26 Films, Playtone, and Fox Searchlight Pictures

Written By:  Mike Reiss

Attempting to reclaim some box office success lacking since her 2002 breakout in “My Big Fat Greek Wedding”, Nia Vardalos’ return to the big screen in “My Life In Ruins” is a staggering disappointment.  A poorly conceived and surprisingly mean-spirited romantic comedy, “…Ruins” reunites Vardalos with Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson, who co-produced “…Wedding” and are co-executive producers with this effort.  Despite their involvement, “My Life In Ruins” is a trainwreck of bad comedy and dreadful characters, shoving every cliche possible into its carry-on bag of a movie.

Nia Vardalos portrays Georgia, a tour guide for a Greek travel company, who recently lost her job as a Greek studies professor at an Athens university.  Hating her job, lonely in life, and despising her co-workers, Georgia’s new group of tourists, mostly American in nature,have arrived right as Georgia is near her breaking point.  Her interactions in dealing with their quirks and idiosyncrasies force Georgia to question what she wants in life and how to best achieve her own happiness.

Not enough to let the characters develop, Mike Reiss’ script makes the supporting cast incredibly unlikable and saddled with lazy stereotypes.  Almost immediately after the film starts, Vardalos’ Georgia comes off as judgmental, mean, and so unhappy that once the story gets going, and Georgia develops a love interest, we are so put off by everyone involved that the viewer has no one to care about, no engagement in what is happening, and no remaining connection to what transpires.

Nia Vardalos shares some nice moments with Richard Dreyfuss, who plays a single man struggling with recent changes in his life.  There are some beautiful shots of the Greek landscape.  However, “My Life In Ruins” is a movie so drab and uninteresting, it fails even within the trappings of the typical, formulaic romantic comedy genre.  You would be better served thinking about the friends and lovers in your own life while reading a Greek travel guide than suffer through these 95 minutes.

Should I See It?

YES

If you like romantic comedy movies with a biting edge to them.

Nia Vardalos won your heart over in “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” and you have been waiting for her to return to a romantic comedy once again.

If you love Greek culture, there are some beautiful shots of the landscape and scenery, as the film received permission from the Greek government to film there.

NO

I mean, what else can I say.  It’s not going to be the romantic comedy that makes the skeptic finally fall in love with these kind of movies.

No emotion on display seems real and genuine, so there is nothing to relate to or cheer for here.

Simply stated, it is a bad movie.  See something else.