Review: Title only clever part of `Ruins'

In this film publicity image released by Fox Searchlight, Nia Vardalos, left, and Alexis Georgoulis are shown in a scene from, 'My Life in Ruins.' [Agencies]

LOS ANGELES – As we learn from "My Life in Ruins," the Greek word for mojo — or zest for life — is "kefi." Nia Vardalos' character has lost hers and needs to get it back.

Wonder what the Greek words are for corny, hackneyed and flat. Because those are all applicable, too.

Vardalos tries to recreate the unexpected magic that resulted from the 2002 sleeper smash "My Big Fat Greek Wedding," which made her a star and earned her an Oscar nomination for her screenplay. Although she didn't write the script this time — that's the dubious work of former "Simpsons" writer and producer Mike Reiss — "My Life in Ruins" strives for the same sort of affectionately teasing ethnic humor. Instead, it feels like an uncomfortable parade of Borscht belt gags and lame stereotypes.

Vardalos stars as Georgia, a Greek-American tour guide living an uptight life in Athens. She always gets stuck with the obnoxious tourists while her rival, the smarmy Nico (Alistair McGowan), gets the beautiful women and polite Canadians. And all the broad, overly familiar types are on display: the drunk Australians, the prissy Brits, the loud Americans, the saucy Spanish divorcees. There's even a self-important executive — from the International House of Pancakes — who's constantly talking on his cell phone.

These people are spectacularly unfunny, especially under the overly jaunty direction of Donald Petrie ("Miss Congeniality," "Just My Luck"), who can't even make the Greek scenery appealing enough to redeem this thing.

With her love of history, Georgia wants to share the glory of the country's ancient ruins and tell their stories; all her tacky travelers want to do is shop and eat ice cream. But this being a contrived romantic comedy, Georgia naturally finds love where she least expects it: right on her tour bus, with the long-haired, unkempt driver, who's been saddled with the unfortunate name of Poupi Kakas (Alexis Georgoulis).