Q: What’s the movie about?A: An American tour guide in Greece (Nia Vardalos) hates her life and all the ugly tourists in it... until they conspire to help her find her "kefi"-- which is basically the Greek word for mojo.
Q: Who’s in the movie?A: Nia Vardalos, Richard Dreyfuss, Alexis Georgoulis, Alistair McGowan, Harland Williams, Rachel Dratch, Brian Palermo, Caroline Goodall, Ian Ogilvy, Sophie Stuckey, Maria Botto, Maria Adanez, Jareb Dauplaise, Simon Gleeson, Natalie O'Donnell, Sheila Bernett, Ralph Nossek, Bernice Stegers, Rita Wilson, Ian Gomez
Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?A:
Go! If you liked My Big Fat Greek Wedding, this movie has the same tone, family-friendliness, light-heartedness, humor, romance, and leading lady, with a totally new story about being half-Greek, and a setting that makes you feel like you've just gone on a nice vacation.
Q: Will this movie make me laugh?A: Stereotypes are funny. And it turns out that Greeks using Windex as a cure-all is just the tip of the iceberg, because let's face it, people are stupid.
Q: Will this movie make me cry?A: Even if you don't cry at the magnificent/majestic scenery (inside joke to be enjoyed by those who have already seen the movie), you might still cry at the touching parts of the story.
Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?A: Since the timing of the release-- amidst the big budget summer blockbusters-- seems to coincide with the strategy used to turn My Big Fat Greek Wedding into a $200 million hit, this one could also have an outside chance of winning the 2009 Summer Sleeper Award, as audiences trickle in to buy tickets because the movies they planned on seeing were sold out.
Q: How is the Acting?A: You will remember why we all fell in love with Nia Vardalos' "average girl looking for a break" charm, and why you liked her before she did Connie and Carla. (That's not a reference to a lesbian threesome, that's actually the name of a movie she made.) In other delightful acting news, apparently, several of the actors improvised their lines, including two drunk Australians spouting meaningful gibberish that can only be understood by the natives of their land, and a 5 minute monologue about pancakes by Brian Palermo.
Q: How is the Directing?A: How can you go wrong in Olympia, Delphi, and Athens? If you're one of the few people in the world who still has $1500 in the bank, you'll be booking your airline ticket as soon as you get home from the theater.
Q: How is the story/script?A: The structure of the story is dynamic because despite the fact that it's a predictable romantic comedy, the two lead characters are not each other's love interest. The second lead, Richard Dreyfuss, is in the script for a whole other purpose. Along with the many little details and side stories going on for each of the tourists, this movie ends up feeling like something you haven't quite seen before.
Q: Is there anything else worth mentioning about the movie? A: There are a few inauthentic moments, here and there, you will have to grit your teeth through. Like, for example, I don't think a tour guide, who knows she's going to be walking on ruins all day would regularly wear 4 inch wedge heals to work. And I can't think of any good reason in this day and age for a tourist to purposely throw his mobile phone in a fire. It's easy enough to just turn it off, and by dealing with it that way, you don't lose all your contacts. Because realistically, one day your vacation is going to end, and you might actually need to call your friends and co-workers again. Not to mention the safety factor-- anyone who's seen Taken knows that it's not as safe as it used to be for Americans to travel abroad.
Q: Where can I see the trailer? A:
http://www.moviefone.com/search/my%20life%20in%20ruins/trailers
Stop! I can see the little old church ladies now, watching this movie on TV and then telling their grandchildren, "Oh, wasn't that a nice picture?" They are the only ones who feel that way.
