Movie Review - 'Mamma Mia!'
Thursday, July 17, 2008 at 11:55PM Mamma Mia!Starring Meryl Streep, Amanda Seyfried, Pierce Brosnan, and Colin Firth
Directed by Phyllida Lloyd
Rated PG-13
I have decided to not
stop writing my review of
Mamma Mia! until I run out of bad things to
say about it. Pack a lunch; you're going to be here a while.
First, I should be a champ and tell you what I liked about it. OK, fair enough: Greece looks absolutely beautiful whenever this film was shot; though she hasn't needed to be impressive in her past few roles, Meryl Streep clearly still has that thing that only she has, especially when she belts out the only truly worthwhile musical number in the movie, "The Winner Takes it All;" and Amanda Seyfried (Big Love) is incredibly exuberant and happy to be here.
And now that that's out of the way...
You've been to a party or on a night out with friends and it's obvious to everyone that for whatever reason, the elements just don't mix. "Isn't this great," yells one of your friends over loud music, and you think, "No, it isn't great. It's boring. Why'd we come to this club, anyway?"
Your friend is trying to resuscitate the night with artificial feelings of fun and frivolity, and that's what's going on in Mamma Mia! Though it's staged and filmed so amateurishly that few of the individual scenes work, let alone a string of them, everyone in the cast jumps around and waves their arms and laughs. "Isn't this great," the movie asks you implicitly.
Based on the runaway stage production, which itself is based on a bunch of ABBA songs, Mamma Mia! isn't warm, isn't happy, and doesn't even make you sing along with "Take a Chance on Me," a feat heretofore thought impossible. The only laughs it gets are unintentional and at the expense of Pierce Brosnan, whose musical performance reminded me of Burt Reynolds in the woefully regrettable At Long Last Love or Lee Marvin in Paint Your Wagon. When one of your three leading characters is visibly uncomfortable nearly every minute he's onscreen, you've got a big problem.
The story goes that Sophie (Seyfried) is about to be married. Her mother (Streep) doesn't know who Sophie's father is, but since she has it narrowed to three, Sophie invites all three without telling them why. She believes she'll know her father instantly, and her life's past mysteries will be solved. It's a farcical story that, if done correctly, can be tremendously entertaining. The best farce I've seen in a while is last year's Death at a Funeral, and even though it's not a musical, that movie could show director Phyllida Lloyd a thing or two about timing, overacting, and comedy.
Mamma Mia! sludges through the first 40 minutes (I know because I looked at my watch the first time something remotely interesting happened) setting up the story and staging musical numbers that smack of incomprehensibility, even for a musical, which has different rules for such things.
But it's really not hard to follow the that protocol. In modern parlance, be more like Chicago and less like The Producers. Make the musical numbers feel borne out of the characters, not out of where the song goes in the sequence of things. After all, if the songs don't connect with the characters, their stories are essentially hijacked for four minutes while we watch hundreds of women sing "Dancing Queen" on a dock in Greece. I've heard "Dancing Queen," and I don't need to see it performed if it has no resemblance to what's going on in the story right then.
That's one of the reasons "The Winner Takes It All" is the film's best moment: It makes sense with where the story is and where the characters are, and it's a real showcase for Meryl Streep. Still, while she's singing her ass off, Pierce Brosnan is literally standing there with his hands in his pockets, such is the aimless direction of Ms. Lloyd.
I love the music and I like every major player on screen: Streep is a legend, Brosnan has been much better since he left Bond behind, I have no problem with Amanda Seyfried, and Colin Firth and Stellan Skarsgård (her other potential fathers) are both terrific actors. So why did I hate this so much?
I lay the blame at the feet of Lloyd, who is a first-time film director but has lots of experience in the theatre. But this isn't theatre, and the principles for acting, staging, choreography, and all the rest are entirely different in film.
Want proof? Watch Mamma Mia!
Reader Comments (25)
I find it interesting that yours is one of the few reviews that panned this film. I wonder if you didn't perhaps have a chip on your shoulder going in, or if you were just having a bad day?
Hi Sam -
Mine is not one of the few reviews to pan the film. In fact, according to Rotten Tomatoes, the average rating for Mamma Mia is 5.6 out of 10. If you scored 56% on a paper in school, that wouldn't be very good.
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/mamma_mia/
In fact, there are so many bad reviews that I've prepared a phony commercial for it:
Critics can't stop talking about Mamma Mia!
"I can see how Mamma Mia! might be a fun stage musical. As a movie musical, it's a train wreck," says The Oregonian.
The Newark Star-Ledger raves, "Even minor elements like sound editing and makeup are botched, a sure sign of carelessness, or cluelessness. Early scenes show characters forgetting to lipsynch to their prerecorded songs."
"The costumes look cheap, the choreography is clunky, and the cinematography's terrible - a real shame, given the gorgeous setting," declares The New York Daily News.
And Jeffrey Anderson of Combustible Celluloid proclaims, "Lloyd's film has no shape or tone; it swings wildly from sunny, haphazard scenes that play like outtakes, to higher-pitched, shrieking, hysterical scenes."
This has to be one of the biggest disappointments of the year!! You were right to say that the laughs came at the expense of Pierce Brosnan. When he started singing SOS, I laughed out loud. I overheard one young man who must have been dragged to the movie by his girlfriend say that he could nevew watch James Bond again. If this was Brosnan's first movie, he would have never been cast in another.
This has to be one of the biggest disappointments of the year!! You were right to say that the laughs came at the expense of Pierce Brosnan. When he started singing SOS, I laughed out loud. I overheard one young man who must have been dragged to the movie by his girlfriend say that he could never watch James Bond again. If this was Brosnan's first movie, he would have never been cast in another.
This film was NOT a disaster like most people are making it out to be. I have seen it twice and Its brilliant. Colin Firth is hilarious, as is Julie Walters. Pierce Brosnan has NOT ever had a singer role before, hence why he's first attempts were nt brilliant. However, he was good to watch. Meryl Streep is just AMAZING and NOONE can say otherwise. Amanda Seyfried was good too, although slightly rusty. I saw it and it had people off their seats where they were laughing so much at the performances shown on the big screen. I really enjoyed this film and those who didnt must be on drugs or something because I know I'd give it 5/5 stars, no questions asked. People probably disagree with me and I dont care but I had to point my review across!
I can't believe all the extreme negativity in some of these reviews such as by Colin Boyd. Yes, this was NOT Pierce Brosnan's finest hour. Yes, his voice was the weakest of the bunch,which made me question the casting decision of him. However, OVERALL, the film was BRILLIANT. In fact, when it was over, the whole audience cheered! Most people even stayed for the credits. Where do you see that? There were a lot of very subtle fun touches that made this movie very funny and touching as well.
Forget the negative reviews. They are taking this movie much too seriously. You will LOVE it. I guaranted the movie will be a blockbuster. We shall see who was right among the reviewers!
Well, that's the old argument about a movie being cleansed by its box office, and if that were true, Meet the Fockers is 10 times the movie United 93 is. Box office has no bearing on whether or not a movie is any good. You could argue that it has a place in that discussion, and then I'd bring up a horror movie you hate, but since it made a ton of money, it's obviously good. They're separate arguments.
I had no reason to dislike it going in. As a male critic under 40, I think I'm fair to musicals (both Moulin Rouge! and Chicago were in my top ten films of those years, and in fact, Singin' in the Rain is one of my ten favorite films of all time), but how can you call a movie "BRILLIANT" when one of the three main characters was as poorly cast as any role of the year? That's decidedly un-brilliant.
There are lots of little things wrong with this, and very few major things right with it. Streep is good, but she's the only singer who really distinguished herself. And if you weren't creeped out by the Christine Baranski number on the beach, you should go on Fear Factor.
I really wanted to like this movie--Meryl,Christine, Pierce, and Stefan(?),and I must admit--I LOVE ABBA. But this just didn't work for me at all! I was so disappointed. It's like when you make a popcorn ball--when it's right, you have a nice, cohesive treat, when it doesn't set, it's a big mess!
I really agree with you, Colin!
I was also so disappointed in this movie. Since this was about the music, it looks like they would have cast singers. Also, we are supposed to believe that 20 years ago when these people were "young", they had a wild summer fling. Twenty years ago these people were already old. The casting was way off.
I did enjoy all the scenes with the younger actors. With such a beautiful setting you want to see beautiful people!
This movie was a nice attempt at capturing the magic that is seen in the actual Broadway production of Mamma Mia, but it really doesn't compare at all. The filming/direction of the movie seemed a little weird, and the whole thing just didn't seem to fit.
However, as any die hard Mamma Mia fan would, I still enjoyed it/sang along quietly. And although it didn't really hold up to my expectations, I was still happy to be watching it and would definitely watch it again!
Anyone who said this film was "Brilliant" is a little over the top, as is anyone who says it was "Terrible". I like ABBA and enjoyed the watching the film. I thought Streep was fantastic and enjoyed Amanda Seyfried as well, although it may simply have been Amanda's youth and freshness that got my attention.
The Pierce Brosnan number was a bit of an anomaly as I thought the rest of the music was very well done. If I was the director/editor I think I would have asked for another take on that one but it did not destroy the entire film as some might have you believe.
In the theatre I saw this film, the audience gave it a standing ovation afterwards---I've only ever seen that once before (Grease). It's worth seeing, particularly if you enjoy ABBA music.
We saw this movie Saturday night, and I feel very much as you did, Colin. My wife wanted to go, so we did, and her remark, I think is right on, "it's hokey, but I enjoyed it." In other words, for her, she could look past all the irritating stuff and like the rest. I wanted to go to sleep. No one cheered or applauded after the movie, but did stay for the credits that had the women and men singing. That stuff, while amusing, had me shaking my head and wondering what kind of beings actors really are.
Just for the record, I like musicals, on screen and on Broadway. This was not a musical. It was a setting for a string of songs. There is a difference.
I'm not sure how anyone can call this movie terrible. When a packed full theatre erupts with laughter multiple times during the show and all cheer and stay for the credits that has to mean something! I don't really care what the critics say because a lot of the time they do not agree with the general audience. And no offense, but it sounds like some of you who are commenting and the critic himself are men in their 30s and 40s. Do you think that when the directors produced this movie they had you in mind?
I think Mama Mia was wonderful! I saw it three days ago and I am still singing the songs in my head. Although some of the singing wasn't spectacular I think it made it more believable. One of my favorite scenes was all the women in the village singing with Meryl Streep. One of my least favorite was the beach scene with Christine. However the film just made me feel happy!
I'm 58 and love Abba and admire Mr Brosnan. I was the one to suggest my wife and I see this movie.I wanted to see something entertaining -- no politics or message or special-effects;just a light get-away-from-it-all movie. I got what I wanted and will buy the Blu-ray DVD when it comes out. Mr Brosnan is not a great singer;but, was quite adequate and not a tone-deaf clown. This was not a Shariff-Streisand (actor opposite singer-actress)situation. All the actors did well; albeit, some better than others. No one was out-and-out bad/a disaster
My husband and I are both 63 and have always enjoyed music by ABBA. So when this movie was advertised we agreed to go see it in the theatre instead of waiting for the release of the DVD. My husband is not easily impressed with anything that isn't action/adventure or sci/fi. However, he thoroughly enjoyed the movie, as did I. We aren't movie critics but we know what we like and we will be purchasing the DVD when it is released.
. My favorite part of the movie was the duet between Pierce Brosnan and Meryl Streep. Mr.Brosnan doesn't have a recording star's voice but he can carry a tone and I would liken his singing to the average singer's ability - the one who sings in the choir but never gets the solo. I especially liked the expressions on his face which truly showed the emotions intended. I thought the whole movie was excellent entertainment and a wonderful, albeit momentary, escape from the troubles of this life. We thoroughly enjoyed it. Let us remember that movie critics don't always agree with box office results. I believe that if the critics dictated the box office revenues more movies would loose money and we would not have a wealth of long-lasting movie classics from yesteryear to enjoy. I thank God for the freedom we have in our country to express pro and con on any subject.
i did see MAMMA MIA and plan to see it many more times. it is a burst of fresh air and a needed movie to hype the emotion of many a soul. it takes your breath away and i can;t get it outg of my head.
When I was in NYC around 2005 we were offered our choise of a play to go to (the tab was picked up by my son's employers). Our friends, a 13 yr old girl and her mom, insisted we go to it with them. My son and I had, at the time, never heard of the phenomena "Mama Mia" and my son at 16 was very determined to see Monty Python and they almost literally had to "force" my very reluctant teenage son to (UGH) "a musical, not a musical mom" he begged. By the end of the play he had gone from at first almost wanting to sneak out the door to wishing HE was having fun up on that stage WITH the actors (he is an actor himself). The kids LOVED the music and everything about the play. Fast foreward to last week. I took my daughter to see the movie, and as my memories of the play are something I will truly hold dear forever, I have to admit as much as I ADORE Pierce Brosnan, (and he was enjoyable and did a very good job) I agree with the reviewer Colin... he was a poor choise for THIS role. I, for one, was embarassed personally that I had played up the movie to my daughter to be something that would be incredible, (based on my memories of the play) and it just didn't quite add up. It sort of had the feeling of a puzzle, an incredably beautiful puzzle that was so intricate that some of the pieces were forced together which of course would leave you with a puzzle with not only holes in it but extra "where am I going to put this" pieces ie: Christine's beach scene, which was GREAT IN THE PLAY, totally DID NOT work in the movie and I had left the NYC play feeling the African American actor who played the "love interest" was one of the BEST actor/dancers I had seen. Did I enjoy it? YES. Did my daughter like it? She said she did. But some how I just kept apologising over and over during parts that I thought were slow, or when I just KNEW the photography itslf was poor (and HOW that could happen with all that incredible on-location availability). Would I see it again? YES, but I guess I just expected it to be one of those movies that they had to make you leave the theatre because you would want to stay and SEE IT AGAIN over and over like the original 'STAR WARS". Now the play... I would PAY to see it AGAIN AND AGAIN (and the actors are not "name actors" in the play) while for the movie... it's the music... and of course Meryl, Pierce, Christine and the gang. But it's JUST NOT THE SAME MAGIC as the play.
MAMMA MIA was awesome from the very begining to the very end.....I loved it and have seen it now 10 times ......my 14 year old daughter and 9 year old daughter think this music is great too and are now asking when I am going to buy it for them.....I give this movie a big thumbs up!!!
Took my 80 year old mother yesterday to the movies to cheer her up. So glad I chose Mamma Mia It worked, she loved it. It put us both in such a great mood. It won't win an award, but who cares, it was fun to watch. We need fun in our lives now a day. I will buy the DVD when it comes out to watch that smile on my mother's face again.
Nowadays there are so many wannabe critics that they just contradict everything anyone has to say about a fantastic film just to get their fifteen minutes of fame. I say, this movie wasn't meant to draw a great discussion, it's main purpose was to entertain. So stop overanalyzing it, just enjoy it. And congratulations on the comment made by Molly. As Pierce says in the movie : my sentiments exactly.
Being a big ABBA fan and heartily sick of dark and miserable movies, and boring formulatic reality TV shows. I decided to take my 6 and 7 year old daughters's to see Mamma Mia today. 9 hours later they are still listening, and singing along to the sound track CD. The Movie was a blast. It was meant to be light hearted fun and it was!! I loved every minute of it. I can't wait for the DVD to come out. I think Colin and his supporters, need to kick off their shoes, loose their cynicism and splash around in the nearest puddle and roll down a grassy slope
My mother, my sister and I just had a great time watching "Mamma Mia!", and singing along. And that's just what this movie is all about: for having a GREAT time!
I just cannot believe how Meryl Streep can impress once again, and again! You think you had seen everything from her; and then comes this, and you go WOW! She's amazing, just the BEST! And the whole cast too. Shame on those who just can't enjoy it and have a great time. Especially film critics: they believe that for a movie to be good, it has to be boring...
I always find it amazing when I read such horrible reviews about a movie that I MUST go see it because it never fails that the movie turns out to be very enjoyable. I'm happy Mamma Mia got bad reviews, it's proving every bad reviewer to be a a complete dolt & stick in the muck.
Stage to Screen can be difficult. However Hairspray, Chicago made the grade. Mama Mia (and I swear on the King James version on this), was Hiroshima and Nagasaki rolled into one. To discribe this movie as a trainwreck shows the benevolence of Mother Theresa, and I like Abba.
Clue: when you make a musical get people who can a) sing and b) dance. The whole production was totally amateur, like a home movie, thank God we rented it on DVD and didn't have to squirm in our seats.