My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 Parent Guide
This movie captures the feeling of family with great humor, however some sexual dialogue and innuendo are potential concerns.
Parent Movie Review
They say, “The more things change, the more they stay the same.” And that seems particularly true for Toula (Nia Vardalos). Since her own Big Fat Greek Wedding, she and Ian (John Corbett) have raised a beautiful child named Paris (Elena Kampouris) who is struggling with an ugly attitude not uncommon in seventeen-year-olds. Toula has given up her career as a travel agent in favor of motherhood, and now that supportive role is expanding to include the care of her aging parents Maria and Gus (Lainie Kazan and Michael Constantine). Along with helping them with medical appointments and grocery shopping, Toula is also working at her Dad’s restaurant again. Although there is lots of other family around, the devoted daughter takes on many of these responsibilities. Consequently her appearance is suffering and so is the time she spends with her husband.
Although she fears her life is out of balance, things get worse when her father happens to pull out his marriage certificate and discovers the priest never signed the document. When Maria is told she’s been living in sin for over 50 years, instead of agreeing to a quick trip to the church to rectify the situation, she decides to take the opportunity to fix the shortcomings of past. This time around she wants a proper proposal and her own big fat Greek wedding. When Gus refuses to pander to her silly demands, Maria stubbornly digs in her heels. Suddenly Toula is caught in the middle of their power struggle. But it may take more than one daughter’s determination to settle this dispute.
Thankfully, they are all part of a big fat Greek family. The down side is every grandma, aunt, uncle, brother, sister, niece and nephew (some played by Bess Meisler, Andrea Martin, Gia Carides, Joey Fatone, Ian Gomez and Louis Mandylor) has an opinion on how to bring the feuding couple back together. Although she should be grateful for the help, Toula finds her need to rescue everyone being trodden over in the stampede. Meanwhile Ian thinks this may be a good time for her to bow out and concentrate on the challenges facing their own little circle: him, her and the growing-up-too-fast Paris.
Just as the prequel, Nia Vardalos has written a script that captures both the claustrophobia and the freedom of family. With humor she explores the contradictory natures of finding one’s self while accepting your cultural identity, and of spreading one’s wings while always knowing you can come home to roost. The biggest concerns are the many exchanges of sexual dialogue and innuendo, and a married couple shown passionately kissing and beginning to undress in an attempt to rekindle their romance. If you can ignore this content in the same way you pretend not to notice that crude relative who seems to show up at every large event, you may still really enjoy this invitation to another big fat Greek wedding.
Directed by Kirk Jones. Starring Nia Vardalos, John Stamos, John Corbett, Louis Mandylor. Running time: 94 minutes. Theatrical release March 25, 2016. Updated July 17, 2017About author
My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2
Rating & Content Info
Why is My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 rated PG-13? My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 is rated PG-13 by the MPAA for some suggestive material.
Violence: A volleyball hits a woman in the head while she is watching the game. Characters bully or mock others. Characters wrestle, usually playfully. Some verbal threats are uttered. Police cars are driven at high speeds.
Sexual Content: The script is full of sexual references and innuendo as characters talk about their love lives, wedding nights and give advice to a younger generation. Some slang and anatomical terms are used for body parts. A naked man is seen in a bathtub with a towel covering his private parts. A married couple in a car kisses passionately and begins to undress each other – they are interrupted by people on the street. An older woman gives a younger woman some lingerie and instructions about how to spice up her relationship with her husband. Couples of all ages are seen embracing and kissing. A woman makes others uncomfortable when she talks about her health issues – some of them deal with the reproductive system. A character reveals he is gay and is having a relationship with a partner.
Language: Infrequent mild profanities are heard and a few terms of deity are used as expletives. The script includes a lot of sexual banter and innuendo using silly names and anatomical terms for body parts.
Alcohol / Drug Use: Characters drink alcohol during a stressful situation, to toast a marriage and at the reception. Some characters become drunk.
Page last updated July 17, 2017
My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 Parents' Guide
Toula’s Aunt Voula (Andrea Martin) observes, “You baby your parents because you can’t parent your baby.” Do you think Toula has taken on the care of her mother and father because she is becoming less needed by her daughter? What help do her aging parents require? What things might she do because she needs to be needed?
Toula also has trouble letting go of her daughter. Why is that so hard for parents? Why is that so hard for growing children? What things can both parties do to ease that transition?
Several of the characters comment on romance being dead after marriage. What insight do Ian and Toula share about this statement? How can married couples keep their relationships alive even with the stresses of child rearing, family commitments and work obligations?
Gus claims that his life has become so intertwined with Maria’s that when he walks he sees two shadows. How does this statement reflect on the way marriage can tie couples together? Why does Maria not always think this connection is a good thing? What feelings do both of them need to work through as they consider the many years they have spent together?
Home Video
The most recent home video release of My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 movie is June 21, 2016. Here are some details…
Home Video Notes: My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2
Release Date: 14 June 2016
My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 releases to home video (Blu-ray and DVD) with the following special features:
- Gag reel
- My Big Fat Greek Dinner: Nia Vardalos, John Corbett, Joey Fatone, Ian Gomez, Lainie Kazan and Michael Constantine take part in a round-table retrospective shot inside the now famous Portokalos family restaurant, Dancing Zorbas. This featurette includes an in-depth look at the making of the film, the gargantuan success of its predecessor and how one doesn’t have to be Greek to feel like a member of the Portokalos family!
- Making the Greekquel: An inside look at the making of My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 featuring on-set footage plus cast and crew interviews to show what it takes to bring a fan favorite back to life. Nia Vardalos, John Corbett, and cast members share some behind the scenes secrets, and Elena Kampouris and director Kirk Jonestalk about working alongside the original cast as they shoot the follow up to the 2002 blockbuster.
Related home video titles:
This movie is the sequel to My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Nia Vardalos is also seen in My Life in Ruins. John Corbett appears in Ramona and Beezus and Raising Helen.