My Life in Ruins (2009)

A disgruntled tour guide in Greece gains an unexpected new outlook on life thanks to one of the people on what she intends to be her last tour.

Director:

Donald Petrie

Writer:

Mike Reiss

Stars:

Nia Vardalos, Richard Dreyfuss, Rachel Dratch

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Nia Vardalos	...	Georgia
Richard Dreyfuss	...	Irv
Alexis Georgoulis	...	Poupi
Alistair McGowan	...	Nico
Harland Williams	...	Big Al
Rachel Dratch	...	Kim
Caroline Goodall	...	Dr. Tullen
Ian Ogilvy	...	Mr. Tullen
Sophie Stuckey	...	Caitlin
María Botto	...	Lala
María Adánez	...	Lena
Brian Palermo	...	Marc
Jareb Dauplaise	...	Gator
Simon Gleeson	...	Ken
Natalie O'Donnell	...	Sue

Storyline

Georgia is an American academic who's lost her teaching job in Athens. She's taken a job as a tour guide, but she hates it and it shows: the tourists, mostly American, are bored with history and facts; they want to shop. Every group has a goofy couple, a frat boy, a sullen teen, a feuding couple, divorcées looking for a mate, and a funny guy. This group is no exception, plus there's no air conditioning and a bearded silent driver. Thanks to an unlikely friendship, plus daisies, an ice-cream cone, the history of syrup, and the Oracle at Delphi, Georgia may have a shot at finding her kefi during this four-day tour.

---

Plot Keywords:

tourist | tour guide | greece | tour bus | greek | 

---

Taglines:

The most fun you can have without a passport.

---

Genres:

Comedy | Romance

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for sexual content

Did You Know?

Trivia

Although this film is not a sequel to My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002), the Italian title was changed into "Le mie grosse grasse vacanze greche" ("My Big Fat Greek Holidays") thus adding confusion on this being a completely new film.

---

Goofs

Chocolate ice cream spills on Georgia's blue jacket. First near her right side lapel, then on her left. But in a later scene, there is a chocolate stain only on her right side. Yet another scene: no chocolate stains.

---

Quotes

Ken: [to Georgia about the driver] Is the Sasquatch gonna be with us the whole time?

---

Connections

References Zorba the Greek (1964)

---

Soundtracks

Zorbeso
(2009)
Written by Chandra Cogburn
Performed by Chandra Cogburn
Published by LA Compositrice (ASCAP)
Courtesy of Chandra Cogburn

User Reviews

Remind Me of " If It'sTueday This Must be Belgium"

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).

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA Spain

Language:

English Greek

Release Date:

5 June 2009 (USA)

Also Known As:

My Life in Ruins

Filming Locations:

Acropolis, Athens, Greece

Box Office

Budget:

$17,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$3,223,161, 7 June 2009

Gross USA:

$8,665,206

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$20,458,873

Company Credits

Production Co:

26 Films, Kanzaman

Technical Specs

Runtime:

98 min (European Film Market)

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital DTS SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1