Love's Greek to Me Enlightens Us About Greek Traditions
Laura Nowak
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Sometimes, you watch a movie that you find so relatable.
Love's Greek to Me was that kind of movie since many brides-to-be fear their mothers or mother-in-laws taking over the wedding planning. Marina Siris excelled at playing a well-meaning but overly enthusiastic future mother-in-law wanting to incorporate family traditions.
Did her intentions bring her son and Ilana closer together or drive a wedge between them?
In the movie, Torrey DeVitto plays an anthropology professor named Ilana that is interested in digging into the past, except her own. Her parents' divorce left her wary of relationships, even with her long-time boyfriend, Mike (Yannis Tsimitselis).
I just feel like who you marry is the biggest decision you make in life.
Ilana
Being fascinated with Mike's family should have prepared her. Still, Ilana had never been around a large family before, so she wasn't used to being instantly invited into the fold or having invasive questions about grandbabies.
Right away, you could tell that Ilana was out of her element. She had only dealt with Athena before in small doses, and suddenly, Athena was invading all of their plans with a whirlwind of energy.
The Atlas family believed in honoring traditions, whether it meant Mike proposing at the exact location where his dad proposed to his mom or working in the family hotel business.
Ilana: So, you are proposing?
Mike: Yes, and this place is special because it’s where my father proposed to my mother. He said she was the light of his life, and when I met you, I felt the same. You’re my light. So Ilana, will you marry me?
That's where the problem arose. Ilana wanted to plan an intimate wedding with her mother's assistance, but Athena swooped in, putting Mike in the middle.
This becomes complicated because many brides have clear visions, but some groom's families want a say too. I remember the chaos of planning my wedding.
This is the most important day of your life, the day everything changes, and you bind yourself together for all eternity. This is a day that should be celebrated, no expense spared, so I’m going to give you the biggest Greekest wedding ever.
Athena
That was the other issue. Even though they had been together for two years, Mike and Ilana had never discussed much about their future.
Ilana panicked when she saw that Mike actually wanted to stay in Greece with his family and help run the business.
He had never mentioned feeling isolated from his family in the States before, but he seemed at peace interacting with old friends and family.
Mike: I spent many years being Greek Mike. Here, I’m just Mihalis. I want to be married as I really am.
Ilana: Well, I definitely want you to feel seen, especially by me. But our wedding needs to be about both of us.
Suddenly, Ilana had to decide if she could move across the world.
While "Love's Greek to Me" was a rom-com, the two leading ladies lit up the screen.
Initially, Athena seemed never to take no for an answer as she grated on Ilana's nerves.
She booked the church without asking, bought Ilana a wedding gown when she specifically said she wanted her mom to design hers and arranged a cake tasting.
Athena, please. You need to respect my boundaries.
Ilana
She was so funny when she began talking about grandbabies and that the first grandchild was named after the paternal grandfather.
Unlike many future mothers-in-law, Athena wasn't trying to push Ilana away. She wanted to welcome her into the fold with opens, just a bit too enthusiastically.
As the movie went on, you can tell the difference in interactions that Athena has with Mike's sisters, Alex and Ilana, versus Ilena and her mother, Susie.
Alex loves her mother but also feels trapped in staying in Greece and helping her with the business because of family obligations. She envies Ilana, who is close friends with her mom and asks her mom for life advice.
Near the end of the movie, there's a shift in how Athena treats Alex when she asks her to be her business partner at the new hotel. She's very proud of her daughter.
Alex, Ilana, and Athena learned valuable lessons about love and family. Since Ilana was also outspoken, she inspired Alex to change her mind about her wedding flowers and gown at the last minute, and Alex looked stunning.
Athena finally told her daughter how much she loved and respected her, then mended things with Ilena.
She even invited Ilana's mother to Greece, so Ilana had a shoulder to cry on while she dealt with her relationship issues.
Inviting Ilana's mom to Greece just showed that they felt like they were part of the family. It was an act of good faith and hopefully helped Ilana realize that her mom could visit if she and Mike stayed there.
"Love's Greek to Me" reminded me of other popular films, such as "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" or "Mamma Mia," when an enthusiastic Greek mother owns a hotel in Greece and gets overly involved in the wedding planning.
The Hallmark version worked since many scenes were filmed on the Santorini coast, meaning that Mike and Ilana visited actual landmarks in the film.
Incorporating Greek mythology into the movie was an interesting touch as well. The story of Aphrodite, her son Eros, and his wife Psyche is a well-known one that parallels the central theme.
You must respect Athena for recognizing that she behaved like a "monster-in-law" and striving to change and fix things between her and Ilana. She only cared about her son's happiness.
Chris and Alex's wedding was gorgeous, and I loved all the Greek traditions, especially the crowing ceremony.
Since both Alex and Chris and Mike and Ilana got married, I suspect this may be a one-off, but there has been no confirmation.
DeVitto and Tsimitselis were delightful as romantic scene partners, and Siritis shined as Athena Atlas. We'd love to see more of the family as Mike and Ilana adjust to life in Greece.
We love to hear reader feedback, so comment below if you'd like to see more of the Atlas family.
Laura Nowak is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow her on X.
