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.
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Laura_Ratings14 April 2022
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Chris_Docker1 July 2008Mamma Mia! Does the mention of anything Abba-ish send you cringing to a corner? Or are you already joining in and dancing on the tabletops? Maybe another few drinks . . .
In short, if you are not allergic to Abba, book your tickets now. If you are, why would you be reading this? At a pinch, it is worth seeing for Meryl Streep alone, who not only throws herself headlong into every refrain with unashamed gusto, but adds a touch of class and nuance to what otherwise could be a one-dimensional adaptation. Streep vacillates engagingly between playing herself and not taking herself too seriously. Pierce Brosnan just about keeps up, and manages more expressions than he ever did as James Bond. Colin Firth and Julie Waters trail behind somewhat. Yet Mama Mia! is a roller coaster of emotion, careering colourfully from the blue waters of the Adriatic, bursting 'like Aphrodite's Fountain' into the lives of Donna (Meryl) , her lovers and friends, and her soon-to-be-wed daughter. It is the party spirit that says kick your shoes off and sing silly cheesy songs. Altogether now.
And yes there's a story. Donna's daughter Sophie is getting married. To the buff-looking Sky. Only where's her dad? She's never met him. A sneak-peek at Mom's diary shows Mom had three lovers before Sophie was born and Sophie secretly invites all of them. This is a film of threesomes. Three past lovers (Sam, Bill and Harry). Three close friends (Donna and two best pals). And, not to be outdone, Sophie meets up with two other young girls at the start of the film.
The breakneck pace still allows for brilliantly put together shots. Like Streep doing a 'Titanic' with drapes blowing in the wind. Or a pier-load of young hunky stag night crew doing a dance in trunks and deep-dive flippers. Moonlit boats and beaches to "I Have a Dream." Filmed on location, the views won't disappoint. And like a favourite song whose ending we know, the drama is in the details and execution.
As with many adapted-from-stage musicals, two young leads are played by talented singers, and the older parts by serious actors can sing well enough. Streep manages extremely well. Her performance is so professional and assured it leaves others standing. Fortunately, it is perhaps easy to paper over any cracks in musical comedy. Sweeney Todd relied heavily on Depp's charisma and stunning cinematography. Across the Universe, too heavily on the songs. Mamma Mia!, on the other hand, simply tailors everything to its joyous headlong rush. The songs fit naturally to the action. Streep even manages to sing them with her tongue firmly in cheek. She confesses to having been a "stupid reckless little slut" but then says she "grew up". (To which her pals chime in, "Well grow back down again!") The film is not without faults. There is a notable lack of chemistry between the people that throw themselves rapturously against each others' faces. Even Streep looks less than convincing in a brief lips-mash. And the men are a bit croaky in the singing department (Hugh Grant might even have been a preferable casting choice). And some of the time-line is wobbly. For instance, strange as it may seem, music from more than twenty years ago does not all come from the same era. So reminiscing about flower power (early sixties) in the same breath as a Johnny Rotten t-shirt (Sex Pistols, mid-late seventies) is either anachronistic or wishful thinking.
Sadly, I am of a generation that can remember Abba-mania. The records would shoot to number one. Yet even then few people would admit to buying them. I used to manage a night club, and Abba was great music to ask a girl up to dance. My entire chat-up repertoire at that time consisted of, "Would you like to dance?" and "Do you want to come back for a coffee?" But girls would be so happy dancing to Mamma Mia they'd say yes anyway. I'd fall in love with a new girl each week. Ah, those were the days! Now there's a new generation of Abba fans who have no need to 'come out of a closet'. Abba is retro-chique. Even Madonna segued an Abba riff into one of her songs. From karaoke to hen nights. From '70s' nights to gay dance-floors. Dress up. Camp it up. Sing it up. Get sassy and cheesy. Or, if you're old enough to remember, fly back in time to wonderful memories.
Mamma Mia!, whatever detractors might say, has been one of the most successful stage shows of recent times. Supported by the same director and original band members, the movie may well reach the similar fan bases. Or just the party spirit in all of us. -
rayclister10 July 2008I 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.
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bob the moo18 November 2008The critical and audience reactions to this film seemed to suggest that it was very much a Marmite of a film, with people either loving it or hating it. By the time I thought I should check it out, the "biggest film of the year" had become a sing-a-long classic and I decided to wait for the DVD. Watching it myself I can totally understand why this reaction was forthcoming and it is not really down to the film so much as it is the viewers. See, those that hate it will do so for the same reasons as those that love it. Mamma Mia is a film version of a stage-show but it is not an adaptation in that it has been made into a film so much as it is a stage musical made into a film. What I mean by this clunky sentence is that all the standards of the cheesy musical have been left in from "big" action, colour and simple dumb cheer.
For me personally this doesn't really appeal and nor did I particularly enjoy the film as it did feel all forced smiles and joys, scenes shoe-horned to fit the lyrics and fake fun in the actors and extras. By the end I had pretty much had as much camp fun as I could really stand and was glad it was done. Now others have taken that to mean that the film is rubbish, but it isn't it just didn't work for you either. However for what it does Mamma Mia is actually very good because it knows who it is aiming for and what it has to do. Yes this means that it is daft and cheesy but that sort of "big" cheerfulness is what the target audience want they want to feel elated and lifted even if it isn't real in any form. In that regard the film delivers as it is built on beautiful colours in the sets and costumes and a cast that put their egos to one side and throw themselves into it.
This last part is important because to my disinterested eye all the star actors came off looking daft. Streep is certainly not someone I expected to be doing this and to her credit she throws herself into it, showing a camp overacting side I didn't know she had. Likewise Walters, Baranski, Firth, Brosnan and Skarsgård all do much the same albeit to varying degrees of success. If you're into it then the "big" performances are all part of the fun but if, like me, you're not, then it will be endlessly embarrassing and it will be hard to shake the feeling that I was watching award-winning actors making themselves look and sound like muppets. Of course that is why they are "good" in the context of what the film is trying to be and yet at the same time "bad" if you are not in the swing of the film.
What we are left with then is a film that we have seen plays really well to those that get it but leaves everyone else wondering why on earth people like Streep and Walters would make such nonsense. I personally disliked it but that does not make it a "bad" film, only a bad one from my point of view. For what it sets out to do though, it is a winning achievement full of cheerful cheese and lots of colour. In fact, it is such a targeted film that you will already know whether you will love it or hate it long before you press play. -
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. -
sofie-175 July 2008Went to see Mamma Mia without particularly high expectations. Not being a big connoisseur (or even fan) of musicals, I didn't really know what to expect. Though I adore ABBA, I never bothered to watch the stage production of Mamma Mia. But having a cinema membership, I didn't have much to lose (no money, at least), so I went for it. And boy, am I glad that I did! I can safely say that I enjoyed every second of it. And I'm not even ashamed to admit it!
Give Meryl Streep another Oscar and get it over with already. If she could get a nod for the Devil Wears Prada, she definitely deserves one for this. She really let her hair down on this one. Mrs. Streep can obviously not pass for a trained singer, but somehow, it just doesn't seem to matter. It just really worked in the movie (unlike -say- Helena Bonham Carter's singing in Sweeney Todd). When I heard Meryl's rendition of "The winner takes it all" in advance, it lowered my expectations considerably, but in its context, it totally made sense.
Most of all though, this movie was just sheer fun. People were clapping, laughing...Rarely have I seen an audience as enthusiastic. The crowd especially responded well to Meryl and her two cronies (arguably the strongholds of the movie). Also, because I had never seen the musical before, I was amazed (and amused) at the inventive ways in which they managed to incorporate so many ABBA-songs. Equally brilliant was the way the extras (usually some Greek old women) were deployed throughout the movie...And then of course the setting (beautiful Greece) was mesmerizing...
Basically, Mamma Mia is a superb musical that doesn't take itself too seriously. If you're just a little bit crazy and want to have a good laugh, if you love ABBA, want to see Meryl Streep like you've never seen her before or if you simply have a secret crush on Colin Firth and/or Pierce Brosnan (his singing was nothing short of hilarious), you will LOVE this movie. Best summer flick so far. Warmly recommended. -
moutonbear2520 July 2008Let me tell you. Just because I've been listening to ABBA almost non-stop since I saw MAMMA MIA! two days ago does not mean I enjoyed the film all that much. It's just the Swedish pop super group's music is so darn infectious. You would think that energy would translate to feel-great good time at the movies but sadly this is not the case. First time feature filmmaker, Phyllida Lloyd, spends far too much time dragging her feet when they should be dancing up and down the beach and no matter how many shots of the moonlight shimmering against the waves there are, the film is still a clunker instead of a stunner.
When a musical is paper thin on the stage, it runs the risk of being just plain silly on the screen. On the stage, MAMMA MIA! is a somewhat justified excuse to revive a bunch of ABBA tracks wrapped into a completely implausible, overly romantic farce. Young Sophie (played on screen by Amanda Seyfried) is but 20 and about to marry the very supportive and very handsome, Sky (Dominic Cooper). Something is missing though. Sophie has lived on this tiny Greek island her entire life and helped run a crumbling hotel with her mother, Donna (Meryl Streep) but she has never met her father. As far as she knows, he left before her mother could say anything to him but a chance encounter with her mother's diary from the summer of her conception narrows the possible men to three. So rather than talk to her mother about her desire to know where she came from, she invites all three men (Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth and Stellan Skarsgard) to her wedding, pretending to be her mother looking for a reunion. Naturally all three men accept the invite and hijinks ensue. While the campiness of the whole affair is forgiven on stage because the suspension of disbelief doesn't apply, this screen version is too far removed from the stage to feel the least bit plausible.
I believe in angels, something good in everything I see. And while there is very little good to focus on in MAMMA MIA!, at least there is always surprising Streep. She jumps up and down on beds, slides down banisters without the least bit of concern for breaking her hip. She can sing too. Much like she did in THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA, Streep's performance as the lonely mother of the bride carries the film forward and, in the show stopping "The Winner Takes It All", elevates the film to heights it could never have achieved without her participation. Though the two don't get nearly enough screen time together, Streep and Seyfriend make a great mother/daughter combo. Seyfried's fresh exuberance seems like it might actually be inherited from her movie mom. The rest of the cast delivers varying results Julie Walters clearly thinks she is a comic genius but she comes off too brash; Christine Baranski is miscast as an older bombshell making for some particularly awkward moments with younger men; and someone should ensure that Pierce Brosnan never sings on screen again.
Ultimately, MAMMA MIA! never connects all of its components. A melodramatic moment is followed by a peppy ABBA song, which somehow erases everyone's pain. In that sense, ABBA's music is the perfect choice to set the tone as it is some of the most depressing pop lyricism set to upbeat melodies in pop history. While the contrast adds weight to the songs themselves, the musical masking casts an air of falseness that never lifts. What your left with is a compilation of poorly choreographed, plainly sung music videos. No offence, Meryl, but you are long past your MTV days. -
Armed with irresistible hooks, soaring melodies and near-celestial vocal stylings, the Swedish pop group ABBA churned out a body of insanely catchy and superbly crafted tunes - "Waterloo," "SOS," "Fernando," "Dancing Queen," "The Winner Takes it All," etc. - that made it the world's top-selling musical act of the 1970's and early 1980's. Several decades later, ABBA's music became the basis for a hit stage musical entitled "Mamma Mia!" in which a simple narrative was deftly woven around many of the quartet's songs. Now, the much-ballyhooed movie version of "Mamma Mia!," written by Catherine Johnson and directed by Phyllida Lloyd, has arrived on the scene.
The story takes place on a beautiful Greek island where the never-married Donna (Meryl Streep) single-handedly runs a modest hotel for an ever-thinning crowd of tourists. Her daughter, Sophie (the charming Amanda Seyfried), has never known who her real father is, mainly because Donna herself doesn't even know. With the help of her mother's diary from twenty years ago, Sophie narrows the candidates down to three (Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth and Stellan Skarsgard), then secretly invites them to her wedding in the hope that she will be able to figure out which of them is her real father in time to have him accompany her down the aisle.
On stage, "Mamma Mia!" succeeded primarily because it was able to keep its wafer-thin storyline modest in scale and life-sized in scope. But blown up to the magnified proportions of the big screen, the material becomes a compendium of overacting (Julie Walters being the most egregious culprit in that regard), ham-handed literalization, forced spontaneity, and production values that look both gaudy and chintzy at one and the same time. Moreover, the direction is clunky, the choreography abysmal (especially compared to what we were treated to in "Hairspray" just a year ago), the photography either over or underexposed (depending on whether the scene is set at night or during the day), and the singing not unlike what one might hear emanating from the local pub on an average karaoke-night.
In fact, there has always been an inherent problem built into "Mamma Mia!," which is that much of ABBA's charm derives from the crystalline voices of its lead singers, Anni-Frid Lyngstad and Agnetha Faltskog. Take away those harmonies and at least a certain percentage of that charm is lost. Now the movie version of "Mamma Mia!" comes along and simply compounds the problem by hiring big-name actors rather than trained singers to somehow interpret the pieces for us. Indeed, this must be the only musical in movie history made up almost entirely of people who can't sing (at least in the old days they used to dub the voices in if they had to). One has to give Streep brownie points for at least trying to belt out the tunes, but her rendition of "The Winner Takes it All," which was the rafter-rattling showstopper in the stage version, falls flat due not only to her own inadequacies as a vocalist but to the awkward staging and foolish hand gestures she uses to accompany her singing (almost as if she were trying to act out the lyrics as she's singing them). Actually, I've never understood why anyone would buy either the original cast recording or the soundtrack to "Mamma Mia!" anyway when the real thing is readily available and clearly far superior to any imitation.
All that being said, I am still inclined to at least half-heartedly recommend that people go to see this movie for a number of reasons. First, because the music itself (written by Benny Anderson and Bjorn Ulvaeus) is fun, infectious and finally irresistible, no matter how much the singers may be unintentionally stomping all over it; second, because even though their singing leaves much to be desired, Streep, Bosnan and Seyfried somehow make us care about the characters and the silly little predicament they're caught up in; and third, because there are a number of scenes that actually work quite nicely, the best being when Donna sings the sweet mother's lament "Slipping Through My Fingers" (a song clearly within Streep's limited vocal range) to her soon-to-be-wed daughter. Streep and Seyfried are both very moving and poignant not only in that particular scene but in all of the scenes in which they appear together.
For the half dozen or so audience members who aren't already familiar with the ABBA oeuvre, one can only hope that they will use "Mamma Mia!" as a springboard to sampling the real deal. -
neil-47610 July 2008I like, but don't love, musicals - my DVD shelves contain a selection, but the stuff there is pretty obvious: Singing in the Rain, King and I, Wizard of Oz, Moulin Rouge etc.. I'm not a Meryl Streep fan - I admire her craft, but mostly haven't liked the parts she's played. Conversely, I've always liked Abba's music. So that's my starting point when considering this movie which I have just been to see with my 80-year old mother.
The story is a piece of fluff. Sophie, who lives with her mother in a dilapidated hotel on an idyllic Greek island, wants nothing more than for her father to be at her forthcoming wedding. The trouble is her father could be any one of three men with whom her mother dot dot dotted twenty years ago. So Sophie invites all three of them to her wedding and, as expected, complications ensue. The story, such as it is, is quite strong enough to enable the songs to be hooked onto it. And the songs, with one or two obvious exceptions (Money Money Money cued by the rundown state of the hotel) are very cannily worked into the story so that each one is relevant.
The film looks great. The Greek locations overflow with sun and primary colours. The script is mostly fairly deft, and there is a sprinkling of decent laughs.
But the film ultimately stands or falls - and it stands, believe me! - on two things: the music, and the cast.
The music - sitting through this film brings home the strength of the Abba catalogue. There isn't a weak song among the two dozen which feature on the soundtrack. The music, produced by composer Benny Andersson, mostly wisely sticks very close to the original arrangements, and the occasional divergences (Greek bouzouki on I Had A Dream, for instance) are spot on.
And the cast - well, they deliver. Brosnan's singing has been criticised, but he is always in tune, and he delivers a satisfactory vocal performance rather than dazzling with a polished singing technique (which he hasn't got). The four leading women are all wonderful. Julie Walters and Christine Baranski as Meryl Streep's two oldest friends are both very funny (Julie Walters has a particularly funny little bit of business in a rubber boat), and Baranski has her own knockout number. Amanda Seyfried as Sophie is simply delightful - she sings well, carries the plot and all the emotion which goes with it, and is very easy on the eye. And Meryl Streep is a revelation.
This film is an utterly joyous experience. My old Mum and I came out of the cinema buoyed up by the experience of watching it, and I cannot recommend it highly enough to anyone who enjoys musicals and/or Abba's music. -
LoneWolfAndCub24 July 2008When you hear the name ABBA, do your eyes light up? Does it send you into a frenzy of dancing and joy? Well then, stop reading this review and go see this movie! Conversely, does the mention of ABBA send you running in the opposite direction in fear? If so, then why are you reading this? In short, Mamma Mia! is a film for ABBA-fans and even people who enjoy feel-good movies at their best! Musical is not a genre I usually go for (the select few I like are probably the most obvious: "Chicago," "West Side Story," "Sweeney Todd" and "Singin' in the Rain." However, Mamma Mia! succeeds in every way a musical should do. With stunning locations, an excellent cast and toe-tapping musical numbers, it should strike a note with most people.
The story itself is a piece of light fluff. Sophie (Amanda Seyfried) lives with her mother, Donna (Meryl Streep), in a run-down hotel on an idyllic Greek island. She is engaged to the handsome Sky (Dominic Cooper), but wants nothing more than to have her father show up to the wedding. Unfortunately, she had no idea who he is, until she reads her mum's diary and narrows it down to three men: Bill (Stellan Skarsgård), Sam Carmichael (Pierce Brosnan) and Harry Bright (Colin Firth). Sophie proceeds to invite all three to her wedding and naturally, chaos ensues. The story follows a seemingly predictable pattern, but honestly, too much enjoyment is to be had for that to really prove annoying.
Director Phyllida Lloyd does something which often determines mediocre musicals from good ones; and that is to seamlessly work the songs into the story. Every song becomes relevant to the plot and not one seems out of place. Also, all the actors can sing well, and this helps draw one into the movie. Most people have ragged Brosnan's singing ability, and while it is not perfect by any means, it is tolerable. Streep is a natural stand-out, who just throws herself into her role (obviously not taking herself seriously at all). Her rendition of "The Winner Takes it All" is definitely a note-worthy scene. Likewise, Christine Baranski and Julie Walters, who play Donna's friends Tanya and Rosie, are complete scene stealers. They can sing and dance and do not feel like supporting actresses at all (both there numbers are incredibly catchy). Seyfried was a great choice for lead actresses, she is not only gorgeous, but has a fantastic voice and just exudes charm. I can not forget the guys, though, Cooper, who plays the tanned husband is not on screen a lot, but is a competent actor. Firth and Skarsgård are as good as Brosnan, all three are funny and obviously had an awesome time making the film.
The music, is well, what you would expect from an ABBA musical. All the numbers are very well filmed, especially "Dancing Queen" and "Lay all Your Love on Me." Those two would easily have one dancing in the aisle and singing along. Mamma Mia! was filmed on location in Greece and what a sight it is! All the colours are vibrant, the sea sparkling and the beaches dazzling. Mamma Mia! is without a doubt one of the best feel-good films of the year that even manages to provide some genuine laughs at times. I say give it a go if you need some cheering up or you love your ABBA!
3½/5 -
RocketB5224 July 2008Everyone knows the so-called plot, so let me cut to the chase.
Forced frivolity. Miscast performers working hard to have fun so you can have fun. The brilliant Meryl Streep gives it a great try. Pierce Brosnan just plain embarrassing. Inexplicably set on a Greek Island. Lots of squealing, shrieking women. Lots.
It was a silly juke box musical on stage, now it's a big, splashy, poorly shot screen juke box musical. If you like ABBA, so-so. If not, an assault on the senses and an insult to whatever intelligence you're left with when you exit the theater. I readily admit that I didn't really want to see this movie and went with some friends who did, but for the love of God. Why does my gender shriek and squeal to convey delight? Ever sit next to a table of women who have had too much to drink and are absolutely determined to have GREAT night out on the town? That's the feeling of this whole project. It just felt so good when it stopped. -
This movie is two hours of music and happiness. This movie is an easy 11/10 method of being happy and one of my all time favourites. There is no ingenious plot or thought provoking question, and that's fine. Just sing along and enjoy.
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lisafordeay26 December 2010I may have did a review of this year's ago back in 2010 but I decided to watch it again. Mamma Mia is an ABBA musical starring Meryl Streep,Amanda Seyfried,Dominic Cooper,Pierce Brosnan Colin Firth and tells the tale of a young woman named Sophie played by Amanda Seyfried who's getting married to her long lived boyfriend Sky played by Dominic Cooper. But Sophie has one problem...she has no idea who her real father is. Could it be Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth or Stellan Skarsgard?
Overall this film was OK,not a patch on its 2018 sequel Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again which i found to be entertaining and feel good. The original is feel good too but it gets annoying when they burst into song every now and again.
6/10
Edited 6th of January 2019 -
arichmondfwc8 July 2008Relentless like one of those loud action movies. The entire cast seems to be on speed. I didn't quite get the director's intentions if any. I wonder if she's ever seen a Stanley Donen, Vincent Minnelli or even a George Sidney musical. Structure, please! This is one hell of a mess and I loved Abba. The costumes the unflattering photography - unflattering towards the actors but loving towards the locations) The one thing that makes the whole thing bearable is the sight of Meryl Streep making a fool of herself. No chemistry with her friends (Christine Baranski and Julie Walters) think of Streep with Lily Tomlyn in the Altman film and you'll understand what I was hoping for. I was embarrassed in particular by Pierce Brosnam and Colin Firth. The audience, however, seemed to enjoy it so it probably it's just me.
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Kirpianuscus1 October 2018That kind of film who is so easy to define as superficial. Before you see it. Because it is only ... charming. Surprising charming. For musical scenes. For the feel of summer holliday. For impressive cast and beautiful performances. For locations. And, off course, for...ABBA. The best point - the feeling to see an old fashion comedy. And that is the serious motif. For see it. Time by time.
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mjd190515 July 2008**Not sure about the spoiler thing but to make sure I added it.**
Being a musician for 23 years I have grown to admirer musicals and those who create them in their complexity and brilliance and exactly what it takes to create a successful work of art. ABBA was a group that I grew up loving and pretty much enjoy every song they came out with. They were the masters at pop songs, throwing out hit after hit. Like other modern musicals I enjoy not only the music but the stories behind the music. So like recent film adaptations of some modern musicals(Phantom Of The Opera, Rent, etc.) I was looking forward to this movie.
Overall a fairly close portrayal of the theater production at least as far as the story line goes. Some of the songs are clipped and rearranged sightly as it seems all movie musicals do. Which is sad, as the songs were perfect as they were. The movie moves at a rabid pace throughout moving from song to song. The acting is enjoyable with Amanda Seyfried and Meryl Streep taking center stage, but I will say Julie Walters steals every single scene she is in, she is amazingly funny. The singing is bearable by everyone with Christine Baranski producing the most polished voice. Though there were a few ear numbing moments Pierce Brosnan voice wasn't as bad as some others have said. He stays in key for the most part, but his voice is very raw, and he has zero control over it. The scenery was breath taking and beautiful, just like I remember from my trips so long ago.
My only complaint is the cutting of some songs. I wont say which, but they are big numbers at least in my mind. Cutting them works with the flow of the movie, but for someone like me, the songs that were cut were some of my favorites and to see them missing swayed my vote. It was like cutting Music Of The Night from Phantom of the opera or Rent from Rent, well to me that is. They could have easily added twenty minutes to the film and fit in all the missing songs, or at least the big numbers.
Overall I give the film a 6.5/10, 8/10 if they would have added/not cut the few songs I most wanted to hear. -
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 -
In order to enjoy this movie, you should be a fan or at least like ABBA's songs because the whole Mamma Mia's idea is just an excuse for letting the grateful viewers/listeners experience their favorite songs in a relaxing and feeling good setting on a colorful sunny idyllic Greek isle surrounded by the bluest sea you can imagine. I consider myself a loyal ABBA's fan. I still remember how I heard their songs for the first time almost thirty years ago, how happy I was to be able to own their albums on LPs, how much I enjoyed ABBA: The Movie (1977) which came to Moscow in the beginning of the 1980s and was basically the record of their concerts in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and Adelaide. I also saw the famous musical Mamma Mia on which the last year movie is based on and I liked it a lot. It would not hurt if you can take with humor outrageous psychedelic outfits of the 1970s and the tight boots with the platforms so huge that it makes your feet hurt just to look at them. If that sounds like your idea of fun, fun you'll have. I sure did, at least for the first hour or to be precise until the very moment, Pierce Brosnan had ruined my favorite ABBA's song S.O.S by attempting to sing it. I guess it is sometimes easier to save the world from all sorts of evil than just to sing a song. While that torture lasted, I kept repeating instead of S.O.S, S.O.E which means Save Our Ears. I later found out that when asked during an interview why he took the role, Brosnan replied that when he heard from his agent, "Mamma Mia, Meryl Streep", he took it without asking whom he'd play. Well, acting next to Streep is a great reason, and I believe Brosnan had a lot of fun sharing the screen with her. I also believe that there is nothing impossible for Meryl. She can play anything and anybody. Just to think what she has done in all the movies she has graced with her presence. She did very convincing accents, she learned how to play a violin, she dances, she has been a villain and a saint, and everybody in between and she's been always the reason to watch any movie. While watching Mamma Mia, I got the crazy idea. What if Meryl played all six older characters, Donna, her two girlfriends and three men from her past? I know it sounds weird but if Eddie Murphy could do it, I am sure Meryl Streep could act and sing for six characters and she would be simply fabulous. Between Streep and young talented Amanda Seyfried, two of them made a nice singing/acting team. But even with Meryl playing and singing only one part, the film is still entertaining and fun mostly due to the fact that everyone involved had a good time on the charming little island, the serious actors were not afraid to make fools out of themselves for all of us to enjoy, and in the end everyone was happy and got what they wanted even if it was not exactly what they wanted in the beginning of the movie.
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bandgeek8118820 July 2008After sitting through this film, I have decided that it is one of the WORST movies I have ever seen. I knew it the moment I was subjected to three teenage girls screaming and overacting when they (OMG!) meet again, and then watching the same thing, only done by women old enough to be my mom. And that was only the first few minutes. Yeesh. So here are my comments...
1. Middle aged women + ridiculous dance moves complete with hip thrusts and over the top costumes = not a good idea.
2. Pierce Brosnan could not sing his way out of a paper bag. Nor could practically anyone else in this pile of excrement, for that matter.
3. The songs were so random. It was obvious to me that they were thrown, willy nilly, into the incredibly contrived and STUPID plot.
4. My three year old nephew could have written a better script.
I was either cringing or laughing derisively during the movie. And I normally really like movie musicals. Of course they are bound to be a bit corny...but this was ridiculous. What a waste of talent. I mean, you have great actors and actresses in this movie...I am embarrassed for them that this is now a part of their career. I regret wasting my money and time on this piece of crap. -
fionaallen24 June 2008I saw this film at the screening on Sunday and was not too sure of what to expect from it. I hadn't seen the west end show so was not really aware of the story line but that really did not matter.
As soon as the first song started I was loving it! The actors may not be that great at singing but does it matter?! They are actors after all and this is not the west end! The actors play the parts really well and make fun of themselves at the same time. The story line is fun and has laughs for all ages. Julie Waters is her fantastic self in it and Meryl Streep plays the mother really well. The dance scenes are great and well put together. Loads of people in the cinema were singing and dancing in their seats so just enjoy it and have some laughs for a few hours.
If you take it for what it is, a fun laugh out loud film with good actors and fantastic songs, then you will enjoy this film so much.I suspect that this will be a summer box office hit! Enjoy it and have fun - you may need your tissues though as I'm pretty sure some of you will be crying with laughter at some of the scenes. -
dbborroughs11 November 2008How was the movie? Good but not the show.
As many of you know the story is of twenty year old Sophie sending letters to her three possible fathers who show up the day before her wedding and cause her mom and herself to melt down.
Instead of a theatrical world of basically one ever changing set this is set in a "real place" or as near to one as you're likely to find in a movie musical. Its directed by someone who only occasionally manages to pull it all together to the magical level of the Broadway/West End show.(she never directed a film before) When it soars (Dancing Queen/ Slipping Through my Fingers/ Super Trooper) it is pure bottled joy. The Dancing Queen sequence is one of the best I've ever run across for expressing happiness. Most of the time the music is okay and gets the job done in a purely workman like way. At the same time I really wish Phyllida Lloyd had been more imaginative. There are flashes in almost every sequence but very few that truly soar as high as they should.
Most of the cast is good vocally though Amanda Seyfried is excellent and then some but who in the hell let Brosnan sing undubbed. Its horrible. You do not get used to it, its horrible.
If I was to zero in on the biggest problem it would be the script. At times its a great improvement over the book of the show with dialog that actually could be real world but in compressing a two and a half hour show to hundred five minutes they removed several songs (adding one new one for Brosnan-eeeek) and removing a great deal of character (and some plot) development. Is it any wonder that they cast stars in the male leads? They mostly have nothing to do and stand out because of personality. The Rosie/Bill romance is an after thought, as is the flirtation between Tanya and the bartender.(and as for Harry being gay---could you please make up your mind) Honestly they chopped it up in places its understandable why people hate the film.
I like it. I love pieces of it. I still prefer the show (which I will go see it several more times before it closes-even at Broadway prices)...but this is still pretty good with many smile inducing moments a a couple of eyes tear up from joy ones as well.
7 out of 10. Its light and frothy and empty and fun.
For the record- depending upon how you count it about 7 songs were removed from the show for the film-though some show up as music cues and end credits songs -
hawkbadger5623 July 2008I don't know where most of you were at, but where I watched the film we didn't have people singing as some have told they experienced, we had people laughing, mostly at the campy plot line, the horrible dance sequences and the singing of the likes of Brosnan. The only people in the audience who seemed to be enthralled with the film were the seventies generation folks who were some how reliving the past with the songs. I was a DJ in the seventies and even went to the ABBA concert at Northlands Coliseum in Edmonton in Sept of 79, so I did appreciate them then and I still do now. But this film should have gone the same way as their marriages and ended in divorce. The sequences were so poorly staged, the dubbing and editing absolutely horrible and this has to be Meryl's worst production. I cannot believe an academy award winner would stoop so low as to do this piece of garbage. So save your money, wait for it to come out on DVD and then maybe spend your money on something better, like cat litter.
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I didn't know what to expect when going into watch "Mamma Mia", was this gonna be another Hairspray or Across the Universe or Rent? This was a lighthearted, quite enjoyable movie of its own style, Meryl Strep blew the entire audience away with her comedic persona in this movie. After seeing her in Devil Wears Prada, you are shaken momentarily after seeing her climb on top a roof singing "Mamma Mia!" and swoon and the dance teenage giddy girl dance. You'll love this movie for trio of older woman characters, they were all so funny. Mr. James Bond's character and singing was such a hilarious delight for the audience, we couldn't believe this was the man who played a top secret spy agent.
With just the right amount of eccentricity, heart, and *get out of those movie chairs and DANCE IN THE AISLE* ABBA music, you'll never want this adventure to end. -
befred819 July 2008with their dates. Sure, most females will see whatever the guy wants but if the guy wants their relationship to go further, he can't do better than this. There's lots of romance but not a single sex scene (not a fault). If you're like me, you'll be crying more than laughing, though the movie's very funny and not at all dark. No, what moves me to tears is that these people all act better than we'd give someone in their situation credit for. I'll let others describe the plot though I went in thinking it'd end with everyone getting married. Maybe the play did--I only read the original reviews--in any case, the movie's ending is much better. Otherwise I'll just say this is a story where you wind up actually liking these people.
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This is my second review of Mamma Mia as I now have had the chance to watch it as a movie rather than a screen version of the successful stage show.
I think that being eager to have the distribution rights Universal gave Judy Craymer (the producer) a free reign to make the film as she wished. Ms Craymer, with no experience of films or filming, believed that she had an epic musical on her hands. She roped in her stage director, Phyllida Lloyd, who has never made a film before and had no idea how to transform the show from the confines of the theatre onto the big screen. She also roped in her stage choreographer and many other stage crew who also have no idea of the transformation from stage to big screen and the result is an amateurish production that relies totally on the ABBA feel-good factor and a participating audience.
Ms Craymer's idea was to cast big-name stars who, despite the film being a musical, had no singing or dancing abilities. If that was not bad enough, she also hired a cinematographer who had problems getting the light correct and camera angles right. Everything about the film is terrible and an embarrassment to watch at times. The screaming girls at the beginning. Brosnan looking more like James Bond in drag. Julie Walters hopelessly over-acting. Meryl Streep and Christine Baranski behaving like girl guides on their first date, despite supposedly being mature women in their 40s or 50s. The ensemble who were more like young children in a school play than professional dancers. Even in their brief cameos, Benny and Bjorn grinned at the camera as though it was the first time they had ever been filmed. Catherine Johnson's lacklustre script that sounded more like a working class play "We danced on the beach and kissed on the beach and dot dot dot!" to quote a ludicrous example. Brosnan occasionally talking as if he was on the football terraces, particularly when he cheered Meryl on during 'Souper Trouper'. Did anyone check the continuity on the film, as there seemed to be so many disjointed examples particularly whilst Meryl Streep was singing 'Mamma Mia'. At the end when the main stars were dressed in spandex suits they could not contain their laughter. When Meryl sang the moving "The Winner Takes It All", she and Brosnan stood motionless whilst the camera whizzed around in the air. The "Voulez Vous" scene when you could not even work out what was happening on screen, as the camera angles were so erratic.
Even though I have seen the stage show many times, I have no wish to buy the DVD when it is released, as the film was, to put in generously, nothing other than a disastrous amateurish production and probably the worst ever transformation of stage musical to screen. Doubtless, the crew, cast, distributors, financers and ABBA are not bothered. They still got their "Money, Money, Money" and are laughing all the way to the bank.