Mamma Mia!
July 19, 2008 at 12:01 p.m.
Oh my, my, my, Meryl Streep did it to me again! Not since Death Becomes Her have I enjoyed Streep in a role so much. Initially upon seeing the trailers for Mamma Mia! I assumed the movie would be one huge ball of cheese, but I was pleasantly surprised. Never having seen the musical, I was consumed with laughter throughout many random bursts of song and dance.
Young bride-to-be Sophie (Amanda Seyfried) is in love and about to marry and longs to know the identity of her father and, on a whim, invites all three possible candidates to her wedding on a remote island in Greece. She romantically believes she’ll know who her father is upon first seeing him and doesn’t tell her mother (Streep) of her master plan. This in turn causes many awkward but hilarious situations (and songs).
The A-list cast consisting of Streep, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth (Love Actually) and Christine Baranski (Cybill) should have been a tip that this movie wasn’t going to suck. Whereas many Broadway-to-the-big-screen movies fail to deliver, Mamma Mia! packs a big punch, despite the occasional weak voice. The original soundtrack, written by ABBA, is backed up by slightly updated screenplay that modern audiences will appreciate.
Adding to the drama to already dramatic plot line is the ever-present Greek chorus of hotel workers, village people, bridesmaids and groomsmen. Providing a constant backdrop, the classic chorus served a really great purpose of reminding the audience of the Grecian setting and irony in the entire situation.
If you go into Mamma Mia! expecting a great time and lots of laughs, you will not be disappointed. It delivers humor on multiple levels and manages to bridge the gap between musical and chick flick, which isn’t always easy to do. Honestly, I didn’t expect to enjoy it as much as I did.
RATING: VVVV
-- Julie Terry
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