Mamma Mia!

Starring: Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, Stellan Skarsgard, Julie Walters

Directed by: Phyllida Lloyd

RS: 2of 4 Stars Average User Rating: 3of 4 Stars

2008 Universal Pictures Musical

Meryl Streep can do anything: sing, dance, do splits, act her heart out. She (almost) saves this clumsy, overwrought film version of the Abba musical that's been running on stages from Broadway to Barcelona since 1999, grossing over $2 billion and luring more than 30 million ticketbuyers to hear Abba songs by Sweden's Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson shoehorned into a plot where they don't really fit. Who can argue with that kind of "money, money/Always sunny/In a rich man's world success?" I can, at least where the movie is concerned, because the three formidable women responsible for the show — producer Judy Craymer, writer Catherine Johnson and director Phyllida Lloyd — let the magic slip through their fingers on the treacherous trip from stage to screen. The plot is still the same: Streep plays Donna, running a hotel on a Greek island (Skopelos and Skiathos, both looking gorgeous) while planning the wedding of her daughter Sophie (Amanda Seyfried, cute) to Sky (Dominic Cooper, also cute). Sophie, the minx, doesn't tell Donna she has sent wedding invites to three men — Sam (Pierce Brosnan), Harry (Colin Firth) and Bill (Stellan Skarsgård) one of whom she thinks is her father. That premise doesn't deserve scrutiny; neither does the singing of the guys — Brosnan bleats like a moose who just took a bullet. What does work, and wonderfully, is the friendship among Streep and her two BFFs — bestselling author Rosie (Julie Walters, love her!) and professional divorc#233;e Tanya (Christine Baranski). Back in the day, they rocked out as part of Donna and the Dynamos (cue "Dancing Queen"). When Streep, Walters and Baranski share the screen, Mamma Mia! comes alive and earns its exclamation point. The rest is forced gaiety pushed to the breaking point.

PETER TRAVERS

(Posted: Jul 17, 2008)

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Mamma Mia!

Review 1 of 3

Not Rated

Seeing Mamma Mia was going to be difficult at the least..MY favorite actress..and the finest actress of all time..finally singing in a musical..albeit the wrong musical...The material for Mamma Mia is so thin and the songs so sing songy..that I knew it would all fall on her shoulders to save this film..And guess what?? she does..meryl streep proves she can do anything..and does...The movie is poorly shot, edited and choreographed..but every scene Miss Streep is in..the movie comes alive...Baranski and Walters are both wonderful...unfortunaltely all 3 male leads are awful...they cant sing..and there is no need for real acting by them..Amanda Seyfried is quite appealing in the role of Sophie..but in the end...Meryl Streep..Meryl streep..the only reason to see this film...

Jul 22, 2008 07:08:12

Review 2 of 3

2of 4 Stars

I have to say i went in with no expectations. And i loved the whole premice of the movie, and the music WAS great and entertaining but the whole middle of the movie seemed cliche and too dragged out, some scenes seemed to only be there for the songs and were completely unnecissary. In the end, some parts were funny, but rediculous at the same time. The hardest part was seeing actors whose movies i love (colin firth and meryl streep) selling themselves so short. Good intentions, but no result.

Jul 19, 2008 08:36:31

Review 3 of 3

4of 4 Stars

A ton of fun! You can't help smiling all the way through the movie. Sure, the story is ridiculous and completely implausible. And the dancing and site gags are pure camp. But the music is great, and you can tell the cast was having a blast making this movie. The only squirm-worthy moment: listening to Pierce Brosnan singing "SOS". That was all kinds of awful. Even so, critics, give this one a pass. No, it won't win any Oscars. But so what? Tip: stick around for the mid-credit encore and you'll leave the theater grinning from ear to ear.

Jul 18, 2008 22:23:36

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