My Big Fat Greek Wedding became a surprise box-office smash in 2002, grossing more than 240 million dollars domestically. The movie, written by and starring Nia Vardalos (based on her autobiographical one-woman show), focused on the courtship and marriage of Toula Portokalos (Vardalos), a 30-year-old Greek woman living in Chicago, to WASP-y Ian Miller (John Corbett). Toula's ultra-traditional, opinionated family weren't pleased with their romance, but grudgingly came around. Now, 14 years later, the Portokalos clan return in this sweet-natured sequel that will delight both fans of the original and anyone looking for a light, breezy afternoon at the movies. "We see no difference between hugging and suffocating," Toula tells us in voice-over as we are reintroduced to her big, loud Greek family, who consider smothering the ultimate sign of affection. The close-knit brood includes Toula's intrusive parents Gus and Maria (Michael Constantine and Lainie Kazan), her naughty Aunt Voula (Andrea Martin), her kooky Yia Yia (Bess Meisler), and a brash assortment of siblings and cousins. The family are currently focused on finding a boyfriend -- Greek, of course -- for Toula's 17-year-old daughter Paris (Elena Kampouris), as well as trying to persuade her to attend Northwestern University after she graduates from high school in order to keep her close by in Chicago. But Paris has other ideas: She wants to attend college anywhere but the Windy City, since she can't wait to escape her overbearing household and exhale. Meanwhile, the family are forced to confront another dilemma when they discover that Gus and Maria's marriage license was never signed, which means that they weren't legally wed. While Gus wants to get hitched quickly in a small private service, Maria demands a proper proposal from Gus followed by a full-blown, traditional Greek wedding. Cue the fireworks. Wedding 2 (also written by Vardalos) recycles a lot of jokes and incidents from the 2002 original (Toula gets another amazing makeover, Voula overshares every intimate detail, Gus still worships Windex and traces every word back to Greek). This would normally seem lazy, but the Portokalos clan are so likeable and relatable that you can't help but laugh at the silly, convoluted situations they get themselves into. It helps that the entire cast from the original return for this follow-up. They enliven the rather routine, sitcom-like shenanigans, mining them for genuine yucks that land more often than not. Constantine and Kazan are especially good, expertly playing off one another with veteran comedic timing, but it's scene-stealer Martin, with her Cruella de Vil haircut and exaggerated accent, who gets the biggest laughs. In addition, John Stamos and Rita Wilson (who, along with hubby Tom Hanks, helped produce the film) pop up in welcome cameos. Some viewers may find Wedding 2 a bit too sugary, but its wholesomeness and feel-good vibe will particularly appeal to older moviegoers, typically an underserved lot. It may not be quite as fresh the second time around, but like a warmed-over slice of the Portokalos' spanakopita, it remains savory comfort food.
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