User Reviews

My Life in Ruins is corny, clichéd, predictable and a totally fun way to spend an afternoon. Every now then a movie will come along and change your life. This is not one of those movies. It is not highly original or well acted but it is a funny and feel good film. My Life in Ruins is about tour guide Georige (Nia Vardalos) who is bored with her job, disappointed with life and generally just too uptight. Thanks to a tour passenger Irv (Richard Deyfuss) who takes on a guardian angel role and a sexy "ugly swan" bus driver (Alexis Georgoulis), Georgie begins to look at life on a whole new level. Some of this movie is a little one dimensional. The Australian tourist whose singular role in the movie is to prove no one can understand us and that we like drinking way too much were a little corny. However, none of this stops the movie from being funny, fun and really entertaining. Vardolos continues to be a delight on screen and her co-star Alexis Georgoulis is really really hot. My advice is see this film, take along some high fat snacks and don't feel guilty about either. After all, as the film preaches life is too short to do anything else.

Early voters are being a little to hard on this feel-good romantic comedy/Greek travel infomercial. Nia Vardolos is a Greek-American expatriate in Greece, overqualified and unhappy with her temporary job as a tour guide. Nia rolls her pretty eyes at the prospect of entertaining a tacky crew of caricatured tourists, which include Richard Dreyfuss as a jokester and Rachel Dratch as an absurd American. Alexis Georgoulis is their hairy driver.

The jokes are pretty hit and miss, with mostly hits after the bus gets rolling a bit. This is a warm, accessible, and engaging film, that will satisfy fans of MBFGW who do not burden the film with too much in the way of expectation.

Has anyone seen the 1969 movie "If this is Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium?". " My life in Ruins"-what an excellent if corny title- is much the same theme. The film could have been serialised in Mad magazine. No, it is not a great movie but good light entertainment not to be taken seriously. I dwell in Greece and like Nia I am a Greek Canadian, we both speak Greek fluently enough but with a bad accent. I have never taken a bus tour in Greece but have Canadian friends who did and have told me of similar experiences as those shown in the movie. My one and only experience as a tourist on a bus full of Torontonians and Montrealers was in Mexcio in 1977 and it was pretty much the same. A crazy and life threatening driver called Pedro, a funny guide Pepe who realised we all wanted more humour than education about the Mexican ruins etc "Thees was where the thee pipi room was. You know, when the Aztecs they wanna make pipi". My Life in Ruins spares nobody be they Greek, American, Canadian, Spanish, British or Australian. I think it would be hard to appreciate the comedy for anyone who has never visited Greece or ever been part of a tourist bus group and laugh as much as I did. That's the thing about comedies, probably the most difficult of all movie genres; one has to relate to the situation and to the characters. I would put My Life in Ruins on a par with My Big Fat Greek Wedding (though not the later TV show which was a disaster).

Georgia (Nia Vardalos) went to Greece to teach at a university but ended up giving tours of the islands instead, due to unforeseen circumstances. She sends off resumes each week, looking for another professorship, but, until then, she tries to enlighten the tourists about the grandeur of Greece. They want none of it, usually, as they would rather shop or bask on the beaches. One day, Georgia gets a new driver, Poupi, a scruffy-looking Greek, and a new group of stereotypical tourists. These include Irv (Richard Dreyfuss), an American widower with a knack for making jokes, a frequently-tipsy couple from Australia, two scantily-dressed, Spanish women looking for rich husbands, and so on. As usual, they have no interest in Greek ruins but do like the "genuinely fake" Greek souvenirs. How will Georgia endure this without going stark raving mad? And, is Poupi hiding a handsome exterior and a kind interior under his beard? This is an enjoyable film for fans of romantic comedy but it is by no means especially memorable. That's not Vardalos' fault for she has great comedic skills and Dreyfuss does a good job, too. Its more the lack of a surefire script and direction, for it is funny in spots but not-so-funny in others and it has a far too-leisurely pace, at times. On the plus side, however, the scenery of the Greek Isles is very beautiful and the costuming and camera work are quite, quite nice. All in all, if you love funny tales of love, this one will most likely be a good time for you and yours. But, it is not in the same category as this year's wonderful New in Town so, if you don't go with unreasonably high expectations, you will have fun.

Sorry, Nia. I'm a fan....but this movie falls pretty flat. The comedy writing is contrived and predictable. There were some laugh out loud moments. But they were too few and far between. Most of the characters are cardboard cut-outs. They are unbelievable and obnoxious. And the story? Well, we've seen it a million times before. Richard Dreyfuss is the HIGHLIGHT of this film. It is in scenes with Nia and Dreyfuss that the movie shines. The scene at the beach was so brief but so powerful...Dreyfuss makes the most of those brief moments. The scenery,however,is fantastic! To see the ruins of Greece on the big screen...what a treat. Overall, I felt this movie was trying way too hard to be funny....much like the tour guide in the movie. Wait for it to come out on video.

This movie reminded me of If it's Tuesday this must be Belgium. I would say they are similar in quality and subject matter (romance on a tour bus with wacky tourists as comedy relief). The romance was a bit better in Belgium and maybe the movie overall but they are close. Low brow clichéd comedy in both and while Belgium does Western Europe Ruins is set in Greece. The cinematography is better in Ruins so if you like pretty pictures take a trip with Vardalos and company. The movie isn't awful and I would classify it as a pleasant time waster of a summer movie but that is it. It is the type of movie you wait to arrive on DVD, cable or regular TV. Nevertheless the crowd I saw it with at an advance screening clapped at the end so there are some as other user comments attest to that really liked it.

This movie is better than the blah reviews others gave. It was just a fun feel good film. Just sit back, relax and enjoy a happy film. I love the cliché undertones of the different cultures.

The critics are fair, the posibilities to make a better film , using admirable actors, are many. but..., against not the best script, cliches, thin stories, flat characters, it is a nice film. and that is, in fact, the most important thing. because it is the film of Nia Vardalos, saving many scenes, it is occasion for Richard Dreyfuss to give a lovely character and , for viewer, it is a modest opportunity to meet a sketch of Greece, a sort of love story and the effort of team to do reasonable film about vacation and its people. and, maybe, it is enough. for a nice result who, being, at the first sigh only an improvisation, could be defined as version of "My Big Greek Wedding".

I thought long and hard to come up with a decent review of this, but there just isn't much to say about this. So if you want an in-depth review, look elsewhere.

I haven't seen My Big Fat Greek Wedding, but I have seen a lot of romantic comedies, and I can tell you right now that My Life in Ruins has no originality. You've already seen it.

And I'm unsure why this is labeled as a romantic comedy, because the "comedy" is heavily lacking. I only got a few chuckles out of Richard Dreyfuss's lame, but well-delivered dialogue (WHY THE HELL IS HE IN THIS ANYWAY???). Most of the "comedy" comes from the tourists annoying the crap out of Nia Vardalos's character, and they ended up annoying me as well.

Nia Vardalos and Richard Dreyfuss have some good chemistry, and they are pretty much the only likable characters. Everyone else is just an annoying stereotype.

It isn't a good movie, by any means, but it's the moments between Nia Vardalos and Richard Dreyfuss that make the movie slightly tolerable. It's barely worth a rent, but it wouldn't hurt THAT bad.

I was not expecting this film to be great art, but this was dreadful.It was really the worst film I have seen in a long time. The plot was entirely predictable and very tired and the acting was really poor - hammy and crude. It also appeared to lose its nerve part way through and introduced much darker notes which were completely out of place in what was a farce. Yes, it had the very occasional laughs, but very few indeed. We went to see it partly because we had just returned from a delightful holiday in Greece and wanted to be reminded of happy experiences. Well, we did see some familiar and spectacular ancient sites and scenery, but that was all. Do not waste your time on this.

I was really excited to see this movie after having loved My Big Fat Greek Wedding for so long. I was VERY happy with this movie! If you want to go on vacation, but don't have the money, I would suggest watching this movie! The comedy is great in it, although some of it can be a bit redundant and childish (bus drivers name is Poupi Kakas). Just like any other romantic comedy, it's pretty predictable, but who even cares! All romantic comedies have the same skeletal structure that make us giggle and smile in our seats! This movie seriously had me laughing out loud. You will honestly fall in love with Greece whether or not you've ever been there. Not to mention, you will fall in love with bus driver Poupi (Alexis Georgoulis), who is EXTREMELY hot! Definitely a movie worth renting, watching, and buying! I can't get enough of it! Another great movie from Nia Vardalos.

This is a really horrible movie, it's too bad, it's awful. It's a senseless combination of racist and sexist clichés, along with stupid touristic stereotypes and silly, dated puns (the jokes are so crude, so banal, that it's impossible even to have a good laugh) that can only disgust. I wonder why this film was a box office hit in Greece, where I live, since it is such a terrible, anachronistic insult to the country and its people. The direction is mediocre, the actors are worse and the plot is pure trash. It is so ridiculous, so irrelevant to the actual problems of this country, it is a movie that I'd rather forget. Nia Vardalos' "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" was a pleasant comedy, nothing special but at least there were some successful puns and originality. This film works on the same pattern without any imagination, without any respect to the viewer and, furthermore, it's very long and boring.

For a romantic comedy it fits the bill, it has romance and it has comedy. Enjoyable characters and plenty happening throughout the film. Throw in a bit of Greek scenery and some Greek music and you have a very pleasant movie.

I was invited to the Greek premiere of "My life In Ruins" held in advance here in Athens 2 days ago. Nia Vardalos was present along with the director & the producer of this film and they were honored for "advertising" my country abroad. Unfortunately, the wonderful Richard Dreyfuss was not present. Anyway,about the movie.This is a very predictable,cliché & mediocre "travelling comedy" that a few people may find amusing. Vardalos is using again her Greek roots to perform a part which is practically the only thing she has proved to us she can deliver as an actress: Neurotic Greek American woman,unhappy with her job,life etc in a bus trip through the Greek land which changes her life.All of these feelings superficially felt & depicted. The supporting cast is enjoyable though (all types of travelers i have seen visiting my country in a somewhat overreacting depiction,the creepy bus driver who falls for Vardalos) and of course Richard Dreyfuss is the lead of them all delivering a hilarious performance & the best lines of the film while doing some Greek sightseeing at the same time. The beautiful Greek surroundings will definitely be a good reason for the viewer to watch the film & even if he has no plans to visit my country he might change his mind soon. There is some great shooting including locations of important ancient Greek history like Delphi & The Parthenon (in his first real movie appearance for over 30 years!). The magic of these places is there indeed for the viewer to feel but is this enough really to pay for the movie ticket? apart from that the humor is weak,fat & folklore (stemming from extremely childish situations)and so is the entire point of view of the director. As a Greek i never liked this type of folklore approach Ms.Vardalos is so keen on giving us every time... simply because things here are so different from the Greek American perception & if the Greek American people involved in this production actually knew it,they would probably reconsider. Synopsis: Watch the film if you enjoyed your travel in Greece or if you plan on visiting soon. But apart from that, the movie is weak & not so smart,easily forgotten in the long run of the bus in the distance between Delphi & Acropol...

For me this movie started out bad, but it got better has it went along. I heard this movie was bashed by many critics, simply saying it was bad, unfunny, and very predicable. But I found this movie entertaining, yeah at times it was predicable, but still was entertaining, not the best, but not the worst.

Nia Vardalos is charming in her role, yeah she does not get high laughs, but she plays a character that is likable and you pretty much feel for. Now Richard Dreyfuss pretty much stole the movie, any scene he was in, he upstaged everybody, you end up thinking this movie is more about him and less about Vardalos character. The rest of the cast are alright, Alexis Georgoulis,Harland Williams, and Rachel Dratch are amusing at times. The scenery of Greece pretty much takes on a life of it's own.

But like I said it was not all great, but not all great bad either. See this movie for what it is, not for what it isn't.

I was invited to a day of shooting, back in October 2007, in Athens and was privileged to meet Nia, Richard Dreyfus, Alistair Mc Gowan and Caroline Goodall, as well as Greece's indigenous Alexis Georgoulis. All of them, without exception, were warm, wonderful people in real life and not just in the roles that My Life in Ruins had them. So it was with high expectations that I went along to my local multiplex this week to see the finished product. What a let-down! OK, Jose Luis Alcaine has done a great job behind the camera, making both actors and settings come alive and enthrall. However, the story-line and much of the dialogue is replete with cliché and stereotype.

If you're a resident of Greece simply looking for 90 minutes of escape or if you're a tourist or would-be visitor to the country, there's enough in this movie to amuse, but if you demand a bit more from a film, then all this one has to offer is Richard Dreyfus's considerable wisdom and life-experience. So, now that we've indulged Nia, can we please return to Greek realities and leave behind anachronistic

characters and situations that may have rung true thirty years ago but that today, on the eve of a crucial European election for this county and this continent's future, are, at best, an irrelevance? Thank you!

I saw this film at a screening and it was fun and made me laugh and remember why we go to the movies-to be entertained. It's a timeless sweet and romantic story, with a lot of humorous moments throughout. The cast is centered by the talented Nia Vardalos, who effortlessly brings a very different, yet still enjoyable, character to life than in previous films. As Georgia, Vardalos once again displays her uncanny ability to portray a relatable character, and reinforces why we love her. The supporting cast was also great, and their characters were so real and typical and funny that I felt like this was written about a tour bus I was once on. I'm sure many people have either encountered people like them before or are related to someone like them. Alexis G, the bus driver was like a modern Greek God, and I couldn't believe his talent as an actor actually matched his good looks.

Anyone who sees this film will find something to laugh at, because the humor in this film can be appreciated no matter where you're from. And following them along their journey through the astoundingly beautiful Greece and it's historic sights, is icing on the cake. Not only would it be worth the price of the movie ticket to see this movie, but it might just make you want to buy a ticket to Greece. I know it made me want to.

One of the problems about having a successful first film, is that people have high expectations of your next one. Such is the case with Nia Vardolos. even though it has been many years since i've seen My Big Fat Greek Wedding, to this day, I still make a Windex joke whenever I can. My Life in Ruins has a long way to go, but in fairness, Vardolos did not script this one. She definitely should have. Overall, the movie is satisfied with being simply cute. It doesn't really bother to push the envelope and go for frisky or funny, which would have been nice.

Georgia is fed up with her job as a tour guide on a bus trip across mainland Greece. The tourists are never interested in her or the ancient ruins they visit (which she finds fascinating). On this latest tour. (which she plans to make her last) One of the people on board is a charming fellow American, a crone, who teaches her how to be a better guide, and a more fun person. As she gets better and better at her job with each stop, she learns more about the folks on board, including the strong-silent type driver, who to her surprise has long been in love with her.

The first problem with My Life in Ruins is obvious, it takes too long to get going. The first act in dedicated entirely to showing us how miserable Georgia is. After about fifteen minutes, we start to get the message. Vardolos, on another matter, is not even half as much fun as she was in Big Fat Greek Wedding. Even when she takes her clothes off in act three, her performance is quite stiff. Part of the problem, also has to do with a lack of character, another problem which may have been fixed if the script was hers.

My Life in Ruins, is certainly not in Ruins, but it doesn't go any further than being cute.

OK, I admit that I only made it through the first half hour. After that, i could not take this anymore so I had to shut it off. It was that bad. Bottom line here is that if you want to see bad puns about being an American or Australian in Europe...this is the movie for you. If not, the best thing that you can do is run for cover. I am WAY tired of people making films that bash America and Americans and then send them over here to make money. Also...somebody in this movie should have had her big fat Greek wedding and then hung it up. Hey lady...you are Greek we all know it...and we are over it. Move on! Bottom line for all of you is that this movie is not going to make the grade.

For the past week it feels like Greece cannot stop talking about this film! I was lucky enough to be invited by a friend to the world premiere in Athens (am Greek-American, grew up in Baltimore, married here, so living in Athens for about five years.) The Premiere was an elegant occasion with a private reception with delicious food. The audience of about 1500 people went crazy for this film. They laughed and laughed and clapped and everyone I talked to said they wanted to see it again. This movie has captured the joy of life in this country I love. But just like My Big Fat Greek Wedding, you don't have to be Greek to like it. It is such a funny movie and beautiful to look at. All the actors do a great job and Nia and Alexis are very romantic together. When they look at each other, you actually believe they're a couple (I know they're not!!) Just like with the first movie, I know Greeks can laugh at themselves (I was there, I heard them laughing like crazy!! Of course, there are always insecure people in this world but I think those type of people get offended by anything so who cares?) so I am sure the movie will do well here, and also in every country because it is a movie about tourists and traveling and being able to fall in love when you think there isn't a chance for you anymore. All I can say is, once again, Vardalos got it right."

Movies run the gammit: history, comedy, tragedy. Some are masterpieces and some are down right awful.

Then there are movies that you see and just want to be entertained and feel good about it. Such is the case of "My Life In Ruins".

Yes, it's by the numbers and if you're the kind of person that finds the formula boring after 5 minutes then.....don't watch it.

But sometimes you just go with it much like Nia Vardalos as her character of Georgia does. Don't take things so seriously. Just enjoy the ride. And such is the case with the story here. There is some great Greek scenery and the characters are stereotypical but so what? Looking past it's faults; it's an enjoyable movie.

Sometimes, as in the case of actress/writer Nia Vardalos, it pays to have good friends such as Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson. They were instrumental in backing her projects, that paid big, as was the case with "My Big Fat Greek Wedding", which the actress wrote and starred in 2002. Alas, not having any doubts about her hidden talents, her latest film will not add anything to her resume.

"My Life in Ruins", directed by Daniel Petrie, is a movie full of clichés. Written for the screen by Mike Reiss, who has worked a lot on television. This film is a rehash of other movies that capitalized on being travelogues where the action is placed as an after thought. Usually, the plot involves different characters from different walks of life, sharing some moments in a bus, a train, or a jet liner, where the scenery is more important than what is happening within the film.

We are grateful we watched the film on a flight and didn't have to pay. This film is full of stereotypes with a minimum amount of laughs. Curiously, some of the exteriors that appear in the film are actually of sunny Spain instead of the Greek locations one assumed were used.

I just got back from seeing this film at a local suburban theatre, and had a pretty good time with some light hearted entertainment.

You may ask me "Mister Blue-Ghost, you review war flicks and science fiction. But you don't review guy comedies, yet you seem to have a weakness for chick-flick-comedies... why is that?" The answer is simple; they're smarter films.

Today's corporate studios make so called male oriented comedies today that are targeted at middle school teenage boys. They're filled with offensive humor regarding body functions and objectifying the fairer sex. They're insulting. From "Porky's" (the grand daddy of them all) to "Forgetting Sarah Marshall". If you like groin kicking jokes, humiliating a women by ripping off her top, flatulence humor, and stuff that at one time was considered just plain rude, then avoid this film.

In all honesty "My Life in Ruins" starts off a little corny, but it gets some sea-legs and gives the more mature minded audience a fairly good ride. The story is a touch cliché, and the humor is slightly over the top with specific characters, but it's still a nice film about friendships and some humorous adversity.

My only real critique is that it lacks a layer depth that might've really pushed this film forward into the award category, but that's not its forte. It's meant to be a light romp through ancient Greecian ruins, and the tourists therein.

It's a decent date film, if you're so inclined. Take your object of affection to the theatre, and give the film a chance.

p.s. it's a simple little film, and not very smart, but kind of fun.