THE STORY OF A BRIDE-TO-BE TRYING TO FIND HER REAL FATHER FROM THREE POSSIBLE CANDIDATES, TOLD USING SONGS BY THE POPULAR ’70S GROUP ABBA. BASED ON THE HIT BROADWAY MUSICAL.The delirious sight of Meryl Streep leading a river of multigenerational women singing “Dancing Queen” is one of the high points of Mamma Mia!, the musical built around the songs of the hugely popular pop group ABBA. The plot sets in motion when Sophie (Amanda Seyfried, Mean Girls), daughter of Donna (Streep), sends a letter to three men, inviting them to her wedding–because after reading her mother’s diary, she suspects that one of them is her father. When all three arrive at the Greek island where Donna runs a hotel, Donna flips out and finds that passions she thought she’d laid aside are coming back to life. But let’s face it, the plot is not the point–it’s a ridiculous contrivance that provides an excuse for the characters to sing the massive hits of ABBA. Regrettably, first-time film director Phyllida Lloyd (who directed the original stage production) has drawn over-the-top performances from everyone involved, even Streep; every production number hammers its exuberance into your eyeballs. Which is too bad, because Mamma Mia! is a rarity: A middle-aged love story. The kids start things off, but the story is really about Streep and the three guys (former James Bond Pierce Brosnan, former Mr. Darcy Colin Firth, and Swedish star Stellan Skarsgard), as well as Donna’s best friends (Christine Baranski, best known from the TV show Cybill, and Julie Walters, Calendar Girls). It’s a romantic comedy aimed at the people who were around when all these songs were new, and that’s an age group Hollywood largely ignores. For that alone, Mamma Mia! deserves to find an audience. –Bret Fetzer
Stills from Mamma Mia! (Click for larger image)
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Rating: 
(out of 652 reviews)
List Price: $ 19.98
Price: $ 5.99
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August 28, 2010
#1
Review by Jim
Rating:
From what I know of the history of this play/movie the two ladies that worked so hard to get ABBA and others to put this together in GB are now two of the wealthiest women in England – and from what I have seen it drives the critics nuts, (“lousy, bad camera work, Brosnen can not carry a tune etc., etc.,) the bottom line folks, this movie fits like that old comfortable shirt your wife (the critic) wants you to throw away because it looks “awful”. Well, the heck with em, I like my shirt, and I like meatloaf and mashed potatos, and I like Mama Mia, maybe it is mind candy, maybe it does not reach the high brow standard, but it “feels good” so the pundants can take their “expert” advise and put it where “the sun don’t shine”, this movie makes me smile and who knew Meryl Streep could sing like that – the “Winner Takes it All” maybe very poorly filmed according to the so called experts because the one I saw said “get me off the Merry-go-Round” but it sure sent chills down my back – let the experts rave – I know what I like, and this film made me laugh – in times like these I will take that any old time over what the high brows think I should see!
PS – as for Mr. Brosnan’s singing and why he did the film – straight from the horses mouth –
Q. What drew you to this movie? A. My agent called and said, “Meryl Streep, Mamma Mia!,” and I said, “I’m in!” I didn’t even know who I was playing. I kept thinking, I want to work with this wonderful actress.
Q. How did you fare with all the singing you had to do for the role?
A. I’ve never done anything as orchestrated or musically complex in my life. At first, I just made noises. Then I went to London and trained in the studio with Benny [Andersson] and Bjõrn [Ulvaeus] from ABBA. My family let me know that they were very worried for Dad when they first heard Dad sing. But sing I did.
August 28, 2010
#2
Review by A. Stokes
Rating:
I sometimes wonder what movie the critics see because it rarely if ever matched the movie I see. I paid to see this movie five times and took my daughter four of those times, we LOVE it. I makes you feel good, the music gives you energy, to me the movie made me feel young and hopeful. The loctaion it was shot in was breathtaking, the chemisty on screen was wonderful! When it first came out it was not a trailer that grabbed me and I really had no interest in seeing it, but a friend of mine invited me and my daughter to go with her one night, and I am so glad we did. I shudder to think I almost missed one of the best big screen experiences I’ve ever had.
August 28, 2010
#3
Review by Iggylou
Rating:
I LOVED this movie. I saw it six times in the theater and laughed and bobbed my head as much the sixth time as the first. The music great!! Ok, so Pierce Brosnan isn’t the best singer in the world. You know what? I’ve paid a whole lot more money to see people in concert that were suppose to be great singers and were so much worse than Pierce. Besides if you don’t want to listen to him just watch him. He’s showing some age(but then aren’t we all) he’s still quite attractive. I think Merryl Streep did an incredible job. Who knew she could sing like that?! And Donna’s two friends are a hoot. And I think the girl that plays Sophie is adorable.
In today’s times it’s great to be able to sit down with a movie and not have to think about it. Just be entertained by it. It’s a great “bad day” movie. Go home put your feet up and just veg out. Sure to improve your bad mood greatly!!
August 28, 2010
#4
Review by Debbie J
Rating:
I actually saw this movie 3 times at the theater and enjoyed it just as much the 3rd time as the 1st. You smile the whole way thru. You just know that the cast had a terrific time making the movie. Looking around the theater I could see the majority of the people’s heads bobbing with the music and as I sat there at the end and people were leaving they were actually singing along with the music at the credits. This is just a flat out FUN movie that left you feeling GREAT.
August 28, 2010
#5
Review by Kotik
Rating:
I can’t fault the acting in this movie one bit. Brosnan was damned if he sang the part & damned if he didn’t, so having the courage to do so with a less than trained voice shows character, in my opinion. I will agree with the critics that the cinematography was, in places (The Winner Takes it All & the courtyard scene with Streep & Brosnan) just awful, but I love the film all the same. A movie is more than the sum of it’s parts & this movie makes me smile. At the end of the day, entertainment is still supposed to entertain, yes?