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“My Life in Ruins,” which was not written or directed by Vardalos, opens in wide release from Searchlight on June 5. On July 1, IFC will try to piggyback on the earlier film’s publicity campaign by rolling out “I Hate Valentine’s Day” both in limited released as well as with its cable on-demand program. Vardalos plays a florist whose resolve not to get too involved with a man is tested by restaurateur Corbett. Judah Friedlander, Rachel Dratch and Zoe Kazan — who just won best actress award at Tribeca for “The Exploding Girl” — co-star. The charming Greek-Canadian actress plays a tour guide visiting Greece in “My Life in Ruins,” opposite Richard Dreyfuss and, again, Dratch. Five years is a long time between movies in Hollywood, particularly for a one-hit wonder. It’s fair to ask if there is much of an audience for one — let alone two — Vardalos vechicles, half a decade after the Vardalos-written “Connie and Carla” tanked, collecting just $8 million domestically (Vardalos was off screen trying to conceive a child; she finally ended up adopting). “My Big Fat Greek Wedding,” which cost just $5 million, was released way back in 2002 and marketed by the brilliant Bob Berney, who is starting up his own company after subsequent stints at Newmarket and Picturehouse. Of course, the folks at Searchlight are not exactly slouches in the marketing department, as they showed with “Juno.”


