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Sweet Like Baklava

The good-natured but overbearing Portokalos family is back for "My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2." How much you missed and enjoyed this family the first time will greatly impact how much you enjoy them the second time.

When the first film was released in 2002, we didn't know much about writer and star Nia Vardalos. She wrote the first film, which was made for $5 million, and little did she know that she would have a surprise hit on her hands. "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" was a charming comedy, with big laughs and a likable cast, which went on to make over $300 million worldwide and garnered Vardalos an Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay. Not bad.

Fourteen years later, Vardalos has written a sequel, directed by Kirk Jones. There is absolutely no justification for "My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2" but it's here and it's not much different than the first. Thankfully, it's just about as charming as the last time around.

Vardalos reprises her role as Toula. She and Ian (John Corbett), who were the bride and groom of the first film, have a teenager daughter, Paris (Elena Kampouris), who is preparing to go off to college. Paris is eager to get out from underneath her smothering Greek family, where every event, big or small, requires attendance of the entire family.

Meanwhile, Toula's parents, Gus and Maria, (Michael Constantine and Lainie Kazan) discover that their marriage of over 50 years has all been a lie. Gus discovers that the marriage certificate was never signed and hoped he could get a quick signature from a priest to make it all legit. It's not that easy. Gus and Maria have to make it official, which means round up the entire family because it's time for another big, fat, Greek wedding.

The principle cast returns, including Andrea Martin as the sassy, advice-giving Aunt Voula and Joey Fatone as one of Toula's brothers. Constantine, much like the first time, is the scene-stealer of the film, giving the most preposterous Greek lessons to anyone who will listen and he still claims everything can be fixed with a little Windex.

It would have been nice for Vardalos to mix it up a bit and add a little more to the "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" formula, instead of relying so heavily on what worked last time. This is usually grounds for condemnation for a sequel with me, but "My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2" has just enough laughs and a giant heart, which makes it worth a watch. I do, however, hope it's the last trip down the aisle.