I am from Colombia, and two years ago I went to Greece, lived with two incredible Greek Families, learned as much as I could about Greek Culture, I fell in love of this amazing country and the kindest people I've ever met... Now, I saw at this movie in the list and I never doubted of click on and start watching it.. Only if you are a foreigner who visited and explored the Greek culture somehow you will be able to feel closer to those amazing people... watch the movie took me back to the best two months I have had abroad of my country... listening to the Greek accent, the happiness and union of Greek families, the pita- gyros somewhere and some Greek words that I still remember;all that little stuff relives feelings and memories I will never forget... Thank You Greece!!!

"My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2" is probably the best sequel that could've been spawned from a largely forgotten but monstrously successful independent romantic comedy from twelve years ago. One could theoretically call it a "too little too late" sequel, something Hollywood has been good at churning out recently with sequels to "Barbershop," "Joe Dirt," and "Zoolander," but when a sequel is so similar in line with its predecessor after so many years and practically oozes the same kind of sentiment, one has to be a bit forgiving and credit it for what most sequels fail to capture.

Both sequels to "Joe Dirt" and "Zoolander" were flawed from the very concepts, and when it came time to try that concept again, over a decade later, it felt stale and desperately forced when it came to trying to modernize it for the times and the now-grown up audience. While "My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2" has obligatory scenes of poor Toula (Nia Vardalos) trying to teach her loving father Gus (Michael Constantine) how to work a computer, it nonetheless manages to effectively work as charming comedy of moments, even if its structure and narrative theme is about as basic as it can get.

The film reenters the lives of the characters we fondly recall from the first film, only now, well into their married lives and elder years. Toula and Ian (John Corbett) are having the typical kinds of struggles most semi-long/long-term married couples have emotionally and romantically, especially with their teenage daughter Paris (Elena Kampouris) in the midst of deciding where to go to college. While she wants to go off to New York University, her parents want her to stay in Chicago and go to Northwestern University, but Paris has been constantly smothered by her borderline insufferable Greek family to the point where she wants none of it.

Meanwhile, Toula's parents Gus and Maria (Lainie Kazan) are getting well into their old age, especially Gus, who has had hip and memory problems for a while now. All is going well between him and his wife until Gus uncovers a much-repressed family secret that the priest never signed the certificate of marriage to make Gus and Maria an official union, meaning Gus and Maria aren't legally married, despite fifty years of togetherness. How this was never uncovered before, as if the two never had to file taxes or partake in any other legal activities, I'm not sure, but long story short, they're not married. Rather than doing the logical thing and just going down to the courthouse to make the marriage official, of course the family must complicate it, starting with Maria wanting not only a real proposal from Gus, but a full-blown, bank-breaking wedding. So we're back to square one, this time planning a wedding for the older couple, rather than the younger one.

The scene-stealer this time around, however, isn't so much Vardalos playing a role she can practically sleepwalk, but Aunt Voula, played by the lovely Andrea Martin. Not a hugely significant presence in the first film, it would appear that Vardalos decided to give some of the best quips and zingers to her character's aunt, whose loud presence and boisterous, if invasive, mannerisms often result in some strong belly-laughs. Also giving his all in a performance that he can probably perform at any given time of the day is Michael Constantine; despite his character, the actor can't hide his energy and Jack Lemmon-esque grouchiness when it comes time to really commit to being an enthusiastic presence. He winds up being the most commendable presence here.

The rest of the film is damn-near what you can imagine if you close your eyes and picture potential setups and events for the Portokalos family. Paris is a fascinating character, but unfortunately underwhelming because, fitting for her character and her situation, she keeps getting nudged out of the frame by her louder counterparts. It would've been nice to see a setup solely involving Paris and her decision of grappling with her parents, her heritage, and her decision of where to go to school. Instead, we get a pretty lukewarm plot involving her making impromptu prom plans with another boy (The Naked Brothers Band's Alex Wolff) after he is rejected by the prettiest girl in school. That's about as cliché as Greeks kissing each side of another person's face when they first see one another.

However, "My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2" has some remarkably funny moments. A scene involving Gus stuck in a bathtub isn't played for the kind of bawdy and slapstick gimmicks you'd expect and a scene between all the female Portokalos members at a beauty salon is the epitome of what I wanted from this film all along: good conversation amongst people you can believe are family. Because of their general talent and the fact that they've done this before, the cast's chemistry is fun and the events of the film are lively and concise enough to assure it's never boring and always moving. It's the best sequel you probably could've made twelve years later, and if that's good enough for you, it's certainly good enough for a rainy day at the movies.

I saw My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 last night at a screening last night and was apprehensive about going but so glad I went! It was a great silly date/family movie that I really think out-did the original and was a great reminder that sequels can revive the energy and feeling of the first film without relying on the same jokes, and storyline. It had plenty of great call-backs to the original and any fan of that film or anyone with, or who knows, a loud big family will be smiling ear to ear and can plan on laughing away. The film was more or less what you would expect with almost all of the original characters making reprisals and the time didn't degenerate their characters or the absurdity of their actions but like a fine wine they matured with time. I laughed out loud many times and the theater actually erupted in applause when it ended, which is very rare with silly comedies like this, and my only disappointment was that it finished almost too soon. I wanted to spend more time with the characters, but it didn't drag on, wasn't unnecessarily absurd and kept the tone and fun that the original film had. If you are looking for a feel-good film and a nice escape from our hectic wild world this movie will definitely please.

My son and I just came home after seeing "My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2." We loved the first movie and laughed but when seeing the sequel, I must warn you, I laughed until I cried and had sore stomach muscles. There were more hilarious scenes this time around than the first time and a multitude of new ones. If I could have given "My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2" a rating of 11 or 12, I would not hesitate. All of the original cast of characters from "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" are in this movie. These characters are the ones whom we fell in love with. Getting to know everyone's quirks and idiosyncrasies in more detail was beyond enjoyable, amusing and refreshing. There are some awesome underlying messages creatively blended with humor that effectively relay messages we all should take heed and learn from. What warmed my heart and tickled my funny bone also made me feel loved and accepted as a member of the Portokalos family, despite what my DNA may show otherwise. On the way to the movie theater, I decided to keep an open mind. I ignored the negative and hateful reviews of "My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2" to form my own opinions. I cannot begin to express how ecstatic I am that we saw this movie. So, my advice to is overlook the spiteful, pessimistic reviews and opinions you read and hear about this movie. Then take a break, bring some face tissues, go to the theater and see "My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2".

sequel (noun) – "a literary work, movie, etc., that is complete in itself but continues the narrative of a preceding work." That's the definition on dictionary.com. Miriam-Webster.com says that the word's origin is… "Middle English, from Anglo-French sequele, from Latin sequela, from sequi to follow." Unfortunately for Gus Portokalos, the root of the word "sequel" cannot be traced to any Greek word, but it also in no way means "completely original". Actually, it kinda means the opposite. I generally avoid reading other reviews before I write mine, but when I saw the low scores that critics on various websites gave to "My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2" (PG-13, 1:34), I had to at least take a peek at some of their comments.

Most criticisms of this movie can be summed up in one word – "unoriginal" – but is that fair? It's a sequel, people! Think of it like this: If you went to spend time with a friend whom you haven't seen in 14 years, would you be happy if your friend acted completely differently than the last time you were together? What if that friend refused to talk about the history you two shared, instead insisting on discussing all new topics, expecting you to enjoy that conversation as much as you'd enjoy a little reminiscing? Well, this film doesn't make those mistakes – and is to be commended for it! For those of us who loved the 2002 original, seeing this movie is a lot like visiting an old friend – and it's a visit filled with the perfect combination of fond memories and new experiences that are both fun and sweet.

Correction: Seeing "My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2" is like visiting a LOT of old friends. First up is our host, actress and comedienne Nia Vardalos. She wrote the screenplay for the original, which became the highest-grossing romantic comedy of all time (!) and earned Vardalos an Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay. Naturally, Hollywood types and ordinary fans alike have been asking her about a sequel ever since, but she cared enough about quality and her own integrity that she says she didn't write the sequel until she had a story that she felt was good enough, and she was ready to write it well enough to be worthy of the original. And when Vardalos wrote her new story, she brought back all the main characters from the first film – and many of the minor ones – and all played by the original actors! Our calendars tell us that the sequel came 14 years after the original, but that's 18 years to a Greek (or, at least, to these Greeks). Toula (Vardalos) still lives next door to her parents, Gus (Michael Constantine) and Maria (Lainie Kazan) and she's still married to Ian Miller (John Corbett), with whom she is raising their daughter, Paris (Elena Kampouris). Paris is a 17-year-old high school senior who, like her mother before her, works part-time at the family-owned Greek restaurant, feels smothered by her loud, proud, loving but meddling Greek family, and wants that proverbial "something more" out of her life. Paris' plan is to go to college – as far away from her Chicago home as the continental U.S. can carry her. Toula is struggling to deal with her only child leaving – and with keeping the passion in her and Ian's busy lives.

And then there's the rest of the family. Just to cite a few examples: Ian's best friend, Mike (Vardalos' real-life husband Ian Gomez), has gotten married and become a police officer. Toula's cousin, Angelo (Joey Fatone) is the last unmarried member of his generation in the family and he's catching some flak for it. Toula's Grandma Yiayia (Bess Meisler – who is believed to be in her 90s), who is, of course, also Paris' great-grandmother, is not only alive and kicking, but even funnier and more developed as a character than in the first film. I won't spoil the movie's big surprises by telling you about the changes in all of the characters' lives, but I will say that almost all of their stories are updated – and in ways that are alternately fun, surprising and always logical and right for the individual characters. There are also a few new characters, played by familiar faces such as Rob Riggle, John Stamos and Rita Wilson (the producer who brought the idea of the original film to the production company of her husband, Tom Hanks).

But what about the "big fat Greek wedding" (#2) from the movie's title? Well, the "my" no longer refers to Toula, but to her mother! Gus discovers that his and Maria's wedding license was not signed by a licensed priest, meaning that they were never legally married. Maria sees this news as an opportunity to make Gus woo her more romantically than he did the first time and show her how much he really cares. Obviously (given the movie's title), the old man eventually gets with the program and Maria begins planning a big fat… you know – but when the planning hits a major snag, it starts to look like there will be no Greek wedding after all. This sets the stage for a grand finale which brings together all the film's story lines in ways that are more fun and heartfelt and less predictable than some critics say.

"My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2" is everything a sequel should be. The script, directing and strong ensemble acting all remain true to the original characters. Great running gags from the first film continue (although some are overplayed), but also work well standing alone, while many of the new jokes and sight gags are laugh-out-loud funny. Although there's a minor Gus-centered sub-plot that I could've done without, the multiple story lines are fresh and woven together wonderfully. This film isn't perfect, but it's nearly as hilarious and has even more heart than its much-beloved inspiration. "A"

First let me say that I loved the 1st movie. I watch it often (maybe too often. lol) Anyway, I was looking forward to this sequel. I haven't been this excited about a movie since the Harry Potter series. I rushed my husband so we could get to the movies 30 minutes prior to showtime. I expected a crowd, but when we arrived it was quiet. Evidently not everyone was anxiously awaiting this film.

I thought the movie started out a little slowly, but it was funny and heartwarming. People in the theater were laughing and clapping and genuinely enjoying it. We enjoyed it too. Did some parts feel forced? Yes. Was it more of the same from the first movie? Yes, but I loved that about it. When the 1st movie ended, I wanted to know more about the characters and their lives. This movie allowed that to happen. I loved that they were able to bring back the old cast. (There is nothing worse than seeing a sequel with different actors.) I loved that the characters were just the same as before, only a little older.

This isn't a film to change your worldview, but it is fun for entertainment. I'm looking forward to being able to buy it blu-ray, so I can watch it again and again.

You know what you're going to get with this movie - and it delivers. It's a good sequel. The downsides are that the plot is pretty thin and unfortunately 50% of the jokes are in the trailer. But it's a feel good movie and it's fun to see everyone from the original cast, 14 years later, including Ian Miller's parents. Funniest parts were when Gus's young grandsons ape him in explaining how the root of every word you can think of actually comes from the Greek.

Nice cameos from Rita Wilson (wife of Tom Hanks and the reason why the first movie got made), bundt cakes, Toula's big glasses and Windex. Lots of "in" jokes for those of us who loved the first movie and thought it was a refreshing change from typical Hollywood fare. Well done, Nia Vardalos. And by the way, she looks stunning in the red lace mini dress at the end of the movie.

I can't believe we waited this long to revisit this amazing collection of characters. When the original came out, they were like a refreshing storm, giving us a funny but insightful look at another world, yet it had enough commonalities with most of us. We could all relate to the dynamics of relatives, loneliness, love, and other themes.

Somehow, the themes are back, with a fresh spin that parallels the original and has the many generations dealing with similar problems. Toula is back and she is still dealing with her parents' proximity and meddling. She is also about to experience her own separation from a daughter that belongs to a new generation and might be overwhelmed by too much affection.

Because of technicalities, Toula's parents are not "legally" married, and things must be fixed. This opens the door for a succession of jokes, one-liners, and some very funny situations. They might not have worked had it not been because the cast, though looking older, remains as charming as ever. They're loud, and we love them just like that.

We get to see Paris learn that she needs her family when it's time to make decisions, and she is also to become part of the bunch when the family members need to help each other. Of course, this wouldn't be a Greek movie, if we still didn't have various traditions come through and clash with the American counterparts. It's not offensive, just like adding a different type of spice to the mix, and of course, there is a new wedding in the picture, and everyone is involved.

One of the freshest turns is Bess Meisier, as the grandma who surprisingly is still around and is funnier than ever, with her gestures, and a new look in the later part of the picture. Enjoy her perfect coming timing.

Overall, MFGW2 is a welcome return of our old friends, so enjoy the celebration, be ready to smile, laugh and have a great time.

One of the features that I enjoyed about the original My Big Fat Greek Wedding was its low-stress plot line. It was a romantic comedy; you knew how it was going to end anyway. So Nia Vardalos did not bother to write faked-up plot twists to drive her characters apart. The tension, such as it was, was provided by the self-doubts of the main character, her romance with an outsider, and the surmountable obstacles and inevitable adjustments and culture clashes that such a union precipitated. As the main character blossomed from ugly duckling to swan, finding herself along the way, you really grew to care about her successes and to root for her burgeoning love affair with the perfect man, Ian.

The problem with such a Cinderella story is that a wedding marks the end of the road. Events after the wedding are practically irrelevant in the rom com tradition. So how do you write a sequel to a rom com? Many writers have revisited fairy tale romances, after the wedding, to tell bleak tales of doom, gloom, and disillusionment. Into the Woods is a prime example: fairy tale endings segue into misery, betrayal and destruction. Frankly, I find such post-Modern tales of woe to be intellectually lazy and tiresome. The reality of the post-wedding state may be complex but it is not universally unhappy. All weddings do not end in divorce! Nia Vardalos had the happy idea to make her sequel be about how we turn into our own parents as we raise our own children. In my opinion, there is no Hollywood comedy writer better equipped to address this topic than Nia Vardalos! Beneath the comedy shtick and general silliness, My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 is a thoughtful meditation on dealing with our inevitable transformations as we mutate from young lovers to parents to burgeoning empty-nesters, while learning to nurture ourselves and our primary relationships in the midst of overpowering family and outside-world demands. Do we take our partners for granted? Can we change at any age, as the world changes, or are we stuck? Can we come to terms with the choices that we've made in life? How do we do this while raising children, dealing with our aging parents, and the inevitable disappointments and bizarre turns that life has in store for us? The miracle is that Nia Vardalos and her team have managed to address these kinds of topics while making a fast-moving, slapstick, effervescent comedy that keeps an audience constantly laughing. I thought the film was a tremendous achievement, heart-warming and entertaining.

Some critics have dissed this film for being full of shtick and ethnic humor, and for having plot twists that "don't go anywhere." Why? Those were the features of the original film. I EXPECTED a film without woe or major crises, a romp. But I got a lot more. The subject matter was refreshingly adult.

Toula, the romantic lead from the original movie, has now become a working Mom, stuck again supporting her family's restaurant business, dealing with her teen daughter's angst and disdain. Toula's fairy tale makeover from the 1st film has disappeared: poor Toula has no time for the hairdresser's, she's trying to be SuperMom... driving her daughter even crazier. Amusingly, Ian is more perfect than ever, now Principal of his daughter's high school. Regardless, his own daughter wants him to pretend that they don't know one another "because the other kids think I'm a narc!" In addition, Toula's family has become so demanding that Toula and Ian's marriage suffers. The story really gets rolling when Toula's father, Gus, while researching his family tree to prove his direct descent from Alexander the Great, discovers that his own marriage was not legal. Can Gus overcome his male chauvinism long enough to woo his own wife into another Big Fat Greek Wedding? Like her father, Toula, too, takes her spouse for granted as she bounces between the demands of Motherhood and Daughterhood; Toula has become her father. Can these couples re-energize their own marriages? Can Toula and Ian's daughter, Paris, find her own love and/or strike out on her own? Or will they all be suffocated by their Big Greek Family? The unusual feature of this film is the parallelism of the generational story lines, parents and children and grandchildren, all struggling with related issues in their different ways, as they come to terms with themselves as individuals and as parts of the larger, all-devouring, eating-and-breeding Blob, the Portakalos family.

Nia Vardalos worked on the script for four years, and it pays off in her final fascinating and funny film. There are a handful of jokes and bits that die a thousand deaths, but the majority of the movie is hilarious and, overall, My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 is tremendous fun and a superior sequel.

In a final postscript: the coming-out-as-gay subplot featuring Joey Fatone. Some reviewers have criticized this subplot for going nowhere. As a gay/bisexual man, I must disagree with these reviewers. Joey Fatone's character's gay storyline is the next step in LGBT activism. Finally, a gay character who comes out to his family without major drama! At last! It's inspirational. Has this ever happened in a Hollywood film before? Nia Vardalos and director Kirk Jones must understand the significance, or why bother with the storyline as it stands in the final film? It's very uneventfulness is revolutionary. Sure, it would have been better if there had been more backstory. But I was just grateful to have a gay storyline in a film that was neither the butt of a joke nor a drama-soaked misery. It's about time!

I went into this movie with somewhat low expectations. I saw the original many many years ago, but honestly, can't remember much about it. I went on a random Sunday night and it hit the spot. I thought it was very entertaining, funny, and enjoyable. The characters were likable and you were rooting for them. I have a big Italian family, and many of these character reminded me of my own family. Yes, they are loud and nosy and all up in each others business, but they love hard and have fun. They understand the importance of family and I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of it. I would recommend this movie to all ages and it is family friendly.

My Big Fat Greek Wedding was both a critical and commercial success, grossing over $360,000,000 worldwide and earning Nia Vardalos an Oscar nomination for Best Screenplay. This meant that the sequel, My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2, had a lot to live up to – but unfortunately it just didn't quite hit the mark.

My main issue with this film was the lack of direction, character development or plot structure. Just like Toula's loud and outrageous family, there was just too much going on. Firstly, there's the newest addition to the family – Toula and Ian's daughter Paris (played by the angsty Elena Kampouris). She's already feeling the pressure from her Papou to find herself a nice Greek boy and settle down. Deeply embarrassed by her very Greek family, she also is a senior in high school and looking to go to college, but she's faced with the dilemma of going to Northwestern University (meaning she will stay close to her cringe-worthy relatives), or living out her dream at NYU. I'm sure you can guess which one she'd prefer!

Secondly, there's Toula and Ian's so-called issues… out of the blue, Aunt Voula suggests that they go on a date to reignite their marriage (even though there had been no previous signs of tension). They do so, and suddenly Ian resents Toula for not paying him enough attention. I didn't realise that he needed the meddling Aunt Voula to point this out for him, but there you go.

And then to top it all off, there is the abundance of other short-lived, whacky, out-of- the-blue (or all of the above) scenarios that the rest of the characters encounter, including:

• Aunt Voula's constant complaining about all of her physical ailments - Maria and Gus' upcoming nuptials (as they have realised they have never been 'officially' married) - Gus claiming he is a direct descendant of Alexander the Great - The all-American judgemental (and borderline racist) women who are eventually put in their place and are suddenly very accepting of their eccentric, ethnic neighbours - Why Angelo (played by ex-NSYNC member Joey Fatone) has been single for so long (I won't spoil it for you but it rhymes with 'romosexual')

All-in-all, this film was trying to hard to be what the first movie effortlessly pulled off and it resulted in the jokes being forced and predictable and the stereotypes being more overdone than a tough lamb souvlaki. This proves that sometimes, a classic success needs to remain just that and not rehashed for the sake of it in order to try to force history to repeat itself.

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Dear Chicago dwelling Toula (Nia Vardalos) has been happy since her first Big Fat Greek Wedding to Ian (John Corbett). They have one daughter, Paris, who is a senior in high school and is pulling away from Toula farther every day. Well, it is hard when the entire big family lives near each other so Grandpa Gus (Michael Constantine) and Grandma Maria (Lainie Kazan) and the rest are always snooping. Its called LOVE, as only the Greek Americans can feel. Aunts, uncles, and cousins are always around, at the restaurant where they all work. Just as Paris is applying to colleges and dreaming of space, Gus and Maria are shocked to find they are not really married! Yes, their marriage certificate was never signed by the Greek priest. This creates quite a rift, as Maria wants Gus to ask her again, nicely, and Gus thinks that's going too far. In the meantime, he is learning how to use the computer so he can prove that he, Gus, is a direct descendant of Alexander the Great. It takes a semi emergency to get a proposal from his lips but once it happens, the SECOND Big Fat Greek Wedding is getting planned. Toula and Ian are torn in three different directions. One, will their daughter choose to go to school far from Chicago? Two, how can they help with the wedding plans? And, three, after being so wrapped up in parenting, how can they recapture the sparkle of their own honeymoon days? Opa, a thousand times, Opa! Ms. Nia Vardalos, take a bow, for writing such a terrific film. Then, too, she and the rest of the superb cast is a splendid comic blessing. How wonderful to see the settings at home and at the restaurant while the costumes and lively direction make for one treasure of a flick. Hay, fans, drop the Windex NOW and drive to catch this one as soon as is humanly possible.

Though I didn't have any expectations for the sequel to the movie I remember fondly of from 14 years ago, the moment I saw many teasers with birds advertising Windex® for this, I knew we were in trouble.

They looked awful and were just plain dumb teasers. The birds asking if we had tickets for My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 made me want to get a refund IF I had purchased any by that point.

And how arrogant is that? Many movies sell out ahead of time so it's good to buy advance tickets. These kinds of movies include any Marvel movie, Star Wars saga or the latest teen angst series. NOT this "film." I don't have the research, but did a single soul even buy an advance ticket for this? Boy, those birds seemed to think it would sell out for months. (Fun Fact: the first movie did end up making $241 million domestically and this one, the one you were urged to get advance tickets to: $59 million.)

The movie, folks, is just as bad as the bird teasers. Painful at times, even. A horrible, disgustingly bad experience and should never be watched especially if you're a fan of the first one.

I never saw the spin-off T.V. show that the first one produced and I really, at the time, loved the first movie. I just thought it was overkill and didn't care to see it. Apparently, I was right since it was all-but immediately cancelled. This movie felt like just a reunion episode of that defunct series and just an excuse to get everyone who is still alive to reunite and prove they're still breathing.

And like said sitcom analogy, the main plot revolves around the clichéd sitcom problem: a 50-year-marriage is actually invalid because someone forgot to sign the marriage certificate. This gives the movie's title to give the go-ahead to show another big…not-so fat…Greek…wedding.

What is with 2016? So many "comedies" that are not in the least funny: Keanu, Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising, The Boss and now this zero-laugh sequel that no one at all asked for. Granted, I didn't find those other three movies bad, just almost 95% humorless. This terrible movie produced ZERO laughs. Not a single chuckle even.

In case you wanted to see these same characters still breathing, then you have an excuse to see this. Other than that, this movie should be avoided at all costs.

***

Final thoughts: That all said above…maybe I was too harsh. In truth, I did smile a few times and the movie wasn't incompetently shot or acted. It was nice to see everyone back and the same places as before. But all that nostalgia wore off 15 minutes in and I became more and more depressed and frustrated until the ending.

Im sorry, but this movie was awful. I remember watching the first one several years back and enjoying it which is the main reason I was interested in this flick. I realize the jokes are supposed to be corny and stereotypical, which was what made the first one unique. HOWEVER, this one was just trash. Seriously brutal. The first 50 minutes felt like an eternity. There wasn't any discernible jokes to laugh at or a plot to be interested in. It was just nonsense about nothing. I never turn off a movie, but this was a close as I ever came. I can't remember what was worse, tearing my ACL or watching BFGW2. This movie was supposed to show a "train wreck of a family", but the jokes on us... the movie is the train wreck.

Long story short.. watch old people bicker about the stupidest plot that has ever occurred.

The first movie had culture clash, great comedy, and most importantly a major transformation of the lead character. The sequel is also funny and full of awkward too-close family moments, but lacks a major transformation (although Vardalos does looks quite fetching in the restaurant date scene). I would have done a rewrite. Have the mother insist on getting remarried in Greece (the family being more successful and wealthier to afford this). While there in the old country, the daughter (Paris) would appreciate Greek history and culture and see close Greek family ties as being "normal" and maybe even ogling a few cute Greek boys. She would then decide forego NYU and instead attend school in Chigago close to home, thus growing to accept the love of her family in a tear-jerking moment of reciprocated love. That would have been a more transformative and much happier ending to this sequel.

The idea that one doesn't marry their loved one, but their entire family is entirely true. I'm on good speaking terms with the majority of my extended family from my aunt and uncle who live close by to my cousins who live on the other side of the country. When I'm thinking about introducing a girlfriend to the family, I'm constantly worried that one will dislike her, creating something of a domino effect. I might take home the president's daughter, yet they might find her laugh unbearable and tell me I could do better. Luckily, I have yet to encounter that, but you never know.

The majority of my family has Irish heritage. While this is not what makes us close (it's our simple compassion), there is something of a cliché that's formed and I'm left wondering if were a "cool" group. Nia Vardalos faced a similar problem with her Greek family in My Big Fat Greek Wedding. It was a cute movie that became something of a sleeper hit that made it a box office smash back in 2002. The family was likable and even with the sitcom-like setup, there was potential to tell more of the Greek clan of Chicago. My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 shows us what happened fourteen years later.

Toula (played by Nia Vardalos) and Ian Miller (played by John Corbett) are doing their best to give their daughter Paris (played by Elena Krampouris) whose about to finish high school. Paris is clearly embarrassed not just of her mother's constant volunteering at the school to which her father is also principal, but of her large family that's always around to remind her that she's Greek. Even at a college fair, her entire clan descends upon the tables to look into what she's going to study and how far away from home she'll live.

Family patriarch, Toula's father Gus still embraces and loves to show off his Greek heritage, whether it be at his restaurant, at physical therapy, or even when instructing Paris to find a nice Greek boy. Things are thrown around when Gus pulls out his marriage certificate for an ancestry project when he realizes that he's never been legally married to his wife Maria. So another wedding is on as the group now puts everything together while Toula tries to keep everything focuses and Paris makes her decision on where she'll go to college. Oh, and Gus is trying to find proof that he's descended from Alexander the Great.

My first question is why they waited for so long to get My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 going? Was there really a demand for another movie (I know there was also a failed sitcom) about this family fourteen years later? That would be too much of an issue if the movie was really funny…and it rarely is. The story is not exactly a rehash, but most of the wedding stiff does feel familiar. I think that more could have been don't. that doesn't mean that there aren't some humorous moments. There's the college fair and how we're obligated to help the family in…every situation (you'll see what I mean). The Alexander the Great search got a couple of chuckles out of me. But the writing is not as sharp as the original. The original may have not been a masterpiece, but it was intriguing.

The entire cast is all back (it must have been a good thing that none of these people never went anywhere) and they all do their best to throw in a joke here and there. The least interesting character is the newest member, Paris. She's another stereotypical angsty teenager who really has little to complain about. What's unfortunate is that she bickers at her family for nothing and makes her character change without much of a fight. Paris is a robot child to function however the plot feels like it.

I'll give it five gyros out of ten. I'm sure fans of the original will find something they'll like, but newcomers aren't going to shout "opa!" after this movie. You can tell the majority is trying, but perhaps its time we put this family album back on the shelf. I'll just get a gyro and watch the original.

It's a shame that IMDb doesn't allow .. zero or negative out of 10! This movie made Me want to go and have a shower afterwards, it's that "dirty"! It's a sad state of affairs in Tinseltown when Million$$ of someone's money went into producing this "mess"! Is there No creative spirit left in Hollywood, that led to this sequel that should never have seen light of day? Take every single stereotype about Greeks and "ethnic" families, add zero creativity - and Volia, You have this "tanker" which should be still in mothballs! How sad is it that many creative minds can't find money to produce their films, but this "testament" to a complete lack of creativity, can get made, while "real" movies with "real" scripts lay dormant for years? To call this a "bad" movie, is just such an injustice to other movies, that were judged as "bad"! I can't think of one single positive thing to say about this Mess.

Greetings again from the darkness. It's been 14 years since the Portokolas family took over movie theatres, the box office, and casual conversation in most every social setting. I'll readily admit that, despite my leanings toward more serious film fare, I was a huge fan of the 2002 surprise mega-hit. The movie was refreshing and observational, with commentary on proud cultures and helicopter parenting – but mostly it was funny. Bundt cakes and Windex will forever be a part of movie lore … as this sequel reminds us.

Given the Hollywood proliferation of sequels, re-makes and re-imaginings, the only thing surprising here is that it took so long for Wedding number 2. And yes, that is the only surprise. Nia Vardalos obviously wrote this script as a love letter to the fans of the original. It fits like a warm blanket – comfortable and familiar. The setting, the characters and the jokes … all familiar … yet still pleasant and easy to watch.

With that title, we know we are in for another Greek wedding. However, Toula (Ms. Vardalos) and Ian (John Corbett) have one daughter – 17 year old Paris (Elena Kampouris), and her big decision is whether to stay local for college or leave Chicago and the family for NYU. Since the wedding is not for the daughter, it falls to Toula's parents. It seems Gus (Michael Constantine) and Maria (Lainie Kazan) have been living in sin for 50 years – all because the priest never signed the marriage certificate. Let the histrionics begin! Director Kirk Jones (Nanny McPhee, Waking Ned Devine) stays true to the spirit of the Vardalos script and legacy, and much of the movie plays like one big inside joke for fans of the original. Windex make an appearance in each of the three acts, and we get a shot of decorated Bundt cakes, some exaggerated make-up and hair styles, and a steady stream of family members who just can't help their propensity for being loud and up in everyone's business.

Most of the original cast returns. Andrea Martin is back as scene-stealer Aunt Voula, and Mama-Yiayia (Bess Meisler) gets her usual "pop-ups" plus a touching moment in the wedding spotlight. New faces include Alex Wolff (brother of Nat, son of Polly Draper) as Paris' prom date; and Rita Wilson (also a producer with her husband Tom Hanks) and John Stamos have a couple of scenes as a Greek couple; while Mark Margolis ("Breaking Bad", "Better Call Saul") appears as Gus' brother from the homeland.

Nostalgia and familiarity are the keys here, and there is no reason to be overly-critical of a movie that is so pleasant and light-hearted. "There you go!"

I saw it by myself this afternoon. I loved the first one and I loved this second one. Yes, nothing beats the original but I thought the storyline was entertaining. I would have given it a 10/10 instead of 9/10 but I wish there was a bit more humor in it...I think that if they showed more of the wedding planning part it could have been hilarious! Overall, I thought it was great and worth the money! It was awesome to see all of the old cast here together again and it was great to see a few new (and familiar) faces. I loved how they used some of the old lines from the original movie. I'm glad I watched the first one last night to refresh my memory. The second one goes great!

The longest 90-minute movie you may ever see. A blatant money-grab, with no redeeming social value. As far as sequels go, Godfather 2 should not feel threatened. This turd gets a two rating rather than a one because I chuckled briefly a few times before I bailed to escape the pain.

The screenwriters stuffed this baby with a championship surplus of agonizingly transparent plot "twists," wildly implausible events, and trite dialogue. And, just when you think it's coming to an end, it continues...on and on. Trips from America to Australia appear to take less time.

The money shamelessly generated by the mercenary producers and actors of this stink bomb contributes to giving capitalism a bad name. Rating of 10 for AVOID.

My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2, the sequel to the 2002 highly successful hit comedy is finally here with the whole family returning for another wedding. Like most belated comedy sequels, i wasn't expecting a whole lot from this film, i expected it to play off what made the first film successful and be relatively average. And that is more or less what we have here, in some aspects it delivers fairly well and in others it really doesn't. One of the things i liked hearing going into this film was that the whole cast was returning and that it was being written by Nia Vardalos who also wrote the first one. It gave me some hope that it would have the same overall feeling, but it kinda didn't in the end.

Unlike the first film, it didn't feel like a 'Greek' movie for around half of it, it was more of a modern Romantic Comedy with some Greek comedy and set-pieces here and there. Structurally the films plot was kinda all over the joint. There were a lot of side- plots in this film and to be honest, there wasn't really a main plot in the film. It kinda jumps around between the romantic stories revolving around Nia, her parents, and her daughter. Neither one took control of the film and the focus kept swapping throughout. And when the film did depart from the Greek aspect and started heading in the Rom-Com direction they just organised a couple of Greek jokes to remind you that this is still a Greek themed film, and maybe that's where Nia Vardalos writing the film helped it but also kinda let it down. But what i really loved was just by watching this film you could tell that she loves this property, she loves the character Toula and she really didn't want it to fail, and i love when a film is written with so much passion.

Now, the comedic aspects of the film were definitely there and there were some very very funny moments. There wasn't really a steady flow of comedy throughout the film, it's sort of delivered in sections here and there. Pretty much, whenever it focused on the Greek aspects of the film there were plenty of jokes, most of the time. And after seeing this film, i gotta say, there are quite a few good laughs..... if you're Greek that is, but if you're not and you don't understand a lot about Greek culture, there really isn't much here for you. Being Greek is really what made a lot of the comedy in the film actually funny. And in terms of who was delivering the comedy, the supporting cast (the entire extended family) were the ones delivering ALL of the jokes, and i mean ALL of them. Unfortunately, Nia Vardalos, John Corbett, and the daughter Elena Kampouris didn't contribute to the humour like at all, not even once from memory. They tried, they definitely tried to have them be funny but it just didn't work at all.

But, one thing i have to give the film 100% credit for is what jokes they did provide. Like all of these comedic sequels it would have been incredibly easy to just re-use jokes from the first film and hope people laugh at them as much as they did in 2002. But this film didn't go with any obvious joke callbacks to the first film, which i loved and more comedy sequels should do. I thought for sure they were going to make Nick and Angelo have Ian say something wrong in Greek, and they didn't which was great. They went for new material so i admire what they did.

In the end, it isn't nearly as good as the original film, there was less of an authentic Greek feeling, and it kinda lost itself in the Romantic Comedy elements. In terms of the plot it was very unfocused jumping around a lot. But it does deliver on the comedy and there are plenty of laughs to take out of this film, mainly if you are Greek.

5/10

If you are Greek you'll get it, if you are not you'll learn! This is one of the best sequels ever made for a comedy. Very funny, with it's usual cliché punchlines that anyone with a sense of deep family ties will understand. Expect the same amount of laughter and emotional connection as the first movie, with a touch of modern! Same lovable characters, similar story that has some twists and turns and surprisingly did not get old after waiting 14 years. For all of you who loved the first Big Fat Greek Wedding, go see it, you will be crying with laughter and emotion that only Greeks know how to bring on. OPA!!!!

Emotionally it was so difficult to watch ! I loved it ! Thank you Toula !

Says I need at least 10 lines of review or they won't accept it....

I worked in many high tech startups in the Boston area, and somehow we had a lot of Greek high tech engineers, so I developed many friendships with people of Greek ancestry. And many great Greek restaurants there in Massachusetts and New Hampshire.

One of my friends in one startup subsequently started a very nice restaurant "Seven Tables" in Seal Harbor, Maine, Yani had such a great menu !

So I very much appreciate the focus on Greek restaurants that this movie portrayed. I don't know of any other kind of restaurants where the owner is present at the restaurant pretty much 24/7

Opa !

Thanks again Toula !

Chuck

From comedic standpoint, MY BIG FAT Greek WEDDING 2 is not as strong and definitely as effective as the first film which gave Nia Vardalos her Oscar nomination for best original screenplay category. But this sequel does have enough family antics and lovey-dovey romance to keep the fans from wondering why they're not enjoying this as much as they had hoped.

It's been 14 years since the first film and not much has changed in the Portokalos family except for the fact that Toula (Nia Vardalos) and Ian (John Corbett) now have a teenage daughter named Paris (Elena Kampouris) who's considering going to a college located far far away from her Greek family, and I don't blame her, I too came from a culture that's family-oriented, not that there's anything wrong with that, but it can get overwhelming for a young person who feels that the world is much bigger than just the neighborhood she grew up in. Meanwhile, Toula's parents find out that their marriage license was never signed, they were never legally married and that is why another big fat Greek wedding is in order.

For the fans, it's nice to see the gang back together after all these years, familiar faces, familiar characters, the story does remind us why we loved the first film. There are cases out there in which the sequel may have arrived way too late, like "Sin City: A Dame To Kill For" but in this case, I think it makes sense that it took this long for MY BIG FAT Greek WEDDING 2 to arrive, because if they ever made the third installment, they could then focus it on Paris' wedding.

Again as a comedy, MY BIG FAT Greek WEDDING 2 is rather weak, mainly because there's nothing fresh about it, no surprises, and many of the Greek-centric jokes fall flat, I'm sure Nia Vardalos tried to throw anything she could into the mix but there's only so much you can do until they get old. This whole overbearing family that somewhat breathes down your neck can work once or twice but it gets played out in MY BIG FAT Greek WEDDING 2, as if that's the only thing it's got going for them.

I also feel the Paris going to college part of the story is much more interesting but since Nia has to juggle that with Toula's parents trying to get married aspect, so the whole relationship between Paris and her parents is only halfheartedly explored. Audiences will be divided over MY BIG FAT Greek WEDDING 2, some would wish they have their own Greek family that cares about them, some would be thankful they don't have such family, but all of them would agree that the first film was better by a mile. But you gotta give credit where credit's due, this franchise that Nia Vardalos created gave these Greek actors a platform to showcase their talent, otherwise you wouldn't see them much in anything else.

'MY BIG FAT Greek WEDDING 2': Two and a Half Stars (Out of Five)

A sequel to the 2002 blockbuster indie hit 'MY BIG FAT Greek WEDDING'. It was once again written by actress/writer Nia Vardalos, who also stars in the film (once again). The movie was directed (this time) by Kirk Jones; who also helmed 'WAKING NED DEVINE', 'EVERYBODY'S FINE' (which are both pretty good films) and 'WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU'RE EXPECTING' (which is horrible). The movie features John Corbett, Michael Constantine, Lainie Kazan, Andrea Martin, Joey Fatone, Louis Mandylor, Gia Carides, and others, all reprising their roles from the original film; while Elena Kampouris joins the cast. The movie isn't horrible (considering it comes 14- years after the original), but it's definitely not good either.

Toula (Vardalos) and Ian (Corbett) are still married, and they now have a teenage daughter, named Paris (Kampouris); that's about to graduate high school. The couple is worried that she's going to move away, and attend a college far away. They're also having marital problems, and have to deal with their overbearing Greek family (once again). Including another Greek family wedding.

I did enjoy the original movie, when it came out, but I'm not sure if I'd still like it now (I was a lot younger then). I never saw the short-lived (7 episode) TV series (from 2003), based on the film, but I heard it was horrible. This movie is pretty bad; it's filled with cheesy stereotypes, and the jokes are extremely forced. It feels a lot like a bad TV sitcom (actually), but it does have some heart, and likable characters, too. The film is mostly a pain though.

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