My Life in Ruins (2009)

A subtext of self-criticism runs through Vardalos's material. Over and over characters tell her, "You're not funny. Stop trying." Is it a sort of apology to the audience?

If much of the inane beginning had been re-worked, "Life"could have been a much better film.

Here's another sexed-up TV movie that has hit the big screen, mostly because of the name recognition of its two major stars.

...it's hard to like the movie as much as you might wish.

An aggressively awful opening 20 minutes gives way to over-the-top characterizations and an increasingly wan series of bits aping film moments we've all seen before, executed with more grace and charm.

As a laughing-through-tears jokester tourist, Richard Dreyfuss provides the only moments of real acting, as opposed to overacting, mugging, and scenery chomping.

That they should learn Greek dancing from a Mexican-born actor in a film produced by 20th Century Fox is somehow less ironic than just about right for a movie like this.

Nia Vardalos is a charmer but this movie with Greece as the backdrop is no 'Greek Wedding'

[A] steaming pile of stereotypes and sitcomery, a pathetic excuse for a comedy, a romance, and a movie.

It doesn’t feel genuine at all, it feels contrived from start to finish.