After Georgia (Nia Vadalos) loses her job as a classics professor in a Greek university, she takes a job as a tour guide. Georgia wants to show the tour group the ancient wonders of Greece, but her groups want fun-filled tours of the beach and shops. My Life in Ruins is like one of those latter vacations. There is not much substance, but it sure is fun.

Mike Reiss’ formulaic screenplay contains all of the usual ingredients found in a summer romantic comedy aimed at women. The story centers on an attractive (but not too attractive) intelligent and uptight female professional who loosens up in an exotic European location, with the help of a very hunky guy with the name Poupi (Alexis Georgoulis) and a wise and funny older man, Irv (Richard Dreyfuss). Our heroine also has to battle a comedy villain, fellow tour guide Nico (Allistair McGowan) who spends much of the film trying to sabotage her. This film is enjoyable due to good performances and beautiful locations. But those expecting (and I was) a film as quirky and original as My Big Fat Greek Wedding (written by and starring Vadalos) will be disappointed.

The funniest scenes in this film occur in the first twenty minutes, when we are introduced to Georgia’s tour group. Due to her bad evaluations, Nico has convinced the boss to give Georgia the “worst” group. Anyone who has ever travelled abroad may find these tourists uncomfortably familiar. In addition to the snobby Brits and hard to understand Australians, the group includes Kim (Rachel Dratch) and Big Al (Harland Williams), an American couple who only want to bargain with shopkeepers, Caitlin (Sophia Stuckey) a moody teenager who only wants to go to the beach and Gator (Jareb Dauplaise) a loud and obtuse college boy who cannot seem to read signs in his native English. My favorite comedy scene in the film features the overweight Gator frolicking in a fountain in an attempt to flirt with some attractive women in the group. Dauplaise’s unrestrained performance is a treat.

Greek actor Alexis Georgoulis is delicious eye candy, and has charm to spare, as his face registers his longing for Georgia while he silently drives the tour bus or leans against a tree waiting for the group. Richard Dreyfuss manages to give Irv dignity, and Dreyfuss seamlessly moves from a man telling bad jokes to more serious conversations about his spouse. Irv has the only serious scenes in the film, and Dreyfuss makes them moving without being maudlin. Trivia buffs will notice Ian Gomez (Vadalos’ real life spouse) in the small but very funny role of a lecherous hotel clerk.

Star Nia Vadalos is radiant and likeable. Women can identify with her Georgia, who is beautiful and intelligent, but still looks like a person you might know. As Georgia begins to like and care about her group, Vadalos’ eyes sparkle and her smile is infectious. She makes this film better. If only she had written the screenplay. The other star of this film is Greece, and she is also beautiful. Much of the film was shot in Greece, and the shots of the Parthenon, Temple of Delphi and other wonders are magnificent. I found that for most of the film, I looked at the scenery instead of the actors. When the film was over, I did not wonder about what would happen to the characters, I wondered when I would again visit Greece. But then, My Life in Ruins is less expensive than a plane ticket. 

My Life in Ruins. Directed by Donald Petrie. With Nia Vardalos (Georgia), Richard Dreyfuss (Irv), Alexis Georgoulis (Poupi), Alistair McGowan(Nico), Ian Gomez (Hotel Clerk) and Rachel Dratch (Kim). Fox Searchlight Pictures, 2009.

Gail sees a movie appears every Wednesday.

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