My Big Fat Greek Wedding
Release Date:
April 19, 2002
Limited release
My Big Fat Greek Wedding is truly the ultimate example of the little film that could. When actress Rita Wilson saw Nia Vardalos' autobiographical play, she convinced husband Tom Hanks to take on a central role as a producer of the movie and the pair contributed to the financing of the film - which cost a grand total of $5 million to make.
Six months after it first hit theaters, My Big Fat Greek Wedding is now one of the greatest success stories Hollywood has ever seen. It is the highest earning independent film in history, and continues to roll strong at the box office even today. As of this writing (October 17, 2002), the IFC Films production has earned in excess of $160 million, with no real signs of slowing down.
The premise of the film is fairly simple and not even that original: Toula's family worries about her. She is 30 years of age and still unmarried, working in her parents' Greek restaurant. Toula is miserable at the restaurant and manages to convince her father that she should leave that family business to assist her aunt at her travel agency. She quickly undergoes both a physical and mental transformation. As she attends classes at the university, her confidence blossoms and she becomes truly beautiful as a result. Soon, she meets a wonderful, handsome man who has everything to offer - apart from one crucial detail. He's not Greek. What follows is a hilarious turn as he becomes acclimated to her family and culture, and they grow to accept him. Ultimately, it's a wonderful slice of life, and though it really only shows a glimpse of Greek culture, the film is truly delightful and uplifting - which probably has a great deal to do with its word-of-mouth success.
Looking ahead, a sequel is a real possibility, along with a television series and even possible awards recognition come the end of the year. In the current Hollywood atmosphere where movies open huge and then fall away quickly to become yesterday's news, My Big Fat Greek Wedding is truly unique, and it just may pave the way for other independent films to make a big impression at the box office now that there is a blueprint for achieving such success. (Kim Hollis/BOP)
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