trailer for film;
Cast and Filmmaker Commentary – Some of the cast talks about what the meant meant to them;
Soundbites;
Production Notes – How it was produced
“Greek School” Trivia Track – learn more about Greek School
Only available in English with Dolby Digital

Plot:

Very simply Toula is a 30 year old plain Jane American girl who happens to be from a very strong greek family. Her family, the Portokalos' are a large extremely close knit traditional greek family living in America. Toula works for her parents at their traditional Greek Restaurant (Dancing Zorba’s).

Toula’s days are drab and dull just like her hair, her clothes and her attitude, she spends her days and nights wishing for more than spending all her time at the restaurant or with her parents, her father constantly reminds her she needs to marry a nice Greek boy soon, that's what is expected of her, there is no need for her to be educated as she will be a good wife and mother, that's her purpose in life, this seems to be Toula's worst nightmare and who can blame her??

One day Ian Miller meets his friend Mike at Dancing Zorba’s and Toula is awestruck, something in her seems to click and come to life (at last), but he barely notices her.

Toula speaks to her mother and convinces her to speak to her father for her to go to college and learn more about computers in order to help the family business, he gives in to the mother (at this point we discover who really is the boss of the family, he he).

Toula, hungry for knowledge finds herself learning about Travel and Tourism besides the computer course, she’s loving it, she starts to pay attention to herself, make up done, hair immaculately tended, sexier clothing, she’s even traded the `Deidre Barlow’ specs in for contact lenses and she is looking hot!

Her aunt runs a travel agency business and between them (the aunt, the mother and Toula) they trick the father into letting Toula leave the restaurant to go and work for the aunt in the travel agency, they make the father think it’s his idea, the mother knows just how to `work him’, he may think he runs the family and his wife knows nothing but think again, she’s very crafty (I instantly like her), the whole scene was very funny.

Toula is working away quite happily at the Travel Agency and Ian Miller walks past and see her and is fascinated by her, eventually he goes in, after a series of comical mishaps they arrange a date, now Toula is terrified because she knows her father would not approve as Ian is a not from a Greek family, she decides to see Ian behind her family’s back and starts lying to them about taking pottery classes, meanwhile Toula and Ian are falling in love.

It’s inevitable that the family should find out and what happens next is comical including the meeting of the families. They are worlds apart - Toulas family are very loud, brash and very much into food and drink, including the famous Ouzo!, Ian’s family consist of only his mother and father who appear to be typically American, both very quiet and very civilised, so their meeting is very funny and extremely interesting as you would imagine, especially when Mr and Mrs Miller are plied with Ouzo all night, he he.

Next comes the organisation of the wedding itself, one powder blue limousine, two ice sculptures and ten bridesmaids in turquoise dresses, fabulously vulgar even in Toula’s terms.

The story from just the title is obvious what it’s going to be about so it is very predictable but extremely funny none-the-less. Entertainment from start to finish, I found myself laughing most of the way through, although I did find the beginning a touch sad. This film had the feel of Cinderella about it, but it really is worth watching if only to be cheered up.

The star of this film is undoubtedly Toula's father, he is brilliant, it's a pity I've never seen him in anything else, but after that film I would be expecting to see him again, so was hilarious!

Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed and I look forward to hearing your comments as ever, take care Heather:)