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Movie Review: Mamma Mia!
Seyfried, Streep shine in 'Mamma Mia'
By Brett Troxler
btroxler@wbrz.com
Web Producer
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PLAY OFFICIAL TRAILER
out of 4 stars.
“See that girl, watch that scene, diggin’ the dancing queen.” Meryl Streep takes on that latter title in the film adaptation of the ABBA-based musical “Mamma Mia!” which sings and dances its way into a box office near you this summer with a star-studded cast that genuinely appears to have had a blast putting the movie together.
With her wedding day just beyond the horizon, Sophie (Amanda Seyfried of “Mean Girls” fame) is still going through life wondering who her father is. As chance may have it, she stumbles upon a diary and discovers the identities of three of her mother’s former boyfriends. So she invites them to be a part of her big day — unbeknownst to her mother and the groom, naturally — because she believes one of them is her dear old dad.
Streep plays Sophie’s mother, Donna, a single mom with a rock-star past. The former lead singer of Donna & the Dynamos, Donna had one promiscuous summer 20 years back, which makes it impossible for her to determine who Sophie’s true father is. So you can imagine the zany situation that arises when the three possibilities — Bill (Stellan Skarsgard), Sam (Pierce Brosnan) and Harry (Colin Firth) — all arrive at her little Greek island hotel together.
Someone turn on some music! The vocal performances and dance numbers in “Mamma Mia!” have a kind of unrefined, candid quality. Under the direction of Phyllida Lloyd, the focus seems to have been more on showing the audience a good time than perfect execution or impressive choreography. This turns out to be more charming — and realistic — than disappointing.
When it comes to the vocals, the supporting cast, particularly Firth and Dynamos Julie Walters and Christine Baranski, really has a lot to offer. Brosnan is a bit rough around the edges, both in stubble and comfort level. There’s just something about his performance that makes it hard to believe he’s actually singing. Streep and Seyfried, both worthy of the center of attention, pick him up with their beautiful voices, however, and combine for the film’s most touching moment near the end of “Slipping Through My Fingers.” Streep really comes into her own minutes later in the number leading up to the ceremony, “The Winner Takes it All.”
The moment when a musical turns up the volume and kicks off its first number is usually a bit awkward, and such is the case here. There are also a couple of continuity slips and instances where the lips don’t seem to match up with the singing. Overall, though, the ABBA catalog will keep your toes tapping all through “Mamma Mia!” — straight through until the big finale. And be sure to stick around for the encore, as there are a few more performances to sing along with while the credits roll. Mamma Mia, here we go again.
