My Life in Ruins (2009)

A travel guide rediscovers her romantic side on a trip around Greece.

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.

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Plot Keywords:

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

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Taglines:

The most fun you can have without a passport.

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Genres:

Comedy | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for sexual content

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA Spain

Language:

English Greek

Release Date:

5 June 2009 (USA)

Also Known As:

Mi vida en ruinas

Filming Locations:

Acropolis, Athens, Greece

Box Office

Budget:

$17,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$3,223,161, 7 June 2009, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$8,662,318, 30 August 2009

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

Did You Know?

Trivia

Ian Gomez, who appears as the creepy Hotel Clerk, is the real life husband of Nia Vardalos.

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Goofs

The three women who can't speak English sit in the back of the bus, one behind Irv, and the two others in the seat behind her. But in one shot, when Georgia is about to show what the Oracle in Delphi was like etc., the seat where the two women were sitting is empty, later, they are there again.

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Quotes

Mr. Tullen: [trying to get her out of the tent] Elizabeth, dear, do please come out of there.
Dr. Tullen: I won't! I don't want to get sunburned.
Caitlin: [walking closer] If you don't come out, I'm going to tell everyone how old you are.
[an orange parasol emerges from the tent, followed by Dr. Tullen, looking stunning in a one-piece black swimsuit]
Mr. Tullen: [taken aback] Well... *that* was certainly worth the wait.

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Connections

References Zorba the Greek (1964)

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Soundtracks

Blue Skies
(1926)
Written by Irving Berlin
Published by Irving Berlin Music Company (ASCAP)
Performed by Guy Moon
Sung a bit by Richard Dreyfuss (uncredited)

User Reviews

Fun and Romantic Traveling Comedy

I attended a screening of MY LIFE IN RUINS and found it to be completely entertaining. I loved my BIG FAT Greek WEDDING and was excited to see this new movie made by some of the same people and with Nia Vardalos as the star. Nia has great comedic timing and she looks fantastic in this film. I think a lot of people can identify with feeling "out of whack" with life situations and it was enjoyable to live vicariously through Nia's character Georgia as she made breakthroughs in her love life and career. Some of the tour bus characters were a little kooky, but I think that played into Georgia's initial frustration with the job. By the end of the story, all of those crazy people had become likable and even lovable in the case of Richard Dreyfuss' character - I thought he was wonderful, too. And the bus driver cleaned up very nicely - he was downright hot by the end of the movie. The movie really is a perfect sales pitch for Greece. I felt the same way I did after seeing UNDER THE TUSCAN SUN and SISTERHOOD OF THE TRAVELING PANTS - I wanted to book a vacation to a beautiful European country - and I would return to Greece in a heartbeat. Synopsis: watch this film if you want a vacation from all the depressing news about the economy, from your cold weather climate, from your own life stress... or if you just want a vacation, period!