2002’s indie sensation “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” was a bit of a box office anomaly, with the IFC Films distributed film grossing over $240 million worldwide, making it the biggest independent film ever released. Given the fact that IFC Films isn’t a very capable distributor now in 2016, let alone in 2002, so its success was a bit of a miracle. What wasn’t a miracle, however, was the fact that it has taken 14 years for Gold Circle Entertainment to produce another sequel, which always seems to happen to the most successful of films. The first film is one of those films that I never remember how much I love until I’m watching the film again, which is pretty rare, seeing as I don’t own the film on Blu-ray (which, given that it’s less than $5 on Amazon, I probably should).

But as sequels go, you could do a lot worse than “My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2.”

The film doesn’t do much to build off the “universe” created in the first film, but in a film like this, does it really matter? What does matter is that the eclectic and lovable family detailed in the first film is just as good, which they are. What’s nice about “My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2” is that everyone from the original film is back, down to the last in-law. In a sequel, it’s nice to be reminded why there is a sequel to begin with, which this film does very well in giving each of the lovable characters we’ve come to love the time to shine they deserve.

“But Hunter…there already has a big, fat, Greek wedding, how can there be another one?”

With a 17 year old daughter now, Toula (Nia Vardalos) and Ian (John Corbett) are struggling with the fact that their daughter is going away to college in a few short months. All the while, Toula’s father, Costas (Michael Constantine), determined to prove he is a direct descendant of Alexander the Great, discovers in his marriage certificate to Maria (Lainie Kazan), that the priest never signed the certificate, meaning that the past 50 years of their marriage have not been valid. Through this realization and with the help of Aunt Voula (Andrea Martin), this prompts the occasion for another big, fat, Greek wedding.

The best thing about “My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2” is that, despite feeling dated and a bit overdue, keeps the charming essence of the first film and stands on its own as a charming, family-friendly, feel-good movie. It’s light, fluffy humor that’s effective when it hits and harmless when it sometimes doesn’t. What works best is a better focus on Maria and Voula, two of the best characters of the first film, in some very funny gags, including one involving “pulling their necks back” in pictures.

Granted, not everything works. The largest being an obvious plot hole regarding Toula and Ian’s daughter. Now, hear me out. If “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” took place in 2002 and “My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2” takes place in 2016, the oldest that their daughter could be would be 14 years old and yet, Paris is 17 years old and prepping to go to college. Besides this plot hole, the film feels a bit dated. The first film is a staple of the early-2000s and because of that, this film feels like it should’ve been made in the mid-2000s, not 2016. Now, this isn’t a dealbreaking issue, but the film doesn’t feel as updated as it should’ve been, despite having quite a few jokes about FaceTime and technology.

But Vardalos’ writing is the strongest it’s been since the first film, as her other film she penned “I Hate Valentine’s Day,” bombed to say the least. The writing is strongest when the film isn’t trying to be gut-bustingly funny, but rather just focusing on the sheer ridiculousness of the personalities of the characters that the actors seem to inhabit effortlessly, especially Martin as Voula.

It’s hard to say much about “My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2” that wasn’t already said about “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” 14 years ago. The film isn’t high art in the slightest, but it has a breezy, likable atmosphere around it with eclectic, funny characters. The story itself doesn’t innovate much on the original story, making the film feel a lot less memorable than the first film. As sequels go, it could be a lot worse than this and if it ain’t broke, it’s okay if you don’t fix it.

3.5/5

Photo courtesy of Universal Pictures

Directed by: Kirk Jones
Starring: Nia Vardalos, John Corbett, Lainie Kazan, Gia Carides, Joey Fatone, Louis Mandylor, John Stamos, with Andrea Martin, and Michael Constantine.
Runtime: 94 minutes
Rating: PG-13 for some suggestive material.

Universal Pictures and Gold Circle Entertianment present, in association with Home Box Office, a Playtone picture, “My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2”