Mamma Mia!

Starring: Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan, Stellan Skarsgard, Colin Firth, Amanda Seyfried, Julie Walters, Christine Baranski, Dominic Cooper, Rachel McDowall
Directed by: Phyllida Lloyd
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Musical, Comedy, Drama
2008

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: Sophie (Amanda Seyfried) is determined to find out who her father is- so, without her mother's (Meryl Streep) knowledge, she invites three men (Pierce Brosnan, Stellan Skarsgard, Colin Firth) to her wedding so she can determine which one is her father.

Review:

Tim: I really go back and forth on musicals. They are not my favorite genre, but I can appreciate them when done well (Moulin Rouge, Singin' in the Rain). However, this movie isn't great. It definitely has some terrific moments, and there are lots of things to like. Yet, there are also some major flaws.

You have to love the cast. Meryl Streep is amazing. She brings so much energy to the role that it is unbelievable. For a great actress who isn't exactly young, she has an incredible amount of energy. She is jumping, flailing around, and it is amazing to watch. My favorite part of this movie was hands down, Meryl Streep. I couldn't take my eyes off her. The rest of the cast was very good as well. Pierce Brosnan is great fun, and I always, always like seeing Stellan Skarsgard and Colin Firth on screen. Seeing these great actors together was so much fun. I thought Amanda Seyfried did a good job, but I wasn't blown away by her. Still, she did a serviceable job.

I bet that the musical was better. I've said that numerous times about different musical movies, and I feel like that might be true here. Although, I have to admit that seeing the movie actually on the beaches and in the water added a great deal to it. I did enjoy seeing a number of ABBA songs so perfectly blended into the story. This was done very well, and the titular Mamma Mia song was great to hear as well.

Now, this movie is only 108 minutes, but I felt like it dragged in multiple places. After a certain point, I was just tired of the whole "Who is my father?" and I just wanted the film's issues to be resolved. While some of the songs were terrific, others were a bit boring. The movie was interesting, but none of the characters mattered to me. It was hard to get involved in any of their issues. I felt somewhat interested, but not very engaged.

Mamma Mia! is certainly not a movie aimed at my demographic. I think that in most cases, I can suspend my own preferences and enjoy a movie for what it is. I had difficulty doing that with this movie, and as a result, I didn't enjoy it very much. The film certainly had some good moments, but as a whole, I wish it was more enjoyable.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating- 5.5



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Moulin Rouge, Singin' in the Rain, Chicago