Movie Review: Mamma Mia!

Stars: 4 out of 5
Pros: Wonderful music; actings, especially by Meryl Streep

Cons: Ending a little weak, Pierce Brosnan's singing, sexual innuendos

The Bottom Line:

Yes, I found some flaws

But it's hard not to enjoy

This fun musical

Mamma Mia!  What a Fun Musical!

I remember the first time I heard the concept behind Mamma Mia! I thought to myself, "How can you possible make a good musical around pop songs?" I've avoided seeing the play for years. But the previews for the movie looked so good I had to see it. And I really did enjoy it.

The concept of the movie is rather simple. It incorporates the hits of 70's musical group ABBA as it tells the story of Sophie's (Amanda Seyfried) wedding. Sophie has been raised on a remote Greek island by her mother Donna (Meryl Streep). Donna has never told Sophie who her father is, and that has left a hole in her heart.

But as her wedding to Sky (Dominic Cooper) nears, Sophie finds a journal her mother kept 21 years ago. In it, she finds three potential candidate for her father, Sam (Pierce Brosnan), Harry (Colin Firth), and Bill (Stellan Skarsgard). Convinced that she will know her father on sight, she invites all three men without telling her mother. But when all three men arrive, Sophie finds herself just as confused as she was before. And their presence just complicates the wedding plans even further. Will Donna recover from the surprise? Will Sophie figure out who her father is? Will the men discover why they are there? And just how many great songs can be used to capture the feelings of the characters?

Now I was not familiar with ABBA before I saw the movie, so pretty much had no clue what to expect. And I loved these songs. Honestly, if I didn't know where the music originated, I would have told you all the songs were written for the musical. That's how well they fit with the story. And this isn't your typical Broadway style musical. This is pop/rock fun given modern arrangements that will appeal to any who enjoys music.

And this cast can sing! Meryl Streep is especially impressive as Donna, and gets the most songs. The emotion she gets into so many of the songs is outstanding but hardly surprising considering how great an actress she is. Donna has two friends played by Julie Walters and Christine Baranski. They have a slower number were we get to hear their impressive harmonies. Really, the only weak link in the singing is Pierce Brosnan. It's not that he's bad, but he's not that good, either. He's adequate and it really doesn't harm the film that much.

When I learned this movie was less than two hours, I was afraid that the character development would be harmed. Unfortunately, I was right. You can't balance story, character development, and this many songs and do it in that time frame. Sophie's two friends are barely developed and I had a hard time keeping the back story on the three potential dads straight. Even Sky, Sophie's fiancee is hardly developed.

But the characters who are developed are great. This is Donna's story more than anyone else, and you really feel for her by the time the movie is over. Sophie is an interesting character as well. And Donna's two friends add much to the story.

The story development isn't harmed at all by all the songs. I got pulled in quickly and couldn't wait to see how things ended. The ending was a little weak. A few things were a little abrupt and the final scene seemed to drag out for no reason other than to include another song.

And the acting was top notch. There is not one weak link in the cast. Which makes it more of a shame that the characters weren't better developed.

The movie is rated PG-13 for sexual content. That's hardly surprising given the premise of the film. Yet the amount of innuendo was a little surprising to me. Parents will definitely want to keep that in mind before taking their kids.

I left the theater humming a song with a smile on my face. That, to me, is a successful musical. So if you enjoy the genre, you'll love Mamma Mia!