Topic > Movie Review: My Big Fat Greek Wedding

IndexSummaryAnalysisConclusionMy Big Fat Greek Wedding follows a couple as they try to build a life outside of their separate cultures. Although this film is a comedy, the underlying theme fits perfectly with what is taught in the classroom. This film describes various topics covered so far in this course. From stereotypes to ethnocentrism, there is something to learn from watching this film. While watching this movie once might be good enough for most people, it is essential to watch it two or three times in order to properly analyze it. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get Original EssaySummaryThe film opens with Toula, a 30-year-old woman waiting tables at her family's restaurant, who is picked up by her father, Gus, in a thunderstorm. She has a flashback to her younger self at school, where she felt like she didn't fit in because of her culture. Gus constantly told Toula that he was getting old and needed to get married. One day while waiting tables she met a boy named Ian. At first this went nowhere. Soon after Toula decides that she is very unhappy as a restaurant waitress and begs her father to let her go and manage her aunt's travel agency. After seeing Toula at the travel agency, Ian makes a move and stops by to see her. This leads to the two becoming a couple. Shortly after they started dating, Gus found out and was not immediately impressed. Ian wasn't Greek, in fact he had longer hair for a boy. Gus tried everything to separate them. He would invite Greek men over for dinner so he could meet Toula, but she wasn't interested in meeting other guys, her heart was set on Ian. Some time passes and Ian asks Toula to marry him. The family must now accept Ian for who he is. After learning of the engagement, Gus had Ian convert to their religion. When the time came for the families to meet, Ian took his parents to Toula's parents' house. This was a Greek gathering, lots of people, noisy, and a lamb cooking in the courtyard. This made Ian's parents worried about him. When the wedding finally arrived, everyone had a great time. It was a usual Greek party, noisy and with lots of laughter. The film ends with Gus revealing to the couple his wedding gift, a house right next to his. Analysis My Big Fat Greek Wedding follows a couple who must overcome all the obstacles of intercultural communication in today's culture. This film is a great representation of the topics discussed in this course. Explores topics such as: ethnocentrism, collectivism versus individualism, stereotyping, culture shock, prejudice, and uncertainty. One of the most prevalent cultural topics shown in the film is ethnocentrism. Ethnocentrism can be described as the tendency to put one's own culture on a stool and create negative assumptions and behaviors towards another culture. Gus, the father, is the most ethnocentric of the group. He put his culture, Greek culture, above any other culture. He says this is the movie: “There are two kinds of people in this world; Greeks and all the others who would like to be Greeks." He claims that everything in the world today originates in some way in Greek culture. Although the film portrays the Greeks as the most ethnocentric, the Americans, Ian and his parents, also have this quality. They have this belief that American culture is all there is, to the point that they don't recognize the differences between the two cultures. In this film we can undoubtedly identify the concepts of collectivism versus individualism. Toula's family, the Greeks,.