Greece Tour Guide Finds Love or How Nia Gets her Groove Back

Nia Vardalos, writer and star of the highly successful film “My Big Fat Greek Wedding”2002, returns to the big screen with a romantic comedy “My Life in Ruins.” Starring a much slimmer Vardalos as most of the celeb magazines have already commented big-time on her weight loss, (supposedly 40 lbs.). Well, I’m here to tell you that see looks great in the film and so does her new love interest Hollywood newcomer hunky tour bus driver (Alexis Georgoulis). The story reminded a bit like “How Stella Got Her Groove Back,” although Stella was on vacation, Nia works hard as an underappreciated Greek tour guide. I kept thinking, “Gee, I’d like to be in her tour group as she really fills you in on all of the historical details; which I love.” In this story, her tour group would rather go straight for the souvenirs and ice cream.

Richard Dreyfuss has a key role as the token comedic widower in the tour group. He eventually becomes friends with Nia and begins to offer her advice regarding the people in her group. It was great to see Dreyfuss back and I’m sure he enjoyed working on location in beautiful Greece. Another refreshing return is that of Rachael Dratch, a SNL alumnae. She plays an obnoxious American tourist who carries a golf club while touring alongside her husband played by Harland Williams (RocketMan 1997). Both are very funny in spite of the limited jokes and thin script they have to work with. The dialogue is bland and doesn’t flow well. Some of this is forgiven against the romantic and spectacular Greece backdrop. When Richard Dreyfuss says, “I know my jokes aren’t funny,” I wanted to answer back, “You are absolutely right, they aren’t funny!”

The film’s premise is based on tour guide Vardalos’s loss of her kefi (Greek for “mojo”). She’s discouraged by her lack of direction in life and works as a travel guide that’s given the so called bad group, bad hotel, bad bus driver (the one with the scroungey beard). She tries hard to show them the beauty of her native Greece while waiting to land her dream job. What she discovers with the help of tourist Dreyfuss is that love may be right in front of you all along. 

Nia Vardalos, whose breakthrough came with the smash indie film "My Big Fat Greek Wedding," again carries her lead role, but this portrayal feels far more artificial and strained. It’s too bad because the cast is great as well as the scenery. If you’ve been to Greece it will no doubt bring back glorious memories, for me, I’d like to book a ticket ASAP.

Director Donald Petri ("Grumpy Old Men," and "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days"), is at the helm. Several scenes needed the lighting corrected as it started out darker in spots where it should have been lighter as the scene was only minutes apart. Screenwriting credit is given to Mike Reiss who adds a very unsavory gay story line involving a young college student mistakenly wearing a Greek lettered t-shirt with an invitational gay message. He also adds a little-old-lady shoplifter with serious kleptomania problem. The stereotype of Australians drinking Fosters beer is a misnomer; most Australians don’t care for it. He does introduce a new word ‘Greek-a-lious’ which is also kinda corny.

Rita Wilson makes an unexpected appearance as the ghost of Dreyfuss’s departed wife. Wilson and Vardalos have a history as it was Wilson who introduced her to Tom Hanks her husband whose company later produced “My Big Fat Greek Wedding.”

Bottom line, if you are a fan of Vardalos then you’ll probably enjoy seeing her again on the big screen. Just be forewarned that the script needs major work as well as some of the directing.

Sarah Adamson © 2009