“My Life in Ruins” is supposed to be a romantic comedy, but it was not a good comedic effort and not a good romantic effort… its just so-so.  It is however, a cheaper way to tour Greece.

Nia Vardalos tries to break out again since her “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” did so well… but this effort is subpar and may be disappointing to many of her fans, or fans of the movie that put her on the map.
 

In “My Life in Ruins” Vardalos’ character Georgia is a transplant in Greece, working a temporary job that became a permanent job while she waited for another job.

There…. I clarified the first 15 inutes of the movie, so you can enjoy the scenery of shooting locations in Greece (and Spain)… because in the end, the scenery really is the best part of this movie… a cheaper way to get a little tour of Greece.

Its sad when the movies’ main points can be used against it.  The main point in the movie is that Georgia has lost her kefi (Greek for “mojo”)… and through the events of the movie, she supposedly finds it again…. but this movie never really finds its own kefi.  Also, they hammer home that Georgia is not fun or funny as a tour guide… and the movie is neither fun or funny.  At best, the jokes/hijinks got a smile and half-laugh from me.

While the locales are cool and the actors certainly do well to play into all the stereotypes that her burned out tour guide character narrates in the beginning (the obnoxious american couple, tipsy australians, old people, funny guy, etc.)…. I never totally bought in to the entire story.

Richard Dreyfuss helps carry this movie, but he doesn’t have enough screentime to make it worth yor time and money now, if you really must see it, wait for it to come out to rent in the winter months, making this a little vacation getaway.

THE BOTTOM LINE:

This is not “Under the Tuscan Sun”!!!  “My Life in Ruins” is a cute, mildly amusing, but predictable romantic comedy… I give it 5.5 out of 10 … the average story and average acting makes this feel more like a Lifetime movie than a big screen feature film.  My movie experience was ru-ined by this very average movie.

“My Life in Ruins”

(2009) (rated: PG-13 for sexual content)
(1 hr, 38 min)

Starring: Nia Vardalos, Richard Dreyfuss, Alexis Georgoulis, Alistair McGowan, Harland Williams, Rachel Dratch, Caroline Goodall, Ian Ogilvy, Sophie Stuckey, María Botto, María Adánez, Brian Palermo, Jareb Dauplaise

Director: Donald Petrie

Genre: Romantic Comedy

The Plot: A travel guide rediscovers her romantic side on a trip around Greece.

So what did you think?  Please post a comment!

“My Life in Ruins” poster courtesy Fox Searchlight

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