My Life in Ruins - Review

I feel bad for anyone coming into this film expecting to see some Greek architecture lushly shown on film. I feel bad for anyone expecting Nia Vardalos in a good role and in better form. But this film will not get any sympathy from myself. This is a very vulgar, unfunny film masquerading as a light-hearted travel through Greece. According to the logic of this film's message, tour guides need to let tourists shop all the time and only entice them to the old history of Greece if it has something to do with sex.

I'm one of the few people who still openly admit to liking MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING. It was a fun film that accomplished its goals and was refreshing from Hollywood's usual rom-com trite. But Nia Vardalos has definitely changed in the years since that film, both in looks and her comedy. In MY LIFE IN RUINS, she uncreditedly writes herself as a beaten-down ring leader of the next wave of tourists into Greece. She is supposed to undergo a transformation, from a tight-ass (their words, mind you) into a free and happy independent woman. But there is no morphing; Vardalos hardly acts differently nor does she change her body language or wit to display. She's just smug throughout the film, and that's sad and annoying to watch.

Now, let's get to the "real" comedy of this film, the tourists themselves. There is a section where Vardalos reads off all of them into cliche categories as a joke but the film still keeps them in line with the cliches instead of exploring beyond them. You have the usual ugly Americans, a Spanish cougar pair, uptight British family, the elderly, and "Mr. Funny" as played by the once great Richard Dreyfuss. Get ready to hear their special shtick ad nauseaum because it never ends. One character introduces himself as a businessman to the IHOP chain. Guess what jokes you hear from him during the entire 95 runtime? But, the absolute worst characters in this film are the Australians. While the other tourists at least get some characterization to try to make them unique, the Australian couple do nothing but drink, drink, and made fun of for their lack of good English. Then, after their goofy moments are done they disappear to the back of the group never to be shown for awhile.

Nothing is funny or good in this film. It's at least somewhat relatively easy to view than other fiascos this year but it is still very bad. Even the Greek people aren't given a nice image; the regular citizens are shown to be greedy misers and horny idiots. I don't know what Vardalos will try next for her comeback, but she needs to re-work herself before re-working someone else's script.

FINAL REVIEW: 1 / 5