Relevant elements: Crazy families at weddings, the phrasing "my big fat [x]"
Why it resonated: People find weddings dramatically interesting, and most people think their own families are embarrassing
General comments on the film: There's really not much to say about the artistic merits of the film, but it's worth considering how this little movie became a massive box office winner in 2002. Its comedy is broad and sitcommy, so it's not like audiences were struck by its genius, and the star power is of very low wattage--it's not like people were lining up to see John Corbett.
So how did this unremarkable work deliver one of the best returns on investment of its time? Why did it become a word-of-mouth phenomenon? There are several factors, but I think the most significant one is that the movie's depiction of a big, loud, overwhelming, and often embarrassing family during the planning and execution of a wedding appealed to people in two ways. Either they thought to themselves, "That's just like my family!" or they said, "What a zany over-the-top ethnic family! They're so different and cute!" In other words, the film courts both identification and spectacle. Leaving aside the question of stereotyping and cultural sensitivity, it presents what many "non-ethnic" people probably imagine these kinds of families are actually like. Having the hook of a wedding doesn't hurt either, especially for the target demographic of the movie.
I guess it's not surprising that interest in this kind of cultural tourism didn't have much staying power: the 2003 TV spinoff series My Big Fat Greek Life lasted only seven episodes. On the other hand, there are at the moment a handful of "My Big...Wedding" shows on television, and one could argue that the current wave of Italian/New Jersey programs are part of the legacy of this film. So...thanks?
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