My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 (2023) Movie Script
1
("Opa" by Giorgos Alkaios
playing)
Opa!
Opa! Opa!
(song continues
with lyrics in Greek)
Opa!
(song continues
with lyrics in Greek)
Opa! Opa!
(song continues
with lyrics in Greek)
Opa!
(song continues
with lyrics in Greek)
Opa! Opa!
(song continues
with lyrics in Greek)
-Everybody say
-Opa!
Opa!
(song continues
with lyrics in Greek)
Opa! Opa!
(song continues
with lyrics in Greek)
-Opa!
-(song ends)
ATHENA:
Mom, do you want some coffee?
-That's good, Maria.
-Mama thelo. -(door closes)
TOULA:
Hey!
(gasps) How's my mom today?
Hi, Mom. It's me, Toula.
-I'm your daughter.
-No.
My daughter is
young and beautiful.
YIANNI:
Go do your homework.
We've been discussing
everything with your mother.
ATHENA:
Mom?
Remember when
we were talking about
Toula taking a trip?
I discussed it
with your father last night.
I know he's gone.
I'm not nuts.
He was in my dream.
(chuckles)
You're going to Greece
for the reunion
in your father's village.
That's right. And?
Because you promised your father
you would give his journal
to his best friends.
-Yes!
-That's right!
-Mom remembers!
-See? I know. I know.
(laughter)
It's so nice to meet you.
Just kidding. (laughs)
I know. I know.
TOULA:
All moms pretend they're okay
so the family won't worry.
Because, for a mom,
it's the badge of honor
to take care of everyone,
especially Greek women
who give birth,
then immediately get up
and cook everyone family dinner
while the Greek man stands there
and declares himself
the head of the house.
Since we lost my dad,
the head of the house,
it's been a while
without family dinner.
We've been feeling
kind of scattered,
which is weird for us
because my family
used to be stuck together
by our own sweat.
That's how
an immigrant family survives:
working together,
sticking together,
running a restaurant.
But not today.
-I am going on a vacation.
-(chuckles softly)
We're going to Greece.
Oh, yeah.
(laughs)
(cell phone ringing)
TOULA:
It's Nick.
Hey, Toula, you got
Dad's journal, right?
We're doing it, Dad.
Just came to say bye to Ma.
So, Toula,
who am I driving with?
TOULA:
Thea Voula and Thea Frieda.
NICK: A trip without my kids?
I mean, it's finally "me" time.
I'm gonna look great
when I meet Dad's friends.
I got some grooming to do.
Ma! I need some hair dye!
I got to use your shower!
-Oh.
-Oh, Jesus.
(sighs) See that?
TOULA: This will be
our first time in Greece.
My dad never went back.
It's what immigrant parents do.
Work hard,
give it all to the kids,
so we can take the trip
they never did?
It doesn't seem right.
But my dad asked me
to go to the reunion,
find his friends
and give them his journal.
It's his life story.
My dad also told me
I better take some time off
because I was starting
to look old.
So... vacation!
MAN (over P.A.): Welcome to
Chicago International Airport.
-TOULA: Okay.
-Hello.
Paris, you made it.
Ah, love the do.
-Wow.
-How were finals?
You know, I was thinking
I-I should stay home.
-What?
-You know?
No. You-you can see Bennett
when you get back.
No. No, no, no.
That's over. That's done.
Oh, Roscoe now. Right, right.
No, uh, Aristotle.
Thea Voula set you up.
-(Toula chuckles) -Yeah,
which is why that is over, too.
I just... I wanted
to study this summer.
Just take a break
from your perfect GPA.
You put too much pressure
on yourself.
TOULA:
It's Greece.
For Pappou. Pappou.
(imitating Gus):
"Give me a word, any word,
and I show you how the root
of that word is Greek."
"Nachos."
(Toula grunts)
TOULA:
The family came to say goodbye.
-IAN: Everyone?
-TOULA: Yeah.
(group murmuring)
It says maximum 20 people.
That's six Greeks.
-Everyone, suck it in.
-(group inhales deeply)
I got it.
(panting) Oh, man.
Hey, snacks.
You can't afford
since you got fired.
-Retired.
-Ah!
A Greek man retires
a week after he is dead.
Hey, good one. Come on.
What's that?
(Taki chuckles)
-Let's go over the restaurant.
-I got my kids on shifts.
-MARIANTHI: I ordered the beef.
-JENNIE: I ordered the fish.
-Take care of my mom.
-COUSINS: We will.
-You're good cousins.
-I am.
-(laughter)
-We got to go!
-Bye!
-(lively, overlapping chatter)
Bye! Bye! Bye! Bye!
-Bye!
-Bye!
(lively chatter continues)
MAN (over P.A.):
Flight 204 departing for Athens.
Is every Greek in Chicago
on this plane?
Everyone going
to the homeland, sit down!
Ah! Big family trip.
Aunt Voula.
I'm in charge. You report to me.
Wha...?
I found my bikini from 1972.
Oh.
Who wants souvlaki?
-Who wants souvlaki?
-(excited chatter)
Homemade.
I made it.
-(electronic bell chimes)
-Paging Sue Vlaki.
Anybody by the name of
Sue Vlaki on this flight?
(laughter, lively chatter)
Take this evil eye
to protect you.
Yeah, you know I don't believe
in the Greek voodoo.
(singsongy):
That's why you're still single.
We found out we're related
to Alexander the Great.
Me, too.
-(both laugh)
-Hey!
-Hey. All right.
-NICK: Whoa, whoa, whoa.
Wait a minute, are you--
Where you going?
Your seat's back there, right?
So we're trying to have
a little fun here, okay?
I'm fun.
When?
It doesn't matter, Ian,
'cause I need to try
and get some sleep.
(grunting)
The big button.
PILOT (over P.A.):
Ladies and gentlemen,
this is your captain.
Please take your seats
and make sure
your seat belts
are securely fastened.
We are ready for takeoff.
VOULA:
Ah, good! My assistant's here.
-Family documents.
-The family?
Paris?
Aristotle! What...
I didn't know
you were gonna be here.
...are you doing here?
Your Thea Voula hired me
to help her on a trip.
I didn't know that
you were gonna be here.
Oh, that's right,
they know each other.
What a coincidence.
Such a nice Greek boy.
They had an amazing date.
She ghosted him.
Why can't this family
respect my boundaries?
-Boundaries?
-Boundaries?
-(laughter)
-I can't get any space.
You want space, you got it.
Forget I'm here.
You won't even see me.
-Can we switch?
-VOULA: No. Sit down.
Make up. Make out.
That's Aristotle.
I have to switch seats
with Paris.
I knew... (grunts)
(passengers groaning, laughing)
-(sighs)
-Let them work it out.
(Toula scoffs)
Something else
is going on with Paris.
Don't.
It's none of our business.
Oh, we are so different.
You must sit down!
Or we are not going to Greece.
(passengers gasping, murmuring)
(flight attendant
exhales sharply)
Sit.
Ah, yeah.
("Milo Mou Kokkino"
by Dimitris Kontolazos playing)
MAN (over P.A.):
Welcome to Athens, Greece.
(man speaking Greek over P.A.)
(song continues
with lyrics in Greek)
"Coppertone," written in Greek.
I mean...
-Oh, man.
-(chuckles)
Why haven't we done this before?
ARISTOTLE: Uh, hello
to everyone I haven't met.
I'm Aristotle.
Uh, car rental is this way.
-Actually, I think
it's this way. -Very smart.
-No, no, no, no, I think they
said... -(overlapping chatter)
-VICTORY: You came!
-(chatter stops)
You are the Portokalos family.
I sent you the invitation.
I'm the mayor
of your father's village.
Welcome to the reunion!
(gasps) We are related
through your pappou's pappou,
who was a twin and married to
my great-great yiayia's
sister's sister-in-law.
-Cousin! -Cousin!
-Hey!
-Oh! Cousin!
-(laughter)
Oh, my God.
I'm Victory.
Aunt Voula.
I will be your favorite.
Frapp, iced coffee,
Greek style.
TOULA:
Thank you.
Do you have decaf?
Sopa. You're in Greece now.
I'll try it.
Ah, what's happening?
-What's "sopa" mean?
-It kind of means "shush."
It means "shut up."
Okay. This way to the car.
-Come.
-Shotgun. -No!
-Come on, I got it.
-VICTORY: This way.
-Come on, everyone.
-(excited chatter, laughter)
VICTORY:
Whoo!
(engine sputtering)
(engine shuts off)
Are you okay about Aristotle
on the trip?
Let me live my life. Okay?
-VICTORY: Cousin.
-Yeah?
-You drive.
-(chuckles): No!
I've never been to Greece.
VICTORY:
I give you directions.
Looking good, mori.
TOULA:
Victory?
How many people are you
expecting at the reunion?
Come on, come on.
-We need music!
-(music begins over stereo)
I love this song.
Number one. The best.
Everybody, sing!
Ta, ta, ta
("Dynata Ta Ta" by Stefanos
Pitsiniagkas continues)
(engine starts)
(song continues
with lyrics in Greek)
(tires screech)
VICTORY:
Toula, go straight.
The city of Athens.
ARISTOTLE: Hey, do we have
time to stop there?
VICTORY:
No.
(horns honking)
Toula, turn left.
The ancient Parthenon.
ARISTOTLE:
Are we going there today?
VICTORY:
No.
Ah.
VICTORY:
The Olympic stadium.
-ARISTOTLE: Could we...
-VICTORY: No.
From here, a short boat ride
to the island.
ARISTOTLE: Can we see
the island from here?
VICTORY:
No.
Don't slow down.
We're going to miss the boat.
Is that a beach?
ARISTOTLE:
Oh, can we go swimming?
VICTORY:
Yes.
-(loud knocking)
-(screams)
VICTORY:
Time for a swim!
-We have to get to the village.
-Sopa!
-Go fast or we will miss
the boat. -PARIS: Okay.
(Voula exclaims)
(whooping)
("To Kalokeri"
by Dionisis Shinas playing)
(song continues
with lyrics in Greek)
Whoo!
(Victory speaking Greek
excitedly)
Come on, Toula.
(speaking Greek)
Opa! Opa! Opa!
(song ends)
(birds chirping)
-(goats bleating)
-(bells jingling)
(donkey snorts)
(sighs) It's like
we've gone back in time.
My daughter is divorced
two times.
My son is gay.
Okay.
So I understand
alternative lifestyles.
I like your fashion look.
Do you like to wear
boy clothes or girl clothes?
Both and neither.
-Ah. (chuckles)
-How about you?
Depends on the day.
(chuckles) I like you.
Everybody does.
All my life,
I had a bone in my hip
that stuck out like
a toothpick in an olive.
Touch it.
(both laugh)
Olive groves.
VICTORY: People from many
countries working the harvest.
And some people from
our village work there, too,
because our olive groves
don't have water.
But I have a plan
to bring them back.
Oh.
Yeah.
Because I love our village.
(sighs)
I love Greece!
Number one. The best.
Whoo!
That's it.
That's my dad's village.
Everybody, out!
(exclaiming)
(Toula gasps)
-We need a picture for Mom.
-FRIEDA: Oh.
VOULA:
Here we are. (chuckles)
-Okay, ready?
-Thea Frieda, I have your neck.
-Pull. Pull. Pull.
-Okay.
-High. High.
-Neck?
(strains):
There we are.
VICTORY:
I've got this.
Relax your lips.
"I'm so mad at the camera."
Now... blow it away.
(blows softly)
(all blowing)
Blow it away.
(camera clicks)
Supermodels. Is fantastic.
Number one. The best.
-I'm gonna send this to Mom.
-I go now to rest.
Okay-- Victory?
Where's Victory?
Every village has its
hidden passages, like a maze,
because of centuries of
invading countries and wars.
Follow me.
Right up here.
This way.
-Come, come.
-(donkey brays in distance)
No, this way.
TOULA:
(sighs) Okay.
(whispers):
Where is everyone?
Maybe they're at work.
No, it's something bad.
-(group gasps)
-Jesus!
Yes.
(speaking Greek)
What'd she say?
"I was just a chin hair away
from being your mother."
("Kratise Me"
by Charis Panopoulos playing)
(song continues
with lyrics in Greek)
I had no idea
Pappou's village was so nice.
Hey, don't talk about it.
FRIEDA and VOULA:
It's bad luck.
No restaurants
or hotels open, guys.
Let's go to where
your mother and me grew up.
Mykonos knows how to party.
Can we go to Mykonos?
We're here for the reunion.
Then we're going drinking?
How old do you think
this tree is?
VOULA:
Let me see.
Uh, 98 years and seven months.
Chest height, 2.11,
multiplied by diameter.
-Dendrochronology.
-Greek word.
Our dad talked about
this square.
Our dad played here
with his three best friends,
Thanasis, Dimos and George.
(song continues
with lyrics in Greek)
(boys chattering playfully)
Mm.
Your grandfather talked about
a freshwater spring
flowing down from the mountain.
Women would fill jugs.
We only saw
that one woman, though.
-Who?
-She was angry.
-ALEXANDRA: Who was angry?
-(Toula shouts)
Jesus. Where does she come from?
Hello, Constantinos.
It's good to see you again.
Um, hello, but no.
No, I'm... I'm Nikos Portokalos.
I'm Constantine's son.
We lost our dad late last year.
Do you know which house was his?
Gone. Fire.
Come.
Follow me down this dark alley.
Oh... cool.
So no one will find our bodies.
(crickets chirping)
ALEXANDRA:
I am Alexandra.
I am making soup.
Yeah, this is where it ends.
Get the eggs.
Chairs. Bowls.
Ah, nobody feeds these ones?
(chuckles)
Eat. Eat.
-That's why she has
no breasts... -Oh. Oh.
-...and he has no kolo.
-Oh, oh, oh.
-TOULA: Okay. No, no. Good.
-Ooh.
Thank you.
That's good. That's good.
-Why? Okay, thank you.
-(Alexandra groans)
What does your husband
hold on to?
Everybody needs a love handle.
I smell food.
Don't talk about it.
It's bad luck.
-Oh, my...
-(grunts)
Welcome.
My helper, Qamar.
-She lives with me.
-Hi. -Hi.
-She's like a daughter to me.
-Oh.
-An orphan from Syria.
-Oh. -Oh.
Say hello.
We are not xenophobic.
-Greek word.
-Yes, we know. We are Greeks.
-GROUP: Hi.
-Hi.
Oh, little friend.
-Hi.
-Hi. (chuckles)
You're studying...?
Ah, philosophy.
Invented by the Greeks.
Again, we know.
PARIS:
Mm-hmm. Yeah. You?
I study chemistry.
-ALEXANDRA: Get the bread.
-PARIS: Oh, nice.
I have something for you.
-Hope you like it.
-Oh. Hot! (groans)
ALEXANDRA:
You never reached into a fire?
Oh, that's so nice.
-Yes, in my culture,
we give gifts. -Oh.
ALEXANDRA:
How did you get this?
Uh, the mayor sent it.
-Who?
-Victory.
Ah. Only one person voted--
Victory--
so Victory's the mayor.
A win is a win.
What did you do?
It is my plan
for the village regrowth.
All the people
who moved away years ago?
I invited them for a reunion.
They will remember
how beautiful it is,
and they will move back,
and the village
will go great again.
See? I'm a good mayor.
How many people live here?
-Lots.
-Six.
Six is a lot.
Who came for the reunion?
-You.
-And?
You.
Hey, wait, wait, wait, wait.
We came all this way to give
something very important
to my father-in-law's friends.
Now you're saying nobody's here?
Whoa, Dad.
VICTORY:
Not catastrophe.
Is fantastic. Don't worry.
You know,
it's-it's been a long day.
I'll-I'll call us a cab.
I'm also the town taxi driver.
But no.
You will all sleep
in the biggest house
in the village.
No one lives there now.
No, we're gonna go
to that hotel.
If you want to insult us.
(sighs)
We would love to stay.
(door creaking)
(all gasping)
-No Wi-Fi. -Yeah.
-(Paris scoffs)
(gasping continues)
ARISTOTLE:
The stairs are out.
That's-- there's-there's...
there's no other bedrooms.
Hey, one room all together
is how our dad grew up.
Yeah.
Hey, guys, this is gonna be fun.
Family sleepover!
I can do facials
with Greek yogurt.
Enemas, too.
Pass.
Flavored yogurt or plain, Thea?
Always the fruit.
(Ian grunts)
"Give her space"
doesn't mean try harder.
No, I'm not a creep,
and, uh, she's not into nerds.
Nerds win, Aristotle.
Were you a nerd?
No.
Women, they just want us
to hear 'em,
and we should listen 'cause
they got a lot to teach us.
But then you get married,
and they try and strangle you
in your sleep.
(Nick laughs)
Hey! Hey, hey, hey!
-We did that!
-We lit a fire!
We just did that!
(both laughing)
Oh, it looks great in here.
-Oh, okay. -There we are.
-(Nick grunts)
Okay, there it is.
Hey, Thea, we lit a fire.
-VOULA: Oh. Bravo.
-We did it. We...
VOULA: Bravo, Niko, Aristotle.
Very manly.
-But don't brag. It's bad luck.
-(Paris groans)
"Don't cross your legs
in church. It's bad luck."
"Don't give an empty wallet
as a gift. It's bad luck."
Don't make fun of your aunts.
It's bad luck.
(groans sharply)
Ian. Ian.
What? What? What?
There was a man.
(sighs)
He was right there, a man.
-What'd he look like?
-Uh, I didn't really see him,
but, like, handsome,
piercing eyes.
-Handsome?
-Yeah. Right there.
(Toula shudders)
-Hey.
-(Toula chuckles)
Have sex on Easter
like everyone else.
This is nice. Anybody cold?
No, so don't yell at anybody.
(laughs) That was epic.
I yelled before.
Sopa.
(laughter)
Well, it's not what we expected,
but we made it to Greece, yeah?
-Yeah. This is good.
-Mm-hmm.
IAN: Well, let's hit the hay,
I guess.
I am not tired.
You drank like
ten frapp coffees.
Oh. I'm fine.
(Nick yawns)
-All right.
-Okay.
(Nick sighs)
-(dog barking in distance)
-(donkey braying)
(quiet snoring)
(quiet knock)
VICTORY: We are going
to the best dance club.
-ARISTOTLE: Is it close?
-VICTORY: No.
("Telika (Club Mix)" by
Konstantinos Argiros playing)
(song continues
with lyrics in Greek)
(lively chatter, cheering)
VICTORY:
We need drinks.
CHRISTOS:
Welcome.
-Here.
-Thanks.
Christos!
Qamar's boyfriend!
But his father wants him
to marry a Greek.
So it's a secret.
Secrets are a waste of time.
In this life,
be open about what you want.
-I want to go dance.
-Mm!
Whoo!
So...
(chuckles):
Oh, no, no.
No, no, no, no. Uh...
Well, I-I don't,
I don't really know him.
You will end up together.
What?
Enjoy the dance to that moment.
And, you, dance with me.
-(Qamar laughs)
-Okay.
Oh.
-Hey.
-Hey.
Hey.
So, uh...
this got weird.
-I'm sorry, I-I...
-No, no. I'm sorry, okay?
This year was rough for me.
You don't have to
explain anything.
Ever.
Let's make the best of
the rest of the vacation.
In a remote Greek village
inhabited by ghosts and anger.
Let's do it.
-Come on. Come on.
-Mm.
(laughter)
(crowing)
-(door creaking softly)
-(birds chirping outside)
(quiet snoring)
-(sniffs, bleats)
-(screaming)
(frantic screaming)
What is it? What's happening?
(all panting, murmuring)
(Frieda exclaims)
Shoo!
(bleats)
I thought my husband
came back from the dead.
ALEXANDRA:
Hey!
Someone's loud truck
woke me up last night!
Hey!
Is she gone?
Great news.
The grandfather of my friend
received the reunion invitation.
Oh. He's dead.
My dad's best friends--
Thanasis, Dimos and George.
-I know them. -(gasps)
Do they still live here?
-No.
-How do we find them?
They will come for the reunion.
-Did they tell you
they're coming? -No.
(electric razor buzzing)
(blows sharply)
(trimmer buzzing, whirring)
(nail clipper clicks)
(blows)
VOULA:
Aristotle, groceries!
(sniffs)
("An S' Arnitho Agapi Mou"
by Tzeni Vanou playing)
(song continues
with lyrics in Greek)
How did it go?
(Aristotle burps, groans)
(gasps)
Oh, look.
Where does she come from?
MAN:
Handmade purses and shoes!
VOULA:
Oh! The big city.
I'm going to shop till you drop.
WOMAN:
Fresh watermelon.
Look.
(kids chattering excitedly)
There we are.
Come this way.
Over here.
TOULA: Hopefully, someone
will know my dad's friends.
VOULA: So, you are giving me
the best cheese
and the fattest beans, yes?
WOMAN:
Of course.
TOULA:
Oh. Thank you.
We buy from them,
they give to us.
Thank you.
Yiamas.
-Ah. Mmm.
-Whoo.
Mmm, good.
Do you know
where these men moved to?
-From the village of Vrisi.
-No.
-Drink.
-Okay.
Thea, I didn't sleep last night,
and I can't really
day-drink like this.
Oh, don't worry, don't worry.
A lady is never drunk.
-Yiamas.
-Okay.
(laughter)
TOULA: Do you know these men
and where they moved to?
-Drink.
-(laughter)
Efharisto. (chuckles)
-MAN: Yiamas.
-VOULA: Yiamas. Yiamas.
MAN:
Drink.
Yiamas.
-You want some wet cheese?
-Sure.
Hey, is there a shower?
There.
It's not warm.
Eh, not a problem.
(knob creaks)
(screaming)
(bleats)
Hey, Victory.
Did you hear from
my dad's friends?
As the mayor,
I promise you did not
travel here for no reason.
They will come soon.
Where's the oldest tree
in this entire area?
Is it the one
in the olive grove?
-Ask Alexandra.
-No.
-Pretty cool, huh?
-Yeah, yeah, it is.
And by the way, there's a shower
right there if you need one.
-Huh?
-Thanks, man.
(clucking)
(Ian screams)
IAN:
Nick!
(knocking)
Oh.
(kisses)
Ah.
(kisses)
(clucking)
Pick the one we have for dinner.
Oh. Thank you.
Uh, I'm a vegetarian.
No.
Which way's the path to the sea?
Oh. Thank you.
Hey, Thea.
Is this a memorial?
FRIEDA:
Yeah.
So many wars.
My dad never talked about
that stuff.
Getting through those years
made him strong.
Afraid of nothing.
(chuckles) Yeah.
That's Greek men.
(bell jingling)
-Hide.
-Oh.
Scooch over.
I will ask around. Here.
-MAN: Drink!
-(glasses clink)
VOULA:
Don't worry.
A lady is never drunk.
(groaning)
PARIS:
I have never seen my mom drink
anything more than
Communion wine.
-They were thirsty.
-(Toula and Voula laugh)
BOTH:
Whee!
I ate a bug.
Come!
(both laughing)
Oh, Paris! That's good.
There they are!
Victory!
Hand these out.
(laughing):
Oh, thank you. Okay.
-Alexandra, that's for you.
-Here you go.
(laughter)
Oh! Hi.
-Hey.
-Hi. Oh, I saw that guy again.
What guy? Y-You been drinking?
Yeah. The handsome guy who was
outside the window last night.
-I saw him today.
-VOULA: Oh.
It's kind of weird.
Hey, listen, want to go
make out in the chicken coop?
IAN (chuckles):
What?
(donkey braying)
(goat bleating)
I need sugar for my bougatsa.
-Hey, Toula.
-Huh?
Is this family dinner?
-It is.
-(chuckles)
-Nice.
-(chuckles)
You find Dad's friends?
Uh... uh, soon.
Okay. Listen to me, Toula.
-You're gonna find them. Okay?
-Yeah.
-You're gonna find them.
-Okay.
Mm-hmm.
You're a good cook.
-I'm a good cook, too.
-(laughs)
-Maybe better.
-Oh.
Right here. (sighs)
(whispers):
Go.
Go.
VOULA: We should invite
the six villagers.
VICTORY:
I'll ask them.
VOULA:
I'm cooking!
Wear your eating pants!
Yep. (laughs)
("Ase Me Na Figo"
by Aleka Kanellidou playing)
(song continues
with lyrics in Greek)
VICTORY:
"I'm so mad at the camera."
Now blow it away.
-(blowing)
-(camera clicks)
Whoo!
Supermodels. Fantastic.
Number one. The best.
Why haven't you made your move?
We decided to be friends.
"Decided to be friends"
is for when you find out
that you're dating a cousin.
(wind whistling)
Company's coming.
(chuckles):
You're drunk.
-You are.
-Yeah.
(both laughing)
That's him.
That's the man from last night.
Yia sas.
-VOULA: Hello.
-Alexandra's son.
-ARISTOTLE: Hi.
Nice to meet you. -PARIS: Hi.
Ah. Alexandra's son.
Mystery solved.
Why is he looking at you?
What-- Why are you smiling?
I'm not.
-Yes, you are.
-(chuckles)
"He's so handsome."
That's the way
you described him.
-(laughing): I did?
-Yeah.
So I can't look at
a handsome man
who's clearly attracted to me?
I'm your brother.
ALL:
Sopa.
Brother?
Yes.
-So not attracted to Toula?
-Nick.
Got it. Wait.
What's happening?
I was with your father
before he left the village
and met your mother.
Your father never knew
this is our son,
Peter.
And this is my son, Christos.
Hello.
-All right.
-(group exclaiming, laughing)
NICK:
Opa.
-Crazy!
-Wow!
(laughter)
TOULA:
Oh, my God.
Yes, family!
Oh, you carried
this burden alone.
It was my secret to keep.
Secrets are a waste of time.
-(Nick speaks Greek)
-Yiamas!
A toast to living your truth.
Yeah, and, hey, well,
Qamar and Christos are dating.
-Oh.
-(laughs) Yeah.
What?
We never wanted you
to find out this way.
I don't want you
to think badly of me.
But we're in love.
Who wants bougatsa?
-I'll take a bite of that.
-Maybe a bite, yeah.
-Yes, right.
-Yeah.
(crowing)
VICTORY:
Yes.
-(man speaking Greek)
-Yeah, sorry.
Uh, but, uh, do you know
where he lives now?
No, no, no. Not the father,
the grandfather.
Yes. Tell him about the reunion.
(man speaking Greek)
"Welcome to the reunion."
It's at the end of the week.
Is anyone gonna show?
Everything will be wonderful.
Like last night.
Great party.
It was a catastrophe
and, uh, kind of your fault
for proposing a toast.
That is what makes me fun.
(electric razor buzzing)
Oh. How's your head?
(Toula exhales sharply)
Like it's on too tight.
What's he trimming?
What do you think?
Upstairs or downstairs?
Oh, man.
So, Toula, Peter's pretty mad
about Qamar not being Greek.
Hey. I'm a non-Greek
in this family.
Turned out okay.
Did it?
Another brother.
My mind is blown.
Yeah. My mind is
blowing in the wind, too.
I am surprised,
but I am not surprised,
because I'm never surprised.
You lost me.
So, Toula, do we tell Mom
about Peter?
No.
Are you gonna tell your sister
about her late husband's son?
Frieda, you know me.
I-I'm sorry.
I know you're not a gossip.
I am not a gossip.
I'm a tattletale.
I already called her.
-(cell phone ringing)
-Hey, Toula, your phone.
Hey, it's Athena.
-Hey.
-ATHENA: Hi.
We have a brother?
Your mom is right here.
We told her about Peter.
Hello.
Hi, Mom.
So...
...your father has a son
that he didn't know about?
Well, it was a long time ago.
We always have room
for more love in this family.
And you tell Peter
I can't wait to meet him.
Oh. And say hello to his mother.
I'll bet her name is Alexandra.
-It is.
-(Nick chuckles)
Well, your father talked
in his sleep. (chuckles)
What were we talking about?
Hello? No, it's-it's me,
Nick, your son.
I-I know. I know.
(laughs):
I know.
We love you, Mom.
It's okay.
We love you, Ma.
Talk to you later.
Bye.
(Nick sighs)
-It's okay.
-Yeah.
(chickens clucking)
QAMAR:
I used your recipe.
(sniffs)
Not enough mizithra.
NICK:
Oh, wow, look at this.
Great.
-Hot cheese! Hot cheese.
-Oh.
Number one.
The best.
So, we take them from here.
We separate the leaves
from olives.
What happened to the fountain
in our village?
Why is it dry?
The rockslide
cut off the spring.
Don't start with me.
I'll get to it.
-Come on, come on,
come on, come on. -(exclaiming)
-Yep. No, no.
-(goats bleating)
H-Hold up. (grunting)
PETER: My son, we lost his
mother, but he stayed strong.
He's a smart kid.
He earned a degree
in sustainable agriculture.
This country needs his brain.
Instead, he's wasting his time
dating a xeni.
A xeni!
Eat something, Peter.
You'll feel better.
Hey, do you know where
the oldest tree in the area is?
My dad...
Our dad,
when he used to talk
to me about it,
he told me he used to sit
underneath it and dream.
Do you know where it is?
No.
Ask my mother.
No.
Hey. Is your head
still caving in?
(chuckles):
Yeah.
Come on, take a walk with me.
I'm gonna go hang with a monk.
-A monk?
-Yeah.
I can't.
Uh, I really need to find
my dad's friends.
(sighs)
-TOULA: Hi.
-Hey.
Hi.
Sorry about last night.
I forgot there was alcohol
in alcohol.
-For the record, I was not
attracted to you. -Mm-hmm.
-Hmm?
-Yeah, yeah, yeah. I got it.
Uh, so, uh...
this was our dad's.
It's a journal he kept from
the time he went to America.
Uh, do you think that
any of these invitations
reached the older people
that live in other cities?
No. Stop trying.
Well, I'm gonna
keep looking everywhere.
Thanks, Toula.
You got it.
-Bye.
-Bye.
Oh. Right there. See that?
You have many children.
Yeah. But none of them
listen to me, you know?
But, hey, I go with it. I learn.
You must know, a tree that bends
is stronger than
the tree that breaks.
I think the saying is:
"The tree that won't bend
breaks in the wind."
No, I think it's: "The windless
tree bends from breaking."
What the hell is
a windless tree?
What do you mean, Peter?
Come on.
(both laughing)
A windless tree doesn't move,
like a stubborn Greek father.
PETER:
That's a bad metaphor. (laughs)
NICK:
Now let's talk about your son.
(sighs) I'm sorry
I don't speak more Greek.
But I know "efharisto."
Oh, very good.
We were given all these things,
and I'd like
to give them to you,
if you don't mind.
Of course I don't mind.
"Regift" is a Greek word.
-There you go.
-(chuckles)
-(goats bleating)
-(bells jingling)
CHRISTOS:
If Victory's plan works
and people move back
to the village,
Qamar and I will run this
as an organic farm,
exporting products to the world.
That is our life plan.
Whoa.
What's yours?
Uh...
I'm hoping my roommate
gets swapped out.
He s-steals my waters and floss.
So, you know,
he's kind of a drag.
Uh, Paris?
You know, jump in.
Uh...
(sighs) Um...
You...
I just remembered I don't
want to be here right now.
(playful chatter echoing)
I suck.
I cannot fulfill the one thing
my dad ever asked me to do.
Actually, he asked you
to do a lot, Toula.
(Toula laughing)
-Right?
-Mm-hmm.
-Like, every day.
-Yeah.
Oh, my God, so much. (sniffles)
But this is big.
You know, I promised him.
(sighs)
-It's been a hard year, huh?
-Mm-hmm.
Both our dads.
Now I have another brother.
My mom.
That's hard.
I just wonder
how she feels, you know?
How she... If she's afraid.
-And something's up with Paris.
-Oh, no, no.
-You...
-No. No.
-You two...
-Hey.
What's this say?
What, that?
That's, uh, the word "Syros."
It's an island here.
-Where'd you get this?
-From my friend, the monk.
I think it's a list of all the
older people that moved away.
And where they moved to.
What?
It's all here.
Thanasis and Dimos and George.
(laughing):
I love you so much.
I have to call Nikki.
-Hey.
-Hey, hey.
I heard you have
a hot older brother.
-How's the reunion?
-There isn't one.
IAN: All Gus's friends
moved far away.
Thanasis Papagianopoulos
went to Syros.
Dimos Ginakes went to Paros.
George Diacos went to Rhodes.
So, Nikki, you were on Syros
last summer, right?
Yeah, yeah.
Uh, I know Syros and Paros.
Yeah, and actually, Patrick
and me, we did five islands.
Okay.
Could you both make some calls
and see if anyone can get
the message to these three men
about the reunion?
Yeah, sure. I-I know eight or
nine people right off the bat.
-No problem.
-Yeah, Angelo and I are on it.
-Okay...
-(line beeps)
Okay, bye.
-You did that.
-Yeah.
WOMAN (over P.A.):
Flight 235 departing for Athens.
(lively chatter)
(crowing)
(braying)
So you think anyone else
is coming to this reunion?
(electric razor buzzing)
TOULA: Thea Voula,
can we change our tickets
-to stay longer?
-No, we flew on the points.
-TOULA: Aw.
-Hi.
Dad! Oh, can you please...
Can you just give me
some privacy?
Mm-mm.
Come here.
(electric razor buzzes sharply)
Look at that view.
(Toula gasps)
TOULA:
This is beautiful.
My dad grew up with all this
and no food.
But he built a great life.
He worked hard.
Really hard.
Let's not do that.
(chuckles):
We never came to Greece.
We never took a real vacation.
We should be having fun.
We should be on a vacation.
-Come on. -Let's have some fun
while we can.
I'm just gonna try Nikki
one more time.
-Hey.
-Hi!
Did you find my dad's friends?
Don't worry. Oh.
Got to go.
-(line beeps)
-Uh...
WOMAN (over P.A.):
Welcome to Athens, Greece.
Hi.
"Soov" or "comfort table"?
Comfort table.
("Theos Schoreston"
by Pavlina Voulgaraki playing)
(song continues
with lyrics in Greek)
MAN (over P.A.): Departing
for the island of Syros.
(announcement continues
in Greek)
(ship horn blows)
Now arriving
on the island of Syros.
Exit from the rear of the boat.
NIKKI:
Hey. We partied last summer.
-Nikki!
-Can you help us
find a man named
Thanasis Papagianopoulos?
He's about 80 years old, and he
comes from the town of Vrisi.
-NIKKI: We'll find him.
-ANGELO: Yeah.
(ship horn blows)
(phone dings)
Ah, from Angelo.
"Don't worry. We got you."
Hey. It's gonna be okay.
-You're gonna get the journal
to your dad's friends. -Yes.
Something's going on with Paris,
-but we're gonna let her
work it out. -No.
Thanasis?
We'll find him.
-(song ends)
-(ship horn blows)
(music playing faintly
over headphones)
Hey.
You ready for the reunion
on Saturday?
Victory, no one's coming.
Yes, they are, and we are
going to have a party.
Good, good, because Qamar and I
are getting married.
Say what now?
(laughter)
(excited chatter, laughter)
NICK:
That's fantastic!
So the wedding is on Saturday.
No reunion?
I don't know.
Now I have to tell my mother.
-No.
-FRIEDA: A Greek mother
goes through life
with two emotions:
"I love you so much"
and "Why don't you love me
as much as I love you?"
-ALEXANDRA: Hey!
-(frightened shouting)
-Where does she come from?
-Oh, come on.
You're letting them get married!
She's a refugee!
With respect, Yiayia,
she's an immigrant.
Like the Ukrainians in the town
you give food to.
Like Pappou to America.
You kept a secret
from your family.
-What's funny?!
-Okay.
You're terrifying.
Uh, it's just that
Ian and I once kept a secret
from our parents, too.
As did you from yours.
I quit my job as a busboy
and pretended to go to work
for two weeks.
-(chuckling)
-I used to smoke.
I failed my entire
first year of college.
You win.
You what?!
Hang on. You failed?
We trusted you to go to NYU,
and you blew it?
TOULA:
What happened?
Sheltered life, got her freedom,
partied her face off.
Come on, it happens.
You two used to make out
in the car
like badgers tearing apart
a bag of Oreos.
Thea Voula.
Taki and I
used to make out so much
my face is still chapped.
-Thea Voula.
-Here, feel my chin.
-Huh? Eh?
-Oh, yeah.
IAN:
Now I got to call the dean.
No. I will get myself
through this.
Like I did.
You don't need my permission
to get married.
We are getting married.
I give you my permission.
(excited shouting, laughter)
Oh, we are family now.
You look Greek.
-And you look Syrian.
-Ooh. (laughs)
Everybody, sing!
("Dynata Ta Ta" playing
over phone)
We have to let her handle it.
(Ian scoffs)
That's what I told you.
-Really?
-(sighs): Oh, man.
VOULA:
What did you do?
I don't want details.
Just one detail.
We have work to do.
Oh, Christos, the theas,
you come with me.
And, Toula, Toula, you...
Take a vacation.
-Yeah?
-Yeah. Let's do it!
Yes, yes. You go away
and do it, you little badgers.
Okay, we'll be back
to help later. (laughs)
-VOULA: I want to know
everything. -(Paris groans)
(crowing)
Beautiful.
("Ginete"
by Pantelis Pantelidis playing)
(Toula grunting)
(grunts)
(song continues
with lyrics in Greek)
Ha!
(song continues)
Thanasis Papagianopoulos?
Do you know where Dimos
and George are?
-(screams)
-(laughs)
(blowing)
(camera clicks)
Why did you feel the need
to go to all these parties?
Because I had never been
to a party before.
(speaks Greek)
(both laughing)
(men speaking excitedly)
(song ends)
PETER:
What's that, Nick?
Nothing.
This is the oldest tree?
Yeah.
Okay, Toula just got back.
Don't say anything
or she'll kill me.
I probably broke
some international law
by transferring this urn, but...
Can you keep a secret?
No.
Peter.
Peter!
Toula, I heard you're back.
Look.
I thought you should know.
(sighs)
(busy chatter)
-Hey!
-(Nick shouts)
What are you doing?
I can't tell you
'cause you'll say no!
TOULA:
Thea Frieda.
How did he get here?
Nick.
Do you know
what my brother is up to?
Mm.
I'm not asking you to gossip.
Okay, good.
It's not gossip. It's a fact.
When we lost your father,
your brother asked me the
process to bury him in Greece.
'Kay.
I will put this koufeta
under your pillow
so you dream about
who you will marry.
No more voodoo, okay?
Also, there's other things
for Greek kids to do
rather than just get married
and make Greek babies, you know.
-Some do.
-And I respect their choice.
What are you going to do
about college?
Can we please not discuss it?
No. That's not what we do.
We yell and scream.
We find a solution together
using threats and guilt.
-I don't think we yelled enough.
-VOULA: Mm-hmm.
Trust me, you can't make me feel
any worse than I already feel.
That's not a meal.
Come.
I baked a goat.
(crowing)
(imitates cluck)
NICK (in distance): Everybody,
listen to Thea Frieda.
IAN (in distance): Come on,
we got to move these rocks.
-(busy chatter in distance)
-(exhales heavily)
-All right, this is gonna work.
-NICK: We're ready to go.
Okay, pull.
-(all straining)
-NICK: Where's the urn?
TOULA:
Hidden!
(grunting and chatter
continue in distance)
(all straining)
Pull!
QAMAR:
Keep pulling! Keep pulling!
(shouting, grunting)
FRIEDA:
Oh! (gasps)
(group cheering,
shouting excitedly)
NICK:
Run!
PETER:
Grab it! Grab it!
-Look at this!
-(excited shouting continues)
Yes! Yes!
(laughter, excited chatter)
We are finally ready
for the wedding.
Wait.
Sh-Shouldn't we take this down?
Sopa. (chuckles)
(upbeat percussive music
playing in distance)
-(music continues)
-(crowd whooping, cheering)
This is the Syrian Dabke.
-Whoo!
-Everybody!
Whoo!
Everybody, listen!
Follow me to find groom
this way,
and follow Aristotle and Paris
to find bride that way.
Let's do it!
-(cheering, whooping)
-(music continues)
IAN:
Let's do it! Hey!
(crowd cheering)
(crowd cheering)
(music continues)
-Looking good, mori.
-(laughs)
(shouts in Arabic)
-(crowd cheering)
-ARISTOTLE (laughs): Oh! Yeah!
(rhythmic clapping)
(musicians singing in Arabic)
(singing and music end)
(lively chatter,
joyful shouting)
(laughter)
(joyful shouting continues)
(crowd cheering, shouting)
WOMAN:
We came for the reunion!
VICTORY:
Who's that?
(cheering and shouting continue)
MAN:
We are here for the reunion!
(Paris laughs softly)
I did it.
-Cousin!
-Cousin!
Cousin!
(excited chatter)
NIKKI: You asked me to find
the men. I found everyone.
-What did you do?
-(laughing)
VOULA:
What are you doing here? Oh!
-Thanasis, Dimos and George?
-(Nikki laughs)
(Voula gasps)
(laughter)
(laughter)
VICTORY:
Everybody!
This way!
(crowd cheering)
(excited chatter, laughter)
We are now going to dance
a traditional Greek dance.
All men, come dance the Hasapia!
And all the women,
please come join us for
the traditional Syrian Samah!
-(upbeat music playing)
-(crowd cheering)
(dancers grunt)
(dancers grunt)
(dancers grunt)
You dreamt about Aristotle
last night.
How did you know?
I put koufeta under your pillow.
Greek voodoo.
Bam!
(music continues in distance)
Why don't you go dance?
I'll hold your bag for you.
TOULA:
Mm-mm.
How much do you know?
All of it.
You planned to use
this ash-neutralizing kit
to bury Dad in Greece.
No, no, no,
beside Dad's favorite tree
so he could grow
into an olive tree.
I mean, it's got seeds in it,
and I was planning on taking
half the urn back to Mom.
It's not your decision to make.
It's Mom's.
Mom can't make that type
of decision right now,
and you know that, Toula.
Okay, see, the problem is
there's no head
of the family anymore.
Don't say that.
No, no, I'm saying it
'cause it's supposed to be you.
-Me?
-Yeah, you.
But-but Athena's the oldest.
Athena's got like six kids!
And we decided you had the time.
Oh, okay.
Well, it's supposed
to be Peter, then.
Peter.
Peter's too busy, too, Toula.
No.
You know, I'm calling it.
I'm calling it.
-You're calling it?
-I am.
You got us back to Greece.
You got Dad's book
back to his friends.
And, well, you're the head
of the family now.
Hey, Nick...
(sighs)
...you got Dad back to Greece.
(Nick chuckles softly)
-I did. -So you're the head
of the family.
(Nick laughs, sniffles)
-Can we share it?
-Yeah, okay, we'll share it.
-Can you hold family dinners?
-Yes.
-Okay.
-I'm not doing them alone!
-You have to help me cook.
-I'll help.
-I will.
-Then fine.
-(sniffles)
-(sighs)
You know,
sometimes Mom remembers, even
if it's just for a few moments.
(Toula sighs)
And that's enough, huh?
Yeah. Yeah.
Hey, Nick?
This kit,
it's for cremated pets.
Oh. Yeah, I see the dog now.
Yeah, I thought it was a bush.
-It's a dog.
-Looks like a bush.
Yeah.
You know what? You're right.
("Kratise Me"
by Charis Panopoulos playing)
I am?
(song continues
with lyrics in Greek)
(band playing
mid-tempo traditional music)
(lively chatter)
Do you want to dance?
Aristotle, you... you don't
want to date me, okay?
I'm a mess.
Now you know why
I didn't answer you all year.
Because I was partying--
me, the perfect,
nice Greek girl.
Okay? I blew it.
I want to do well in college.
That is my life plan.
But the philosopher Aristotle
once said,
"Educating the mind
without educating the heart
is no education at all."
Yeah, you are so Greek.
(laughs)
Come on.
I-I have to fix my life.
Let's get some air.
-(upbeat music playing)
-(rhythmic clapping)
-(crowd cheering)
-(Nick shouting in Greek)
Opa!
Hey, hey.
It's-it's okay.
Here's my proposal.
Can we take this slow?
Yeah.
You can text me.
Okay.
I just might.
No babies until
you graduate from college
and you buy your parents
a house.
(Paris laughs)
Greek aunties:
better than dating apps.
They won't stay.
I know.
I was thinking...
the migrants in the area,
they could live
in these empty houses.
Maybe you are
a good mayor after all.
Yes!
I said "maybe."
(music and cheering continue)
I'm a good mayor, yes?
-Number one, the best.
-Hey, keep it.
Thank you for everything.
Cousin.
(laughter, lively chatter)
TOULA:
Hi! Oh!
(music and chatter continue
in distance)
TOULA:
I think my dad knew
how much we needed
to go on this trip,
to bring us together
and help each other with
the changes that life brings.
We went to a reunion to bring
my dad's story to his friends.
We didn't know
a part of his life
would be coming home with us.
Hey, Ian.
Yeah, so where you at?
I can't see you.
IAN (over phone): I'm right
behind you. Turn around.
Well, behind me where?
I still can't see you.
IAN: Oh, maybe that's not you.
Wave your arms.
I'm waving.
Jump up and down.
Oh, it's so crowded.
Make a donkey sound.
(imitates braying):
Hee-haw!
Louder.
Hee... haw.
You're outside, aren't you?
Told you I'm fun.
TOULA:
I guess we will never know
who is now
the head of the family,
so we'll argue about it loudly.
And the fact is, it doesn't
really matter who's in charge,
as long as we're together.
Okay, listen, wait.
I say we go get Ma,
and then maybe
we can have a family dinner.
-Toula's cooking.
-ARISTOTLE: Hey.
Say it.
Wear your eating pants!
-Yeah!
-(cheering)
TOULA:
Yeah.
Stuck together by our own sweat.
Oli mazi, oli mazi
We are all together,
we are all together
It doesn't matter
where we are
We're always close,
we're never far
From each other
Mm, mm
'Cause I'm with you
everywhere
Good to know
we're always there
For one another
Mm, mm
Love will always, always,
always find a way
And all I, all I,
all I wanna say
Oli mazi
We, we are all together
in this life
Zoe
Oli mazi
Free, free to be
whoever we wanna be
We're one family
Oli mazi
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Oli mazi
Oh, oh, oh, oh
It doesn't matter
what you do
You're here for me,
I'm here for you
-And that's forever
-That's forever
Mm, mm
'Cause I know
you got my back
And I got yours,
we both know that
-There's nothing better
-There's nothing better
Mm, mm
Love will always, always,
always save the day
And all I, all I,
all I wanna say
Oli mazi
We, we are all together
in this life
Zoe
Oli mazi
Free, free to be
whoever we wanna be
We're one family
Oli mazi
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Oli mazi
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Oli mazi, oli mazi
We are all together,
we are all together
Everybody say, "Oli mazi"
Oli mazi
We are all together,
we are all together
Oli mazi
We, we are all together
Oli mazi
We, we are all together
in this life
Zoe
Oli mazi
Free, free to be
whoever we wanna be
We're one family
Oli mazi
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Oli mazi
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh
-Oli mazi.
-(song ends)
(music ends)
("Opa" by Giorgos Alkaios
playing)
Opa!
Opa! Opa!
(song continues
with lyrics in Greek)
Opa!
(song continues
with lyrics in Greek)
Opa! Opa!
(song continues
with lyrics in Greek)
Opa!
(song continues
with lyrics in Greek)
Opa! Opa!
(song continues
with lyrics in Greek)
-Everybody say
-Opa!
Opa!
(song continues
with lyrics in Greek)
Opa! Opa!
(song continues
with lyrics in Greek)
-Opa!
-(song ends)
ATHENA:
Mom, do you want some coffee?
-That's good, Maria.
-Mama thelo. -(door closes)
TOULA:
Hey!
(gasps) How's my mom today?
Hi, Mom. It's me, Toula.
-I'm your daughter.
-No.
My daughter is
young and beautiful.
YIANNI:
Go do your homework.
We've been discussing
everything with your mother.
ATHENA:
Mom?
Remember when
we were talking about
Toula taking a trip?
I discussed it
with your father last night.
I know he's gone.
I'm not nuts.
He was in my dream.
(chuckles)
You're going to Greece
for the reunion
in your father's village.
That's right. And?
Because you promised your father
you would give his journal
to his best friends.
-Yes!
-That's right!
-Mom remembers!
-See? I know. I know.
(laughter)
It's so nice to meet you.
Just kidding. (laughs)
I know. I know.
TOULA:
All moms pretend they're okay
so the family won't worry.
Because, for a mom,
it's the badge of honor
to take care of everyone,
especially Greek women
who give birth,
then immediately get up
and cook everyone family dinner
while the Greek man stands there
and declares himself
the head of the house.
Since we lost my dad,
the head of the house,
it's been a while
without family dinner.
We've been feeling
kind of scattered,
which is weird for us
because my family
used to be stuck together
by our own sweat.
That's how
an immigrant family survives:
working together,
sticking together,
running a restaurant.
But not today.
-I am going on a vacation.
-(chuckles softly)
We're going to Greece.
Oh, yeah.
(laughs)
(cell phone ringing)
TOULA:
It's Nick.
Hey, Toula, you got
Dad's journal, right?
We're doing it, Dad.
Just came to say bye to Ma.
So, Toula,
who am I driving with?
TOULA:
Thea Voula and Thea Frieda.
NICK: A trip without my kids?
I mean, it's finally "me" time.
I'm gonna look great
when I meet Dad's friends.
I got some grooming to do.
Ma! I need some hair dye!
I got to use your shower!
-Oh.
-Oh, Jesus.
(sighs) See that?
TOULA: This will be
our first time in Greece.
My dad never went back.
It's what immigrant parents do.
Work hard,
give it all to the kids,
so we can take the trip
they never did?
It doesn't seem right.
But my dad asked me
to go to the reunion,
find his friends
and give them his journal.
It's his life story.
My dad also told me
I better take some time off
because I was starting
to look old.
So... vacation!
MAN (over P.A.): Welcome to
Chicago International Airport.
-TOULA: Okay.
-Hello.
Paris, you made it.
Ah, love the do.
-Wow.
-How were finals?
You know, I was thinking
I-I should stay home.
-What?
-You know?
No. You-you can see Bennett
when you get back.
No. No, no, no.
That's over. That's done.
Oh, Roscoe now. Right, right.
No, uh, Aristotle.
Thea Voula set you up.
-(Toula chuckles) -Yeah,
which is why that is over, too.
I just... I wanted
to study this summer.
Just take a break
from your perfect GPA.
You put too much pressure
on yourself.
TOULA:
It's Greece.
For Pappou. Pappou.
(imitating Gus):
"Give me a word, any word,
and I show you how the root
of that word is Greek."
"Nachos."
(Toula grunts)
TOULA:
The family came to say goodbye.
-IAN: Everyone?
-TOULA: Yeah.
(group murmuring)
It says maximum 20 people.
That's six Greeks.
-Everyone, suck it in.
-(group inhales deeply)
I got it.
(panting) Oh, man.
Hey, snacks.
You can't afford
since you got fired.
-Retired.
-Ah!
A Greek man retires
a week after he is dead.
Hey, good one. Come on.
What's that?
(Taki chuckles)
-Let's go over the restaurant.
-I got my kids on shifts.
-MARIANTHI: I ordered the beef.
-JENNIE: I ordered the fish.
-Take care of my mom.
-COUSINS: We will.
-You're good cousins.
-I am.
-(laughter)
-We got to go!
-Bye!
-(lively, overlapping chatter)
Bye! Bye! Bye! Bye!
-Bye!
-Bye!
(lively chatter continues)
MAN (over P.A.):
Flight 204 departing for Athens.
Is every Greek in Chicago
on this plane?
Everyone going
to the homeland, sit down!
Ah! Big family trip.
Aunt Voula.
I'm in charge. You report to me.
Wha...?
I found my bikini from 1972.
Oh.
Who wants souvlaki?
-Who wants souvlaki?
-(excited chatter)
Homemade.
I made it.
-(electronic bell chimes)
-Paging Sue Vlaki.
Anybody by the name of
Sue Vlaki on this flight?
(laughter, lively chatter)
Take this evil eye
to protect you.
Yeah, you know I don't believe
in the Greek voodoo.
(singsongy):
That's why you're still single.
We found out we're related
to Alexander the Great.
Me, too.
-(both laugh)
-Hey!
-Hey. All right.
-NICK: Whoa, whoa, whoa.
Wait a minute, are you--
Where you going?
Your seat's back there, right?
So we're trying to have
a little fun here, okay?
I'm fun.
When?
It doesn't matter, Ian,
'cause I need to try
and get some sleep.
(grunting)
The big button.
PILOT (over P.A.):
Ladies and gentlemen,
this is your captain.
Please take your seats
and make sure
your seat belts
are securely fastened.
We are ready for takeoff.
VOULA:
Ah, good! My assistant's here.
-Family documents.
-The family?
Paris?
Aristotle! What...
I didn't know
you were gonna be here.
...are you doing here?
Your Thea Voula hired me
to help her on a trip.
I didn't know that
you were gonna be here.
Oh, that's right,
they know each other.
What a coincidence.
Such a nice Greek boy.
They had an amazing date.
She ghosted him.
Why can't this family
respect my boundaries?
-Boundaries?
-Boundaries?
-(laughter)
-I can't get any space.
You want space, you got it.
Forget I'm here.
You won't even see me.
-Can we switch?
-VOULA: No. Sit down.
Make up. Make out.
That's Aristotle.
I have to switch seats
with Paris.
I knew... (grunts)
(passengers groaning, laughing)
-(sighs)
-Let them work it out.
(Toula scoffs)
Something else
is going on with Paris.
Don't.
It's none of our business.
Oh, we are so different.
You must sit down!
Or we are not going to Greece.
(passengers gasping, murmuring)
(flight attendant
exhales sharply)
Sit.
Ah, yeah.
("Milo Mou Kokkino"
by Dimitris Kontolazos playing)
MAN (over P.A.):
Welcome to Athens, Greece.
(man speaking Greek over P.A.)
(song continues
with lyrics in Greek)
"Coppertone," written in Greek.
I mean...
-Oh, man.
-(chuckles)
Why haven't we done this before?
ARISTOTLE: Uh, hello
to everyone I haven't met.
I'm Aristotle.
Uh, car rental is this way.
-Actually, I think
it's this way. -Very smart.
-No, no, no, no, I think they
said... -(overlapping chatter)
-VICTORY: You came!
-(chatter stops)
You are the Portokalos family.
I sent you the invitation.
I'm the mayor
of your father's village.
Welcome to the reunion!
(gasps) We are related
through your pappou's pappou,
who was a twin and married to
my great-great yiayia's
sister's sister-in-law.
-Cousin! -Cousin!
-Hey!
-Oh! Cousin!
-(laughter)
Oh, my God.
I'm Victory.
Aunt Voula.
I will be your favorite.
Frapp, iced coffee,
Greek style.
TOULA:
Thank you.
Do you have decaf?
Sopa. You're in Greece now.
I'll try it.
Ah, what's happening?
-What's "sopa" mean?
-It kind of means "shush."
It means "shut up."
Okay. This way to the car.
-Come.
-Shotgun. -No!
-Come on, I got it.
-VICTORY: This way.
-Come on, everyone.
-(excited chatter, laughter)
VICTORY:
Whoo!
(engine sputtering)
(engine shuts off)
Are you okay about Aristotle
on the trip?
Let me live my life. Okay?
-VICTORY: Cousin.
-Yeah?
-You drive.
-(chuckles): No!
I've never been to Greece.
VICTORY:
I give you directions.
Looking good, mori.
TOULA:
Victory?
How many people are you
expecting at the reunion?
Come on, come on.
-We need music!
-(music begins over stereo)
I love this song.
Number one. The best.
Everybody, sing!
Ta, ta, ta
("Dynata Ta Ta" by Stefanos
Pitsiniagkas continues)
(engine starts)
(song continues
with lyrics in Greek)
(tires screech)
VICTORY:
Toula, go straight.
The city of Athens.
ARISTOTLE: Hey, do we have
time to stop there?
VICTORY:
No.
(horns honking)
Toula, turn left.
The ancient Parthenon.
ARISTOTLE:
Are we going there today?
VICTORY:
No.
Ah.
VICTORY:
The Olympic stadium.
-ARISTOTLE: Could we...
-VICTORY: No.
From here, a short boat ride
to the island.
ARISTOTLE: Can we see
the island from here?
VICTORY:
No.
Don't slow down.
We're going to miss the boat.
Is that a beach?
ARISTOTLE:
Oh, can we go swimming?
VICTORY:
Yes.
-(loud knocking)
-(screams)
VICTORY:
Time for a swim!
-We have to get to the village.
-Sopa!
-Go fast or we will miss
the boat. -PARIS: Okay.
(Voula exclaims)
(whooping)
("To Kalokeri"
by Dionisis Shinas playing)
(song continues
with lyrics in Greek)
Whoo!
(Victory speaking Greek
excitedly)
Come on, Toula.
(speaking Greek)
Opa! Opa! Opa!
(song ends)
(birds chirping)
-(goats bleating)
-(bells jingling)
(donkey snorts)
(sighs) It's like
we've gone back in time.
My daughter is divorced
two times.
My son is gay.
Okay.
So I understand
alternative lifestyles.
I like your fashion look.
Do you like to wear
boy clothes or girl clothes?
Both and neither.
-Ah. (chuckles)
-How about you?
Depends on the day.
(chuckles) I like you.
Everybody does.
All my life,
I had a bone in my hip
that stuck out like
a toothpick in an olive.
Touch it.
(both laugh)
Olive groves.
VICTORY: People from many
countries working the harvest.
And some people from
our village work there, too,
because our olive groves
don't have water.
But I have a plan
to bring them back.
Oh.
Yeah.
Because I love our village.
(sighs)
I love Greece!
Number one. The best.
Whoo!
That's it.
That's my dad's village.
Everybody, out!
(exclaiming)
(Toula gasps)
-We need a picture for Mom.
-FRIEDA: Oh.
VOULA:
Here we are. (chuckles)
-Okay, ready?
-Thea Frieda, I have your neck.
-Pull. Pull. Pull.
-Okay.
-High. High.
-Neck?
(strains):
There we are.
VICTORY:
I've got this.
Relax your lips.
"I'm so mad at the camera."
Now... blow it away.
(blows softly)
(all blowing)
Blow it away.
(camera clicks)
Supermodels. Is fantastic.
Number one. The best.
-I'm gonna send this to Mom.
-I go now to rest.
Okay-- Victory?
Where's Victory?
Every village has its
hidden passages, like a maze,
because of centuries of
invading countries and wars.
Follow me.
Right up here.
This way.
-Come, come.
-(donkey brays in distance)
No, this way.
TOULA:
(sighs) Okay.
(whispers):
Where is everyone?
Maybe they're at work.
No, it's something bad.
-(group gasps)
-Jesus!
Yes.
(speaking Greek)
What'd she say?
"I was just a chin hair away
from being your mother."
("Kratise Me"
by Charis Panopoulos playing)
(song continues
with lyrics in Greek)
I had no idea
Pappou's village was so nice.
Hey, don't talk about it.
FRIEDA and VOULA:
It's bad luck.
No restaurants
or hotels open, guys.
Let's go to where
your mother and me grew up.
Mykonos knows how to party.
Can we go to Mykonos?
We're here for the reunion.
Then we're going drinking?
How old do you think
this tree is?
VOULA:
Let me see.
Uh, 98 years and seven months.
Chest height, 2.11,
multiplied by diameter.
-Dendrochronology.
-Greek word.
Our dad talked about
this square.
Our dad played here
with his three best friends,
Thanasis, Dimos and George.
(song continues
with lyrics in Greek)
(boys chattering playfully)
Mm.
Your grandfather talked about
a freshwater spring
flowing down from the mountain.
Women would fill jugs.
We only saw
that one woman, though.
-Who?
-She was angry.
-ALEXANDRA: Who was angry?
-(Toula shouts)
Jesus. Where does she come from?
Hello, Constantinos.
It's good to see you again.
Um, hello, but no.
No, I'm... I'm Nikos Portokalos.
I'm Constantine's son.
We lost our dad late last year.
Do you know which house was his?
Gone. Fire.
Come.
Follow me down this dark alley.
Oh... cool.
So no one will find our bodies.
(crickets chirping)
ALEXANDRA:
I am Alexandra.
I am making soup.
Yeah, this is where it ends.
Get the eggs.
Chairs. Bowls.
Ah, nobody feeds these ones?
(chuckles)
Eat. Eat.
-That's why she has
no breasts... -Oh. Oh.
-...and he has no kolo.
-Oh, oh, oh.
-TOULA: Okay. No, no. Good.
-Ooh.
Thank you.
That's good. That's good.
-Why? Okay, thank you.
-(Alexandra groans)
What does your husband
hold on to?
Everybody needs a love handle.
I smell food.
Don't talk about it.
It's bad luck.
-Oh, my...
-(grunts)
Welcome.
My helper, Qamar.
-She lives with me.
-Hi. -Hi.
-She's like a daughter to me.
-Oh.
-An orphan from Syria.
-Oh. -Oh.
Say hello.
We are not xenophobic.
-Greek word.
-Yes, we know. We are Greeks.
-GROUP: Hi.
-Hi.
Oh, little friend.
-Hi.
-Hi. (chuckles)
You're studying...?
Ah, philosophy.
Invented by the Greeks.
Again, we know.
PARIS:
Mm-hmm. Yeah. You?
I study chemistry.
-ALEXANDRA: Get the bread.
-PARIS: Oh, nice.
I have something for you.
-Hope you like it.
-Oh. Hot! (groans)
ALEXANDRA:
You never reached into a fire?
Oh, that's so nice.
-Yes, in my culture,
we give gifts. -Oh.
ALEXANDRA:
How did you get this?
Uh, the mayor sent it.
-Who?
-Victory.
Ah. Only one person voted--
Victory--
so Victory's the mayor.
A win is a win.
What did you do?
It is my plan
for the village regrowth.
All the people
who moved away years ago?
I invited them for a reunion.
They will remember
how beautiful it is,
and they will move back,
and the village
will go great again.
See? I'm a good mayor.
How many people live here?
-Lots.
-Six.
Six is a lot.
Who came for the reunion?
-You.
-And?
You.
Hey, wait, wait, wait, wait.
We came all this way to give
something very important
to my father-in-law's friends.
Now you're saying nobody's here?
Whoa, Dad.
VICTORY:
Not catastrophe.
Is fantastic. Don't worry.
You know,
it's-it's been a long day.
I'll-I'll call us a cab.
I'm also the town taxi driver.
But no.
You will all sleep
in the biggest house
in the village.
No one lives there now.
No, we're gonna go
to that hotel.
If you want to insult us.
(sighs)
We would love to stay.
(door creaking)
(all gasping)
-No Wi-Fi. -Yeah.
-(Paris scoffs)
(gasping continues)
ARISTOTLE:
The stairs are out.
That's-- there's-there's...
there's no other bedrooms.
Hey, one room all together
is how our dad grew up.
Yeah.
Hey, guys, this is gonna be fun.
Family sleepover!
I can do facials
with Greek yogurt.
Enemas, too.
Pass.
Flavored yogurt or plain, Thea?
Always the fruit.
(Ian grunts)
"Give her space"
doesn't mean try harder.
No, I'm not a creep,
and, uh, she's not into nerds.
Nerds win, Aristotle.
Were you a nerd?
No.
Women, they just want us
to hear 'em,
and we should listen 'cause
they got a lot to teach us.
But then you get married,
and they try and strangle you
in your sleep.
(Nick laughs)
Hey! Hey, hey, hey!
-We did that!
-We lit a fire!
We just did that!
(both laughing)
Oh, it looks great in here.
-Oh, okay. -There we are.
-(Nick grunts)
Okay, there it is.
Hey, Thea, we lit a fire.
-VOULA: Oh. Bravo.
-We did it. We...
VOULA: Bravo, Niko, Aristotle.
Very manly.
-But don't brag. It's bad luck.
-(Paris groans)
"Don't cross your legs
in church. It's bad luck."
"Don't give an empty wallet
as a gift. It's bad luck."
Don't make fun of your aunts.
It's bad luck.
(groans sharply)
Ian. Ian.
What? What? What?
There was a man.
(sighs)
He was right there, a man.
-What'd he look like?
-Uh, I didn't really see him,
but, like, handsome,
piercing eyes.
-Handsome?
-Yeah. Right there.
(Toula shudders)
-Hey.
-(Toula chuckles)
Have sex on Easter
like everyone else.
This is nice. Anybody cold?
No, so don't yell at anybody.
(laughs) That was epic.
I yelled before.
Sopa.
(laughter)
Well, it's not what we expected,
but we made it to Greece, yeah?
-Yeah. This is good.
-Mm-hmm.
IAN: Well, let's hit the hay,
I guess.
I am not tired.
You drank like
ten frapp coffees.
Oh. I'm fine.
(Nick yawns)
-All right.
-Okay.
(Nick sighs)
-(dog barking in distance)
-(donkey braying)
(quiet snoring)
(quiet knock)
VICTORY: We are going
to the best dance club.
-ARISTOTLE: Is it close?
-VICTORY: No.
("Telika (Club Mix)" by
Konstantinos Argiros playing)
(song continues
with lyrics in Greek)
(lively chatter, cheering)
VICTORY:
We need drinks.
CHRISTOS:
Welcome.
-Here.
-Thanks.
Christos!
Qamar's boyfriend!
But his father wants him
to marry a Greek.
So it's a secret.
Secrets are a waste of time.
In this life,
be open about what you want.
-I want to go dance.
-Mm!
Whoo!
So...
(chuckles):
Oh, no, no.
No, no, no, no. Uh...
Well, I-I don't,
I don't really know him.
You will end up together.
What?
Enjoy the dance to that moment.
And, you, dance with me.
-(Qamar laughs)
-Okay.
Oh.
-Hey.
-Hey.
Hey.
So, uh...
this got weird.
-I'm sorry, I-I...
-No, no. I'm sorry, okay?
This year was rough for me.
You don't have to
explain anything.
Ever.
Let's make the best of
the rest of the vacation.
In a remote Greek village
inhabited by ghosts and anger.
Let's do it.
-Come on. Come on.
-Mm.
(laughter)
(crowing)
-(door creaking softly)
-(birds chirping outside)
(quiet snoring)
-(sniffs, bleats)
-(screaming)
(frantic screaming)
What is it? What's happening?
(all panting, murmuring)
(Frieda exclaims)
Shoo!
(bleats)
I thought my husband
came back from the dead.
ALEXANDRA:
Hey!
Someone's loud truck
woke me up last night!
Hey!
Is she gone?
Great news.
The grandfather of my friend
received the reunion invitation.
Oh. He's dead.
My dad's best friends--
Thanasis, Dimos and George.
-I know them. -(gasps)
Do they still live here?
-No.
-How do we find them?
They will come for the reunion.
-Did they tell you
they're coming? -No.
(electric razor buzzing)
(blows sharply)
(trimmer buzzing, whirring)
(nail clipper clicks)
(blows)
VOULA:
Aristotle, groceries!
(sniffs)
("An S' Arnitho Agapi Mou"
by Tzeni Vanou playing)
(song continues
with lyrics in Greek)
How did it go?
(Aristotle burps, groans)
(gasps)
Oh, look.
Where does she come from?
MAN:
Handmade purses and shoes!
VOULA:
Oh! The big city.
I'm going to shop till you drop.
WOMAN:
Fresh watermelon.
Look.
(kids chattering excitedly)
There we are.
Come this way.
Over here.
TOULA: Hopefully, someone
will know my dad's friends.
VOULA: So, you are giving me
the best cheese
and the fattest beans, yes?
WOMAN:
Of course.
TOULA:
Oh. Thank you.
We buy from them,
they give to us.
Thank you.
Yiamas.
-Ah. Mmm.
-Whoo.
Mmm, good.
Do you know
where these men moved to?
-From the village of Vrisi.
-No.
-Drink.
-Okay.
Thea, I didn't sleep last night,
and I can't really
day-drink like this.
Oh, don't worry, don't worry.
A lady is never drunk.
-Yiamas.
-Okay.
(laughter)
TOULA: Do you know these men
and where they moved to?
-Drink.
-(laughter)
Efharisto. (chuckles)
-MAN: Yiamas.
-VOULA: Yiamas. Yiamas.
MAN:
Drink.
Yiamas.
-You want some wet cheese?
-Sure.
Hey, is there a shower?
There.
It's not warm.
Eh, not a problem.
(knob creaks)
(screaming)
(bleats)
Hey, Victory.
Did you hear from
my dad's friends?
As the mayor,
I promise you did not
travel here for no reason.
They will come soon.
Where's the oldest tree
in this entire area?
Is it the one
in the olive grove?
-Ask Alexandra.
-No.
-Pretty cool, huh?
-Yeah, yeah, it is.
And by the way, there's a shower
right there if you need one.
-Huh?
-Thanks, man.
(clucking)
(Ian screams)
IAN:
Nick!
(knocking)
Oh.
(kisses)
Ah.
(kisses)
(clucking)
Pick the one we have for dinner.
Oh. Thank you.
Uh, I'm a vegetarian.
No.
Which way's the path to the sea?
Oh. Thank you.
Hey, Thea.
Is this a memorial?
FRIEDA:
Yeah.
So many wars.
My dad never talked about
that stuff.
Getting through those years
made him strong.
Afraid of nothing.
(chuckles) Yeah.
That's Greek men.
(bell jingling)
-Hide.
-Oh.
Scooch over.
I will ask around. Here.
-MAN: Drink!
-(glasses clink)
VOULA:
Don't worry.
A lady is never drunk.
(groaning)
PARIS:
I have never seen my mom drink
anything more than
Communion wine.
-They were thirsty.
-(Toula and Voula laugh)
BOTH:
Whee!
I ate a bug.
Come!
(both laughing)
Oh, Paris! That's good.
There they are!
Victory!
Hand these out.
(laughing):
Oh, thank you. Okay.
-Alexandra, that's for you.
-Here you go.
(laughter)
Oh! Hi.
-Hey.
-Hi. Oh, I saw that guy again.
What guy? Y-You been drinking?
Yeah. The handsome guy who was
outside the window last night.
-I saw him today.
-VOULA: Oh.
It's kind of weird.
Hey, listen, want to go
make out in the chicken coop?
IAN (chuckles):
What?
(donkey braying)
(goat bleating)
I need sugar for my bougatsa.
-Hey, Toula.
-Huh?
Is this family dinner?
-It is.
-(chuckles)
-Nice.
-(chuckles)
You find Dad's friends?
Uh... uh, soon.
Okay. Listen to me, Toula.
-You're gonna find them. Okay?
-Yeah.
-You're gonna find them.
-Okay.
Mm-hmm.
You're a good cook.
-I'm a good cook, too.
-(laughs)
-Maybe better.
-Oh.
Right here. (sighs)
(whispers):
Go.
Go.
VOULA: We should invite
the six villagers.
VICTORY:
I'll ask them.
VOULA:
I'm cooking!
Wear your eating pants!
Yep. (laughs)
("Ase Me Na Figo"
by Aleka Kanellidou playing)
(song continues
with lyrics in Greek)
VICTORY:
"I'm so mad at the camera."
Now blow it away.
-(blowing)
-(camera clicks)
Whoo!
Supermodels. Fantastic.
Number one. The best.
Why haven't you made your move?
We decided to be friends.
"Decided to be friends"
is for when you find out
that you're dating a cousin.
(wind whistling)
Company's coming.
(chuckles):
You're drunk.
-You are.
-Yeah.
(both laughing)
That's him.
That's the man from last night.
Yia sas.
-VOULA: Hello.
-Alexandra's son.
-ARISTOTLE: Hi.
Nice to meet you. -PARIS: Hi.
Ah. Alexandra's son.
Mystery solved.
Why is he looking at you?
What-- Why are you smiling?
I'm not.
-Yes, you are.
-(chuckles)
"He's so handsome."
That's the way
you described him.
-(laughing): I did?
-Yeah.
So I can't look at
a handsome man
who's clearly attracted to me?
I'm your brother.
ALL:
Sopa.
Brother?
Yes.
-So not attracted to Toula?
-Nick.
Got it. Wait.
What's happening?
I was with your father
before he left the village
and met your mother.
Your father never knew
this is our son,
Peter.
And this is my son, Christos.
Hello.
-All right.
-(group exclaiming, laughing)
NICK:
Opa.
-Crazy!
-Wow!
(laughter)
TOULA:
Oh, my God.
Yes, family!
Oh, you carried
this burden alone.
It was my secret to keep.
Secrets are a waste of time.
-(Nick speaks Greek)
-Yiamas!
A toast to living your truth.
Yeah, and, hey, well,
Qamar and Christos are dating.
-Oh.
-(laughs) Yeah.
What?
We never wanted you
to find out this way.
I don't want you
to think badly of me.
But we're in love.
Who wants bougatsa?
-I'll take a bite of that.
-Maybe a bite, yeah.
-Yes, right.
-Yeah.
(crowing)
VICTORY:
Yes.
-(man speaking Greek)
-Yeah, sorry.
Uh, but, uh, do you know
where he lives now?
No, no, no. Not the father,
the grandfather.
Yes. Tell him about the reunion.
(man speaking Greek)
"Welcome to the reunion."
It's at the end of the week.
Is anyone gonna show?
Everything will be wonderful.
Like last night.
Great party.
It was a catastrophe
and, uh, kind of your fault
for proposing a toast.
That is what makes me fun.
(electric razor buzzing)
Oh. How's your head?
(Toula exhales sharply)
Like it's on too tight.
What's he trimming?
What do you think?
Upstairs or downstairs?
Oh, man.
So, Toula, Peter's pretty mad
about Qamar not being Greek.
Hey. I'm a non-Greek
in this family.
Turned out okay.
Did it?
Another brother.
My mind is blown.
Yeah. My mind is
blowing in the wind, too.
I am surprised,
but I am not surprised,
because I'm never surprised.
You lost me.
So, Toula, do we tell Mom
about Peter?
No.
Are you gonna tell your sister
about her late husband's son?
Frieda, you know me.
I-I'm sorry.
I know you're not a gossip.
I am not a gossip.
I'm a tattletale.
I already called her.
-(cell phone ringing)
-Hey, Toula, your phone.
Hey, it's Athena.
-Hey.
-ATHENA: Hi.
We have a brother?
Your mom is right here.
We told her about Peter.
Hello.
Hi, Mom.
So...
...your father has a son
that he didn't know about?
Well, it was a long time ago.
We always have room
for more love in this family.
And you tell Peter
I can't wait to meet him.
Oh. And say hello to his mother.
I'll bet her name is Alexandra.
-It is.
-(Nick chuckles)
Well, your father talked
in his sleep. (chuckles)
What were we talking about?
Hello? No, it's-it's me,
Nick, your son.
I-I know. I know.
(laughs):
I know.
We love you, Mom.
It's okay.
We love you, Ma.
Talk to you later.
Bye.
(Nick sighs)
-It's okay.
-Yeah.
(chickens clucking)
QAMAR:
I used your recipe.
(sniffs)
Not enough mizithra.
NICK:
Oh, wow, look at this.
Great.
-Hot cheese! Hot cheese.
-Oh.
Number one.
The best.
So, we take them from here.
We separate the leaves
from olives.
What happened to the fountain
in our village?
Why is it dry?
The rockslide
cut off the spring.
Don't start with me.
I'll get to it.
-Come on, come on,
come on, come on. -(exclaiming)
-Yep. No, no.
-(goats bleating)
H-Hold up. (grunting)
PETER: My son, we lost his
mother, but he stayed strong.
He's a smart kid.
He earned a degree
in sustainable agriculture.
This country needs his brain.
Instead, he's wasting his time
dating a xeni.
A xeni!
Eat something, Peter.
You'll feel better.
Hey, do you know where
the oldest tree in the area is?
My dad...
Our dad,
when he used to talk
to me about it,
he told me he used to sit
underneath it and dream.
Do you know where it is?
No.
Ask my mother.
No.
Hey. Is your head
still caving in?
(chuckles):
Yeah.
Come on, take a walk with me.
I'm gonna go hang with a monk.
-A monk?
-Yeah.
I can't.
Uh, I really need to find
my dad's friends.
(sighs)
-TOULA: Hi.
-Hey.
Hi.
Sorry about last night.
I forgot there was alcohol
in alcohol.
-For the record, I was not
attracted to you. -Mm-hmm.
-Hmm?
-Yeah, yeah, yeah. I got it.
Uh, so, uh...
this was our dad's.
It's a journal he kept from
the time he went to America.
Uh, do you think that
any of these invitations
reached the older people
that live in other cities?
No. Stop trying.
Well, I'm gonna
keep looking everywhere.
Thanks, Toula.
You got it.
-Bye.
-Bye.
Oh. Right there. See that?
You have many children.
Yeah. But none of them
listen to me, you know?
But, hey, I go with it. I learn.
You must know, a tree that bends
is stronger than
the tree that breaks.
I think the saying is:
"The tree that won't bend
breaks in the wind."
No, I think it's: "The windless
tree bends from breaking."
What the hell is
a windless tree?
What do you mean, Peter?
Come on.
(both laughing)
A windless tree doesn't move,
like a stubborn Greek father.
PETER:
That's a bad metaphor. (laughs)
NICK:
Now let's talk about your son.
(sighs) I'm sorry
I don't speak more Greek.
But I know "efharisto."
Oh, very good.
We were given all these things,
and I'd like
to give them to you,
if you don't mind.
Of course I don't mind.
"Regift" is a Greek word.
-There you go.
-(chuckles)
-(goats bleating)
-(bells jingling)
CHRISTOS:
If Victory's plan works
and people move back
to the village,
Qamar and I will run this
as an organic farm,
exporting products to the world.
That is our life plan.
Whoa.
What's yours?
Uh...
I'm hoping my roommate
gets swapped out.
He s-steals my waters and floss.
So, you know,
he's kind of a drag.
Uh, Paris?
You know, jump in.
Uh...
(sighs) Um...
You...
I just remembered I don't
want to be here right now.
(playful chatter echoing)
I suck.
I cannot fulfill the one thing
my dad ever asked me to do.
Actually, he asked you
to do a lot, Toula.
(Toula laughing)
-Right?
-Mm-hmm.
-Like, every day.
-Yeah.
Oh, my God, so much. (sniffles)
But this is big.
You know, I promised him.
(sighs)
-It's been a hard year, huh?
-Mm-hmm.
Both our dads.
Now I have another brother.
My mom.
That's hard.
I just wonder
how she feels, you know?
How she... If she's afraid.
-And something's up with Paris.
-Oh, no, no.
-You...
-No. No.
-You two...
-Hey.
What's this say?
What, that?
That's, uh, the word "Syros."
It's an island here.
-Where'd you get this?
-From my friend, the monk.
I think it's a list of all the
older people that moved away.
And where they moved to.
What?
It's all here.
Thanasis and Dimos and George.
(laughing):
I love you so much.
I have to call Nikki.
-Hey.
-Hey, hey.
I heard you have
a hot older brother.
-How's the reunion?
-There isn't one.
IAN: All Gus's friends
moved far away.
Thanasis Papagianopoulos
went to Syros.
Dimos Ginakes went to Paros.
George Diacos went to Rhodes.
So, Nikki, you were on Syros
last summer, right?
Yeah, yeah.
Uh, I know Syros and Paros.
Yeah, and actually, Patrick
and me, we did five islands.
Okay.
Could you both make some calls
and see if anyone can get
the message to these three men
about the reunion?
Yeah, sure. I-I know eight or
nine people right off the bat.
-No problem.
-Yeah, Angelo and I are on it.
-Okay...
-(line beeps)
Okay, bye.
-You did that.
-Yeah.
WOMAN (over P.A.):
Flight 235 departing for Athens.
(lively chatter)
(crowing)
(braying)
So you think anyone else
is coming to this reunion?
(electric razor buzzing)
TOULA: Thea Voula,
can we change our tickets
-to stay longer?
-No, we flew on the points.
-TOULA: Aw.
-Hi.
Dad! Oh, can you please...
Can you just give me
some privacy?
Mm-mm.
Come here.
(electric razor buzzes sharply)
Look at that view.
(Toula gasps)
TOULA:
This is beautiful.
My dad grew up with all this
and no food.
But he built a great life.
He worked hard.
Really hard.
Let's not do that.
(chuckles):
We never came to Greece.
We never took a real vacation.
We should be having fun.
We should be on a vacation.
-Come on. -Let's have some fun
while we can.
I'm just gonna try Nikki
one more time.
-Hey.
-Hi!
Did you find my dad's friends?
Don't worry. Oh.
Got to go.
-(line beeps)
-Uh...
WOMAN (over P.A.):
Welcome to Athens, Greece.
Hi.
"Soov" or "comfort table"?
Comfort table.
("Theos Schoreston"
by Pavlina Voulgaraki playing)
(song continues
with lyrics in Greek)
MAN (over P.A.): Departing
for the island of Syros.
(announcement continues
in Greek)
(ship horn blows)
Now arriving
on the island of Syros.
Exit from the rear of the boat.
NIKKI:
Hey. We partied last summer.
-Nikki!
-Can you help us
find a man named
Thanasis Papagianopoulos?
He's about 80 years old, and he
comes from the town of Vrisi.
-NIKKI: We'll find him.
-ANGELO: Yeah.
(ship horn blows)
(phone dings)
Ah, from Angelo.
"Don't worry. We got you."
Hey. It's gonna be okay.
-You're gonna get the journal
to your dad's friends. -Yes.
Something's going on with Paris,
-but we're gonna let her
work it out. -No.
Thanasis?
We'll find him.
-(song ends)
-(ship horn blows)
(music playing faintly
over headphones)
Hey.
You ready for the reunion
on Saturday?
Victory, no one's coming.
Yes, they are, and we are
going to have a party.
Good, good, because Qamar and I
are getting married.
Say what now?
(laughter)
(excited chatter, laughter)
NICK:
That's fantastic!
So the wedding is on Saturday.
No reunion?
I don't know.
Now I have to tell my mother.
-No.
-FRIEDA: A Greek mother
goes through life
with two emotions:
"I love you so much"
and "Why don't you love me
as much as I love you?"
-ALEXANDRA: Hey!
-(frightened shouting)
-Where does she come from?
-Oh, come on.
You're letting them get married!
She's a refugee!
With respect, Yiayia,
she's an immigrant.
Like the Ukrainians in the town
you give food to.
Like Pappou to America.
You kept a secret
from your family.
-What's funny?!
-Okay.
You're terrifying.
Uh, it's just that
Ian and I once kept a secret
from our parents, too.
As did you from yours.
I quit my job as a busboy
and pretended to go to work
for two weeks.
-(chuckling)
-I used to smoke.
I failed my entire
first year of college.
You win.
You what?!
Hang on. You failed?
We trusted you to go to NYU,
and you blew it?
TOULA:
What happened?
Sheltered life, got her freedom,
partied her face off.
Come on, it happens.
You two used to make out
in the car
like badgers tearing apart
a bag of Oreos.
Thea Voula.
Taki and I
used to make out so much
my face is still chapped.
-Thea Voula.
-Here, feel my chin.
-Huh? Eh?
-Oh, yeah.
IAN:
Now I got to call the dean.
No. I will get myself
through this.
Like I did.
You don't need my permission
to get married.
We are getting married.
I give you my permission.
(excited shouting, laughter)
Oh, we are family now.
You look Greek.
-And you look Syrian.
-Ooh. (laughs)
Everybody, sing!
("Dynata Ta Ta" playing
over phone)
We have to let her handle it.
(Ian scoffs)
That's what I told you.
-Really?
-(sighs): Oh, man.
VOULA:
What did you do?
I don't want details.
Just one detail.
We have work to do.
Oh, Christos, the theas,
you come with me.
And, Toula, Toula, you...
Take a vacation.
-Yeah?
-Yeah. Let's do it!
Yes, yes. You go away
and do it, you little badgers.
Okay, we'll be back
to help later. (laughs)
-VOULA: I want to know
everything. -(Paris groans)
(crowing)
Beautiful.
("Ginete"
by Pantelis Pantelidis playing)
(Toula grunting)
(grunts)
(song continues
with lyrics in Greek)
Ha!
(song continues)
Thanasis Papagianopoulos?
Do you know where Dimos
and George are?
-(screams)
-(laughs)
(blowing)
(camera clicks)
Why did you feel the need
to go to all these parties?
Because I had never been
to a party before.
(speaks Greek)
(both laughing)
(men speaking excitedly)
(song ends)
PETER:
What's that, Nick?
Nothing.
This is the oldest tree?
Yeah.
Okay, Toula just got back.
Don't say anything
or she'll kill me.
I probably broke
some international law
by transferring this urn, but...
Can you keep a secret?
No.
Peter.
Peter!
Toula, I heard you're back.
Look.
I thought you should know.
(sighs)
(busy chatter)
-Hey!
-(Nick shouts)
What are you doing?
I can't tell you
'cause you'll say no!
TOULA:
Thea Frieda.
How did he get here?
Nick.
Do you know
what my brother is up to?
Mm.
I'm not asking you to gossip.
Okay, good.
It's not gossip. It's a fact.
When we lost your father,
your brother asked me the
process to bury him in Greece.
'Kay.
I will put this koufeta
under your pillow
so you dream about
who you will marry.
No more voodoo, okay?
Also, there's other things
for Greek kids to do
rather than just get married
and make Greek babies, you know.
-Some do.
-And I respect their choice.
What are you going to do
about college?
Can we please not discuss it?
No. That's not what we do.
We yell and scream.
We find a solution together
using threats and guilt.
-I don't think we yelled enough.
-VOULA: Mm-hmm.
Trust me, you can't make me feel
any worse than I already feel.
That's not a meal.
Come.
I baked a goat.
(crowing)
(imitates cluck)
NICK (in distance): Everybody,
listen to Thea Frieda.
IAN (in distance): Come on,
we got to move these rocks.
-(busy chatter in distance)
-(exhales heavily)
-All right, this is gonna work.
-NICK: We're ready to go.
Okay, pull.
-(all straining)
-NICK: Where's the urn?
TOULA:
Hidden!
(grunting and chatter
continue in distance)
(all straining)
Pull!
QAMAR:
Keep pulling! Keep pulling!
(shouting, grunting)
FRIEDA:
Oh! (gasps)
(group cheering,
shouting excitedly)
NICK:
Run!
PETER:
Grab it! Grab it!
-Look at this!
-(excited shouting continues)
Yes! Yes!
(laughter, excited chatter)
We are finally ready
for the wedding.
Wait.
Sh-Shouldn't we take this down?
Sopa. (chuckles)
(upbeat percussive music
playing in distance)
-(music continues)
-(crowd whooping, cheering)
This is the Syrian Dabke.
-Whoo!
-Everybody!
Whoo!
Everybody, listen!
Follow me to find groom
this way,
and follow Aristotle and Paris
to find bride that way.
Let's do it!
-(cheering, whooping)
-(music continues)
IAN:
Let's do it! Hey!
(crowd cheering)
(crowd cheering)
(music continues)
-Looking good, mori.
-(laughs)
(shouts in Arabic)
-(crowd cheering)
-ARISTOTLE (laughs): Oh! Yeah!
(rhythmic clapping)
(musicians singing in Arabic)
(singing and music end)
(lively chatter,
joyful shouting)
(laughter)
(joyful shouting continues)
(crowd cheering, shouting)
WOMAN:
We came for the reunion!
VICTORY:
Who's that?
(cheering and shouting continue)
MAN:
We are here for the reunion!
(Paris laughs softly)
I did it.
-Cousin!
-Cousin!
Cousin!
(excited chatter)
NIKKI: You asked me to find
the men. I found everyone.
-What did you do?
-(laughing)
VOULA:
What are you doing here? Oh!
-Thanasis, Dimos and George?
-(Nikki laughs)
(Voula gasps)
(laughter)
(laughter)
VICTORY:
Everybody!
This way!
(crowd cheering)
(excited chatter, laughter)
We are now going to dance
a traditional Greek dance.
All men, come dance the Hasapia!
And all the women,
please come join us for
the traditional Syrian Samah!
-(upbeat music playing)
-(crowd cheering)
(dancers grunt)
(dancers grunt)
(dancers grunt)
You dreamt about Aristotle
last night.
How did you know?
I put koufeta under your pillow.
Greek voodoo.
Bam!
(music continues in distance)
Why don't you go dance?
I'll hold your bag for you.
TOULA:
Mm-mm.
How much do you know?
All of it.
You planned to use
this ash-neutralizing kit
to bury Dad in Greece.
No, no, no,
beside Dad's favorite tree
so he could grow
into an olive tree.
I mean, it's got seeds in it,
and I was planning on taking
half the urn back to Mom.
It's not your decision to make.
It's Mom's.
Mom can't make that type
of decision right now,
and you know that, Toula.
Okay, see, the problem is
there's no head
of the family anymore.
Don't say that.
No, no, I'm saying it
'cause it's supposed to be you.
-Me?
-Yeah, you.
But-but Athena's the oldest.
Athena's got like six kids!
And we decided you had the time.
Oh, okay.
Well, it's supposed
to be Peter, then.
Peter.
Peter's too busy, too, Toula.
No.
You know, I'm calling it.
I'm calling it.
-You're calling it?
-I am.
You got us back to Greece.
You got Dad's book
back to his friends.
And, well, you're the head
of the family now.
Hey, Nick...
(sighs)
...you got Dad back to Greece.
(Nick chuckles softly)
-I did. -So you're the head
of the family.
(Nick laughs, sniffles)
-Can we share it?
-Yeah, okay, we'll share it.
-Can you hold family dinners?
-Yes.
-Okay.
-I'm not doing them alone!
-You have to help me cook.
-I'll help.
-I will.
-Then fine.
-(sniffles)
-(sighs)
You know,
sometimes Mom remembers, even
if it's just for a few moments.
(Toula sighs)
And that's enough, huh?
Yeah. Yeah.
Hey, Nick?
This kit,
it's for cremated pets.
Oh. Yeah, I see the dog now.
Yeah, I thought it was a bush.
-It's a dog.
-Looks like a bush.
Yeah.
You know what? You're right.
("Kratise Me"
by Charis Panopoulos playing)
I am?
(song continues
with lyrics in Greek)
(band playing
mid-tempo traditional music)
(lively chatter)
Do you want to dance?
Aristotle, you... you don't
want to date me, okay?
I'm a mess.
Now you know why
I didn't answer you all year.
Because I was partying--
me, the perfect,
nice Greek girl.
Okay? I blew it.
I want to do well in college.
That is my life plan.
But the philosopher Aristotle
once said,
"Educating the mind
without educating the heart
is no education at all."
Yeah, you are so Greek.
(laughs)
Come on.
I-I have to fix my life.
Let's get some air.
-(upbeat music playing)
-(rhythmic clapping)
-(crowd cheering)
-(Nick shouting in Greek)
Opa!
Hey, hey.
It's-it's okay.
Here's my proposal.
Can we take this slow?
Yeah.
You can text me.
Okay.
I just might.
No babies until
you graduate from college
and you buy your parents
a house.
(Paris laughs)
Greek aunties:
better than dating apps.
They won't stay.
I know.
I was thinking...
the migrants in the area,
they could live
in these empty houses.
Maybe you are
a good mayor after all.
Yes!
I said "maybe."
(music and cheering continue)
I'm a good mayor, yes?
-Number one, the best.
-Hey, keep it.
Thank you for everything.
Cousin.
(laughter, lively chatter)
TOULA:
Hi! Oh!
(music and chatter continue
in distance)
TOULA:
I think my dad knew
how much we needed
to go on this trip,
to bring us together
and help each other with
the changes that life brings.
We went to a reunion to bring
my dad's story to his friends.
We didn't know
a part of his life
would be coming home with us.
Hey, Ian.
Yeah, so where you at?
I can't see you.
IAN (over phone): I'm right
behind you. Turn around.
Well, behind me where?
I still can't see you.
IAN: Oh, maybe that's not you.
Wave your arms.
I'm waving.
Jump up and down.
Oh, it's so crowded.
Make a donkey sound.
(imitates braying):
Hee-haw!
Louder.
Hee... haw.
You're outside, aren't you?
Told you I'm fun.
TOULA:
I guess we will never know
who is now
the head of the family,
so we'll argue about it loudly.
And the fact is, it doesn't
really matter who's in charge,
as long as we're together.
Okay, listen, wait.
I say we go get Ma,
and then maybe
we can have a family dinner.
-Toula's cooking.
-ARISTOTLE: Hey.
Say it.
Wear your eating pants!
-Yeah!
-(cheering)
TOULA:
Yeah.
Stuck together by our own sweat.
Oli mazi, oli mazi
We are all together,
we are all together
It doesn't matter
where we are
We're always close,
we're never far
From each other
Mm, mm
'Cause I'm with you
everywhere
Good to know
we're always there
For one another
Mm, mm
Love will always, always,
always find a way
And all I, all I,
all I wanna say
Oli mazi
We, we are all together
in this life
Zoe
Oli mazi
Free, free to be
whoever we wanna be
We're one family
Oli mazi
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Oli mazi
Oh, oh, oh, oh
It doesn't matter
what you do
You're here for me,
I'm here for you
-And that's forever
-That's forever
Mm, mm
'Cause I know
you got my back
And I got yours,
we both know that
-There's nothing better
-There's nothing better
Mm, mm
Love will always, always,
always save the day
And all I, all I,
all I wanna say
Oli mazi
We, we are all together
in this life
Zoe
Oli mazi
Free, free to be
whoever we wanna be
We're one family
Oli mazi
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Oli mazi
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Oli mazi, oli mazi
We are all together,
we are all together
Everybody say, "Oli mazi"
Oli mazi
We are all together,
we are all together
Oli mazi
We, we are all together
Oli mazi
We, we are all together
in this life
Zoe
Oli mazi
Free, free to be
whoever we wanna be
We're one family
Oli mazi
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Oli mazi
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh
-Oli mazi.
-(song ends)
(music ends)