ABBA's "MAMA MIA" Movie Wins a Rave Review

[markydefad]

First review from Hollywood trade paper: The Hollywood Reporter!!!! Looking forward to this one!!!


Film Review: Mamma Mia!

Bottom Line: My, my, clear the aisles. This is the winner that will take it all!

By Ray Bennett Jun 29, 2008


Opens: July 4 in the U.K.; July 18 in North America (Universal Pictures)

LONDON -- No matter how many blockbusters there are, Universal Pictures' screen version of the global hit stage musical "Mamma Mia!" is the most fun to be had at the movies this or any other recent summer.

Teenage boys may be glued to the latest action adventure, but the rest of the family will be having a rollicking good time and dancing in the aisles to Swedish pop group ABBA's irresistible songs. It's a delightful piece of filmmaking with a marvelous cast topped by Meryl Streep in one of her smartest and most entertaining performances ever.

After its world premiere in London on Monday, the film opens in the U.K. on July 4 and in North America on July 18. It will surely follow the stage show around the world in pleasing audiences and coining what one of the infectious songs celebrates: "Money, Money, Money."

Credit goes to the original show's creators, producer Judy Craymer, director Phyllida Lloyd and writer Catherine Johnson, for seeing their vision through to such a polished and enjoyable picture. Hanging a tale of a woman whose daughter might have been fathered by one of three attractive men on a bunch of ABBA songs sounds simple, but its simplicity is as deceptive as the masterfully crafted songs themselves.

Streep plays Donna, a former singer, who has raised daughter Sophie (Amanda Seyfried) alone at a fading resort on a
Remote Greek island. Sophie finds her mother's diary from 20 years earlier and discovers that there are three men who might be her father. About to be married to boyfriend Sky (Dominic Cooper), she sends invitations to the celebration to all three on behalf of her mother but without telling her.

Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth and Stellan Skarsgard, as the possible dads, show up on the island where Donna is readying the wedding, helped by her two best pals (Julie Walters and Christine Baranski). The scene is set for songs, dancing and romance, all staged brilliantly, with many energetic and colorful performers, and beautifully shot.

The Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus songs have memorably sturdy lyrics that the filmmakers weave with great skill into their story. All of the players perform with gusto including Skarsgard, ex-007 Brosnan and noted Mr. Darcy Firth who, far from embarrassing themselves, sing well and deserve high praise for being such good sports.

Seyfried (from TV's "Big Love") and Cooper ("The History Boys") make appealing juvenile leads while Walters and Baranski contribute greatly to the film's good-natured comedy. Each has a big solo number with Baranski belting out "Does Your Mother Know?" to a randy beach bum and Walters entreating a reluctant groom with "Take a Chance on Me."

Streep is sensationally good in rendering the whole yarn credible and in making dramatically moving songs such as "Slipping Through My Fingers," sung to her departing daughter, and "The Winner Takes It All" to a lost love. It's no stretch to think of her performance in Oscar terms, ranking with previous musical winners such as Liza Minnelli, Barbra Streisand and Catherine Zeta-Jones.

And when Streep teams with Walters and Baranski for dynamic and crowd-pleasing numbers such as "Mamma Mia!" "Dancing Queen" and "Super Trouper," there's not an audience anywhere that won't be smiling.

Production: Littlestar Prods., Playtone
Cast: Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, Stellan Skarsgard, Julie Walters, Dominic Cooper, Amanda Seyfried, Christine Baranski; Director: Phyllida Lloyd; Screenwriter: Catherine Johnson; Producers: Benny Andersson, Judy Craymer, Gary Goetzman, Tom Hanks, Bjorn Ulvaeus, Rita Wilson; Executive producer: Mark Huffam; Director of photography: Haris Zambarloukos; Production designer: Maria Djurkovic; Music: Stig Anderson, Benny Andersson, Bjorn Ulvaeus; Costume designer: Ann Roth; Editor: Lesley Walker.

Rated PG-13, 98 minutes

[Westwood]

Woooooooooo I just can't wait!!!! I also can't believe Meryl Streep agreed to do a music(al?)! I can't wait to see her, she's always wonderful.
How about an academy award for her in a musical, LOL that would be weird.

[Videoskooter]

Mamma Mia! The Movie - Official Site

[Westwood]

Oohhh Meryl sings again! I love it, her Heartbreak Hotel at the end of Postcards From The Edge was breathtaking.
Why didnt they show Christine Baranski in the trailer? :((

[nrgbeat]

Between this and "Sex and The City", it's been a summer for gay friendly movies.

[JussiK]

Didn't Priscilla Queen of the Desert already scream "no more fucking abba", and that was years ago?

[Westwood]

Originally Posted by JussiK

Didn't Priscilla Queen of the Desert already scream "no more fucking abba", and that was years ago?

Haha, apparently the demand is too big and there are way too few ABBA (insert copyrighted logo) haters to keep 'em down

[Disco Funk]

I saw a clip of Meryl Streep singing (I forget which song), and I'm gonna warn you guys in advance to take some earplugs! :D

Disco Funk

[remicks]

*****


I'm hoping this proves to be a movie worth seeing ......

Maybe those that see it first in the UK can give us a thumbs up .....


*****

[Mario75]

Hello Everyone...Been away for a while...But glad to be back! "Mama Mia" looks like a really fun movie! The previews remind me of the underrated "Across The Universe" (not to long ago film featuring Beatles songs). Regarding ABBA, you either 'luv 'em or you hate 'em... As a teenager growing up in the mid / late 70s, all of ABBA songs were a literal soundtrack to my younger days...Can't wait to see this movie!!!

P.S. Does anyone remember the old ABBA: The Movie? I remember it was a kind of ABBA fictional / documentary style movie featuring the group and a lot of their signature songs! The plot dealt with a DJ desperately attempting to get an interview from the group...The DJ was played by Australian actor, Robert Hughes who I thought was "total eyecandy" back then!

Take Care,
Mario

[SandraDee]

Meryl Streep was favourite to star in 'Evita' & was dropped in favour of Madonna apparently; she must be a bad singer if Madonna's better!

[Westwood]

Oh come on, I know she's not a great actress (actually I only find her bad in The Next Best Thing and the Will & Grace cameo, that was really really HORRIBLE), but she does Evita justice. I mean, maybe I played the soundtrack too much (I know it by heart), but I don't like the other versions of Evita songs anywhere near as much as I do Madonna's.
And she's an ok singer come on, we lovers of disco know very well being a good singer is not what makes a good record. I think she was a very good choice for Evita. I can't see Meryl in it, nor sing it. I will wait to see Mamma Mia and see if I like her singing, I don't know if she'll belt them out like she did in Postcards...

[SandraDee]

No I used to really like Madonna 'til she got religion & got tiresome.

[Westwood]

Originally Posted by SandraDee

No I used to really like Madonna 'til she got religion & got tiresome.

Ye ok I agree there, but I don't see what it has to do with her "ability" as a singer in general, and in 1995?
Can I just add, I really really hate religion mumbo jumbo. It has ruined too many artists (this is my opinion, it might have made them better people, but it took away from us the buying public). Candi Staton is another religious nut.
Just what the world needs, another religion-nut singer with an opinion......
And as far as Madonna goes, I wonder when her new religion kicks in, she's gone through pretty much all of them.

[Pierre Declercq]

Originally Posted by Westwood

And as far as Madonna goes, I wonder when her new religion kicks in, she's gone through pretty much all of them.

What religion? Madonna is religious? Anyway, she's awful: bad voice, bad music, laughable, vulgar, money addict... well, the worst in all Western hemisphere But apparently she's doing something right because she still has fans