My Big Fat Greek Wedding - Familientreffen

I had a hard time sitting through the entire movie. It was that bad. Almost cringe worthy. I loved the original, it's one of my favorites. So after watching part three I was greatly let down.

Even though it's the original cast there was no heart in the film. Everyone felt like strangers. There was no connection. They tried to make it funny but it felt forced and scripted. The music did not help either, it was out of place. Everything about the movie felt empty. The lines really didn't help.

For being in the home country there wasn't enough drama or loudness. And I think that was because there wasn't enough people. Having a dead town did not help. The plot was thin and there really wasn't much to the movie. The one wedding that they did have, I didn't feel much for the couple, didn't really know them or care about them. I honestly thought for a moment there they were going to have a lesbian couple with the vibes they were giving off, but that turned out to be nothing. Which again was confusing.

They had the wrong actress for the daughter. She felt like a complete stranger. Nothing about her was likeable or relatable. And the drama of her love life feels so empty. And almost confusing. To the point where I am asking what is this?

With their mother suffering from dementia, a family are faced with a bit of impending mortality and decide it's time to head back to their ancestral Greek homeland for a family reunion. "Toula" (the film's auteur Nia Vardalos) and her American husband "Ian" (John Corbett) head off with her body-grooming obsessed brother "Nick" (Louis Mandylor), a pair of sagely aunts and the lovestruck - though they don't yet know it - "Paris" (Elena Kampouris) and "Aristotle" (Elias Kacavas). Upon arrival they meet the local mayor "Victory" (Melina Kotselou). Now she's an enthusiastic young woman whom, it turns out, has maybe been talking up this gathering. Indeed, the visitors might well be the only people who are coming! Their welcome locally is a bit hit and miss thanks to the imperious, curmudgeonly, and rather ubiquitous old "Alexandra" (the scene-stealing Anthi Andreopoulou) but gets slightly more friendly when they all discover just how closely related they all are, and after the hunt starts for some old friends of their father who left the island many years ago... What now ensues is the gentlest of family comedies that raises the very occasional smile; plays a lot to stereotype and generally presents us with a beautifully shot, entirely predictable, soap opera. Kampouris and Kacavas provide the eye candy, and the aunties dispense some words of wisdom now and again allowing Lainia Kazan ("Maria") to remind me a lot of Joan Rivers. Otherwise, though, this is entirely forgettable summer fayre that smacks a little of "Mamma Mia" (2008) only without the toe-tappers. It's watchable but very unremarkable.

One of the worst supposed comedies I've had to endure in quite a while. The humor was non existent to begin with. How could the people responsible for this train wreck not look to the successful formula utilized in the first 2 in the franchise? The script, editing , storyline and acting were deplorable. The only element worth stomaching was the cinematography which was amateur, at best. I really wanted this movie to work. I was amazed at how poorly thought out this movie was plotted. The budget was sizable enough as was the cast size welcoming back virtually everyone from the last 2 movies. Real shame.

The movie has heart. The movie shows love that a family should have for one another. But boy this film is uneven. The story thread is a flimsy tapestry with a series of light hearted moments and gags. I just returned from a vacation to Greece. My heart was in this film. I loved the last two movies but the third film needed more time in the writer's room to ensure a nice, steady flow of jokes and heartfelt moments and solid dialogue. The performances were meh. Loved the addition of more Greek music to set the mood of Greek living. It was a nice love letter to the actor who played the father's passing but we need more than schmaltz to keep a movie on point.

IN A NUTSHELL: In the newest addition to the My Big Fat Greek Wedding franchise, the kooky family travels to Greece for a long-awaited family reunion. Nia Vardalos stars in this with her break-out role AND directs the whole party.

The story is supposed to take place one year after the events of My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2.

THINGS I LIKED: Fans of the franchise will get a kick out of seeing their favorite Greek family again.

We get to see a lot of Greece! I finally got to travel there a few years ago. I absolutely LOVED the food. Greek food is so much better when you're actually in Greece! We hit all of the big tourist spots all over the country. We even took a quick flight so we could visit Santorini. So great! I always love traveling in movies too, because it gives me ideas for my Travel Bucket List. One of the characters is Syrian, so we get to learn a little bit about Syrian dance moves.

There's an important conversation in the movie about how people work all of their lives, saving their money, hoping they'll have their health to travel once they retire. I know a lot of people who have that philosophy but my husband I don't. We recognize that tomorrow isn't promised, so we are committed to traveling as much as we can now while we work.

We get to see all of our fan favorites, as well as meet a few new ones. The cast includes Nia Vardalos (who is perfect in the role of Fotoula "Toula" Portokalos), John Corbett (still as handsome as ever), Andrea Martin (always hilarious), Lainie Kazan, Louis Mandylor, Elena Kampouris, Gia Carides, and even Joey Fatone!

Missing from the cast are Michael Constantine, Bruce Gray, and Constantine Vardalos. Sadly, they all passed away since the last movie. This film is dedicated to them.

One scene I remember from the very first film in the franchise is when all of the women pulled back each other's necks when taking a photo. I've done that with my friends and sisters on occasion for laughs. In this movie, a new character in Greece teaches the Americans another tip for the perfect photo. Ha ha Speaking of the perfect shot, Barry Peterson has the lucky job as a cinematographer in the film. It's hard to take a bad shot when you're in beautiful Greece!

Both Tom Hanks, Gary Goetzman, and Rita Wilson worked as producers with Nia Vardalos serving as the Executive Producer AND director.

Stephanie Economou offers some original music, which is fun.

There is a very real element in the story of the matriarch in the family who now has dementia. My mother recently passed away. She struggled with Alzheimer's for many years, so the scenes in the movie that showed Maria Portokalos always made me sad.

There are some touching moments when childhood friends are reunited.

There are some cute moments and running gags.

THINGS I DIDN'T LIKE: It's not nearly as funny as we all wished it were.

The story doesn't flow well.

It sure is convenient that everyone in Greece can speak English with the characters in the story!

There is a romance in the story but the couple is already together and complete strangers to the family. They finally admit they want to get married. That's it. That's not how I would describe a rom-com.

TIPS FOR PARENTS: Kids will probably be bored. Sadly, so will some adults.

Some Greek is spoken with and without subtitles.

Lots of alcohol. Some people get drunk.

We see full-frontal nudity of a man, except he holds a soda bottle in front of his junk so we, thankfully, don't have to see that.

A man shaves a lot of body parts in front of everyone.