(2023)

Submitted by Julio M

Short pooper:
Christos (Giannis Vasilottos) and Qamar (Stephanie Nur) get married, with everyone’s blessing and approval. Toula (Nia Vardalos) and her two siblings spread Gus’ ashes around the old tree in Vrisi and, then, debate on who will step up as the new head of the Portokalos family -with the inference that Toula would be it, especially when Nick (Louis Mandylor) suggests her to host the next big family gathering back in the U.S. and she hints she will-. Paris (Elena Kampouris) and Aristotle (Elias Kacavas) give each other another try. Peter (Alexis Georgoulis) is fully embraced as part of the family.

Longer version:
Toula makes it a personal mission that just about everyone from the family makes it to Vrisi, for a proper all-out Greek family gathering. So, because some of them left Vrisi to move to Cyprus, she contacts Cousin Nikki (Gia Carides) -who is vacationing in Cyprus- and asks her to find Gus’ longtime friends who live there and bring them to the celebration, which she does. Meanwhile, Nick reveals he brought their father’s ashes to fulfill his ultimate wish -aside from reuniting the family in Greece- of having the ashes spread around Vrisi’s oldest living tree.

Some other secrets surface during the gathering. Christos and Qamar -whom no one knew were together- reveal they are engaged and planning to marry, which Peter -Toula and Nick’s illegitimate half-brother they just found out about in the trip- and his mother Alexandra (Anthi Andreopoulou) do not approve of, but eventually concede and accept. Also, Paris happens to be on probation at college and, when Ian (John Corbett) offers to help, the younger folks turn it down, alluding they will figure it out their own way.

Victory (Melina Kotselou) realize a wedding would be the perfect vehicle to gather everyone at the village and start planning one; the family joins in it and Toula is asked to step aside, as it is her and Ian’s getaway -yet she still joins, eventually-. The wedding eventually happens, with Qamar’s family also arriving, at the same time as Nikki, Angelo (Joey Fatone) and Gus’ friends. Also, Paris and Aristotle come clean about the failure of their relationship due to Paris’ own insecurities and personal pressures, but -not without some assistance from Thea Voula (Andrea Martin)- they agree to give it another, calmer, chance.

When the celebration dwindles a bit, Toula, Nick and Peter have an emotional private moment where they finally spread Gus’ ashes around the tree, while Alexandra, always highly critical of everything and everyone, commends Victory as a good mayor. Additionally, Nick and Toula, reflecting on Gus’ absence and their mother Maria’s (Lainie Kazan) struggle with dementia, debate on who should be the new family head.

Deeming the trip successful and very needed for the Portokalos family, everyone bids farewell to each other and part ways. Back in the U.S., with Cousin Marianthi (Kathryn Haggis) receiving them at the airport, we see some typical family shenanigans happening, while Peter is introduced to the American relatives for the first time and, upon Nick asking, Toula agrees to host the next big family meal while telling him “he should wear his eating pants” -like Alexandra did to them, earlier-.

01 hours 32 minutes