The Film
Nia Vardalos made a name for herself by tapping into her heritage. This virtual unknown did very well in her debut, beating the indie odds and turning My Big Fat Greek Wedding into a $368 million worldwide smash. My Life in Ruins is the star's second attempt at Greek comedy. Unfortunately, it comes off more like a tragedy -- for everyone involved.
Vardalos stars as Georgia, an American with Greek roots, living as a tour guide in Greece. She stinks at it, too. It doesn't help that she is constantly burdened with a busload of stereotypes, including drunken Australians, annoying Americans, shoplifting seniors and uptight Brits.
Her day job stinks and the nightlife isn't much better, of course. Thankfully, a bus driver (Alexis Georgoulis) with Greek god-like abs is ready to rescue her from the single life.
Did we mention that the bus driver's name is Poupi Kakas?
Poupi's name is actually a running joke, which should tell you how the rest of the movie goes. Apparently, no one told Richard Dreyfuss. How he ended up here is a mystery. Maybe he took a wrong turn on the Fox lot or he owes a favor to husband/wife producing team Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson (who appears as Dreyfuss' deceased wife).
Vardalos didn't write this one, which is good and bad. "My Script in Ruins" is more like it. Why would she want to taint her legacy? Despite the perky star, an Oscar winner and the tagline that promises more wacky Greek antics, this film is crap in any language.
The Picture
This film may be painful to watch, but it sure is pretty. Thankfully, the movie's one saving grace is its gorgeous Greek backdrop. Some of the scenes in this 1.85:1 transfer are so good, you'd think you were watching a travel video. The blues are particularly beautiful and rampant, whether in the skies, the seas or even Georgia's tour guide gear. Inside shots, however, are less impressive, with a little grain and a lot less color.
The Sound
We wish the DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack didn't deliver the dialogue so well. As far as sound, though, the film offers little else. However, once in a while, you'll hear surround noises in some of the crowd scenes.
The Extras
This release has a whopping three commentary tracks and very little else. There are the typical deleted scenes, as well as an alternate ending. Also, in case you needed a little extra Poupi, there's a 3.5-minute short, which is edited so that everyone is checking out the dark-haired wonder. Um... ok...
Final Thoughts
On the back of this disc, it says the film is, "The most fun you can have without a passport." A passport may not be needed, but they say nothing about the lobotomy. Nia Vardalos had better start writing again, because with every clunker like this one (and the equally hideous Connie and Carla), her big-screen success is fading fast. My Life in Ruins does offer a pleasant look at the scenery in Greece. The rest is just a bunch of Poupi Kakas.
Product Details
- Actors: Nia Vardalos, Richard Dreyfuss, María Adánez, Sheila Bernette, María Botto, Rachel Dratch, Alexis Georgoulis, Ralph Nossek, Bernice Stegers, Harland Williams
- Director: Donald Petrie
- Audio/Languages: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (English), Dolby Digital 5.1 (French)
- Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish
- Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
- Region: A
- Number of Discs: 1
- Rating: PG-13
- Studio: 20th Century Fox
- Blu-ray Disc Release Date: October 4, 2009
- Run Time: 95 minutes
- List Price: $39.99
- Extras:
- Commentary by Nia Vardalos
- Commentary by Director Donald Petrie
- Commentary by Writer Mike Reiss
- Deleted and Alternate Scenes
- Everybody Loves Poupi
- Bride Wars Trailer
