Mamma Mia!

Having read Anthony Lane's review of Mamma Mia for the New Yorker, I approached this film with appropriately low expectations. I knew everyone was going to have orange skin. I knew the actors would not be doing very graceful or interesting things while they sang. I knew the film was just a vehicle for ABBA songs, which meant that it was going to have a thin, contrived plot--and that was fine with me. Like virtually every other viewer who has chipped in to the financial success of this film and the Broadway musical it was based on, I was only watching it for the ABBA anyway. It would be nostalgic, it would be peppy, it would be fun. I'd get to enjoy the pleasure of anticipation--"Oh, I know what song is coming here!"--or, alternatively, the laughter of surprised recognition when the actors launched into a song I hadn't seen coming.

In the end, I didn't even get that. It was clear within five minutes that this film was going to be excruciatingly overacted. The loud cackling laughter, the slapstick, the spastic dancing, the needless acrobatics (hanging and falling off of roofs). Certain leading actors' inability to sing, which made it hard to enjoy the music. I give the creators credit for incorporating songs into the storyline in, let's say moderately clever ways. But watching how poorly acted and choreographed this movie was, I thought: Is the problem that the people making this film are too embarrassed by the silliness of the premise to take it seriously enough to make it good? You can know that the premise of your film is silly--you can signal to the audience that you know it's silly--but you can still love it enough and pour enough care into it to create a film that's impressively executed and delightful to watch, even heartwarming. Baz Luhrmann has demonstrated that brilliantly with Strictly Ballroom and Moulin Rouge. Perhaps Luhrmann could have made this film enjoyable. As is, I'd have gotten more enjoyment from just putting on my headphones and popping ABBA Gold into my CD player.

With this big opening weekend either you're going to see the darker film The Dark Knight or you are going to see something more light hearted like Mamma Mia! Now I work at a movie theater, a lot of people were just assuming that everyone was going to see The Dark Knight, yesterday someone came up disappointed saying "my show sold out"... I looked at her with a smiling face and said "oh, yeah, dark knight, I know"... she said "no, mamma mia", I looked up all surprised, Mamma Mia sold out as well, people were really looking forward to this movie as well. I did see this movie on Saturday and really enjoyed it, as cheesy as it was, I do enjoy musicals, I think the only thing is that this this is the happiest musical that I have ever seen. So it was nice to just sit there and be happy with these characters and you can't help but laugh at the predicaments that they get themselves into.

Sophie is a young woman who is about to tie the knot with her loving and adventurous fiancée, Sky, her life is great. She has a very loving mother, Donna, who is running a broke down hotel in Greece and used to be in a girl group called The Donna's. Sophie has one problem, she has never met her dad, she finds her mom's diary and discovers that she has three potential fathers. She invites them all to the wedding putting her mom's name on the invitation. So the three men: Sam, Harry, and Bill come to see her and Sophie is caught in a situation where she doesn't know who's her real dad, but they end up having the time of their lives and enjoying life together.

Mamma Mia is the light hearted comedy that I'm sure any musical lover could enjoy. I loved how well paced it was and how the cast looked like they had the ultimate time making this film, that's what made it so much fun. This film also brings a lot of fun energy into you and just keeps you smiling. The songs were very catchy, which I know this musical was based on the songs of Abba, so we have that good old 70's groove going on. I would recommend Mamma Mia, if you're looking to smile, laugh, and dance, I'm sure you'll love to see Mamma Mia. It's a sweet film with the cheesy plot that is so much fun to laugh at, plus it has men in speedo's who are dancing like crazy, where can you go wrong with that? OK, you can, but it's all good.

8/10

I didn't use to like this movie, but as I got older I started to love the movie more. It's definitely a cheesy movie and far from perfect, but it's a fun watch with catchy songs (duh, it's ABBA). It's not too long nor too short, so it's a perfect movie to watch when you're feeling down or to watch with friends on a movie-night.

I did enjoy this romp in the Greek Islands and was surprised at how well Meryl Streep sang. It's light, full of froth and bubble and perhaps has some aspects of Grease and Bollywood in it. The reason the music works I feel is that they haven't really messed with the arrangements of the songs keeping them generally faithful to the Abba originals. But Pierce Brosnan's vocal efforts were abysmal, almost laughable. Perhaps it was meant to be a send up of the original songs all the way through but he really did manage to mangle the vocals in my opinion. If you have seen the musical on stage you will know what to expect and there are some funny moments in the film and the Greek islands are as always a superb backdrop for the action.

As a musical, pure and simple, 'Mamma Mia' has the briefest and silliest of stories, backed up by a large selection of Abba songs (Super Trouper, SOS, Voulez Vous, Gimme Gimme Gimme, Money Money Money, Dancing Queen, The Winner Takes It All, Lay All Your Love On Me, Our Last Summer, Mamma Mia, etc.).

Meryl Streep has a daughter about to marry, and a cloudy past which has left three possible dads - Sam (Pierce Brosnan), Harry (Colin Firth), and Bill (Stellan Skarsgard). Now you can imagine that when Brosnan was James Bond he never thought he'd be cavorting along to Swedish pop on the big screen - but despite his weak voice, he does OK - the same can be said for Firth, who seems to choose roles with such little discrimination it is no longer a surprise to see him in anything.

Donna (Streep) also has two friends to support her - Julie Walters and Christine Baranski. Walters is as fun as ever, cavorting in her headscarf and singing appallingly; while Baranski is another Samantha from Sex and the City - chasing young barmen and struggling in her high heeled boots. Their scenes together and apart are hilarious - and Streep's singing cannot be faulted.

Is the film any good? It is hard to tell. It is certainly fun, and funny. The direction isn't particularly inspired, nor is the screenplay clever or profound - but then, neither is the music of Abba. Taken purely as bubblegum, feel-good cinema, it does OK, and isn't as bad as you might have expected.