where: CINE ARTS @ PLEASANT HILL in Pleasant Hill, CA
when: Monday, June 22nd, 2009
show: 9:30 pm
auditorium: 2
seat: 6th row, 8ht column
Georgia (Nia Vardalos) is a Greek American Professor of Ancient Greek History who cannot find tenure at any college or university in Greece and must swallow her pride and take on the menial job of a tour guide, a profession she really isn't good at. And so a procession of the stereotypical tourists come and go in her uneventful life.
Then, one fateful day, a busload of tourists get on board with the life of the party in the person of Irv, the widower (Richard Dreyfuss). With his gentle guidance, Georgia's life starts to turn for the better.
noteworthy scenes: 1.) The bus driver introducing himself to everyone in a matter-of-fact way (which plays well to an American audience); 2.) The bus driver comparing himself to a music conductor (plays well to the same audience); 3.) Irv acting as the Oracle at Delphi; 4.) The bus driver's nephew introducing himself to the couple's daughter (also plays well to an American audience); 5.) The topless American males cooling-off at the fountain to attract a couple of Spanish divorcees; 6.) Georgia eating the ice cream meant as a peace offering to Irv; and 7.) The T-shirt at the pool party scene.
audience reaction: They laughed at this one.
recommendation: Go see this "chick flick."
spoiler alert: It does remind one of MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING in an earlier scene. To be fair, there is no Windex in this one! If I were her, I'd take the job offer from the university.
fyi: Nia Vardalos reminds me of the girl that I dated in college in a platonic way. They look like they could be related to each other.
word of advice: If you go to other countries, tell the natives that you're Canadian so you'll get better service.
tidbits: On my way out of the auditorium, I spotted a woman's white sweater on the floor. I was going to turn it in at the counter in the lobby, but no worker was in sight. So I entertained the thought of taking it home as a "tourist's" souvenir, but I really didn't know what its owner looked like--I mean, was she hot enough to make keeping it worth my while (it was really dark in there, so I had no way of knowing)? Just to be safe, I just left it laying there for the janitor to take care of.
