*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*
Based on the widely successful musical of the same name, Mamma Mia! is thoroughly entertaining feature with strong performances from an ensemble cast that includes Meryl Streep, Amanda Seyfried, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth and Stellan Skarsgård.
Independent-minded single mother Donna (Streep) has always done her best to raise her spirited daughter, Sophie (Seyfried), while simultaneously running a successful hotel on a small Greek island, but now the time has come for this hardworking mother to finally let go. In just a few days, Sophie will be married, and Donna will stand by bittersweetly as her little girl takes flight. Of course, Donna's lifelong friends Rosie (Julie Walters) and Tanya (Christine Baranski) will both be present at the wedding, but unbeknownst to the mother, Sophie has furtively invited three very special guests of her own. When Sophie walks down the aisle on that fateful day, she wants her father to hand her off. The only problem is that Donna has never revealed the true identity of Sophie's father, leaving the resourceful future bride to narrow the list down to three potential candidates, Sam Carmichael (Brosnan), Harry Bright (Firth) or Bill Anderson (Skarsgård). Now, as three key figures from Donna's past return to the picturesque Mediterranean shores they all walked 20 years prior, one beautiful bride will discover the secret of her past while one lonely mother finds out that it's never too late for a little romance.
When Mamma Mia! was first released back in 2008, I was 11 years old and, at first, I didn't enjoy it as I thought it was 'over the top'. A decade later, I now know that, while it is very over the top, this isn't a bad thing. Because the musical features uplifting songs by Swedish pop group, ABBA, the film itself has to be uplifting and energetic and it succeeds. There are a lot of scenes throughout that will make you want to jump out of your seat and start dancing and singing along and I think that, when you get that urge, the film has succeeded.
This is based on the stage musical of the same name which was written by Catherine Johnson and directed by Phyllida Lloyd. The songs all featured ABBA's biggest and most memorable hits, including (of course) 'Mamma Mia', 'Dancing Queen', 'Money Money Money', 'Does Your Mother Know' and many more. The stage musical became a huge success after its premiere at the Prince Edward Theatre in London in 1999. However, both Johnson and Lloyd were unsure if a feature film adaptation would work as, because so many had seen it on stage, they didn't know if they wanted to see the same story repeated on a big screen. I think that, with Lloyd directing the feature, Mamma Mia! captures the tone and feel of the musical. Despite Lloyd's concerns and the mixed reviews from critics, the film proved to be a huge success, especially with audiences. It grossed over $609 million at the box office and was the fifth highest grossing film of 2008.
The narrative focuses on Sophie, who wants to know who her biological father is, and Donna, who is stressing over making Sophie's wedding perfect and is even more shocked to discover three of her ex-boyfriends on the island. The story may seem a little far fetched but it works for this musical. The main reason why Sophie wanted to find her father was because she wanted him to give her away at her wedding but soon decides she wants her mother to do the task. The theme of a relationship between mother and daughter works very well in this film as Streep and Seyfried are very convincing and share a believable chemistry. The most memorable scene featuring the pair is when Streep sings 'Slipping Through My Fingers', which is a moving ballad about watching your child grow up. I think that a lot of parents will be able to relate to the lyrics of this song.
Mamma Mia! features a strong ensemble cast which is probably why it was so successful. Streep gives the strongest performance and she makes Donna a very likable and funny character. You can tell that she is having a lot of fun playing this role. Her best scene is towards the end of the film when she sings 'The Winner Takes It All' as it's very dramatic and shows off her powerful vocals. Seyfried, who, at the time of Mamma Mia!'s release, was best known for her role in the 2004 comedy, Mean Girls, is perfect for the role as Sophie as she captures her sweet personality but also her determination to find out who her father is. Since its release, a lot of criticism has been aimed at Brosnan's singing, and while I agree his vocals aren't the best, I don't think this is the type of musical, like Les Miserables, where everyone is supposed to have pitch perfect voices. Not everyone in the cast is a great singer, however, they don't need to be as Mamma Mia! is a fun musical that isn't meant to be taken seriously. Solid supporting roles come from Walters and Baranski as Donna's supporting friends, Dominic Cooper as Sophie's fiance, Brosnan, Firth and Skarsgård as Sophie's three potential fathers.
Mamma Mia! is at its most energetic when the cast are performing the musical numbers. Fans of ABBA will not be disappointed as the majority of their biggest hits feature. The film opens with Sophie singing 'I Have A Dream' as she posts the letters to her potential fathers. And, even when the story has finished, the film hasn't with the end credits being just as entertaining with the cast all dressed up singing along to more of ABBA's songs, including 'Dancing Queen' and their Eurovision winning hit, 'Waterloo'. There isn't a dull moment to be found in Mamma Mia!.
The story takes place in Greece, which is where the majority of Mamma Mia! was filmed. Greece is one of the most beautiful countries in the world and the film captures that. I wouldn't be surprised if many people got the urge to travel to Greece after watching as the location looks like the perfect place to go on holiday.
Starring an ensemble cast that includes the likes of Meryl Streep, Amanda Seyfried and Pierce Brosnan and featuring most of ABBA's greatest hits, Mamma Mia! is an uplifting and energetic musical.
Independent-minded single mother Donna (Streep) has always done her best to raise her spirited daughter, Sophie (Seyfried), while simultaneously running a successful hotel on a small Greek island, but now the time has come for this hardworking mother to finally let go. In just a few days, Sophie will be married, and Donna will stand by bittersweetly as her little girl takes flight. Of course, Donna's lifelong friends Rosie (Julie Walters) and Tanya (Christine Baranski) will both be present at the wedding, but unbeknownst to the mother, Sophie has furtively invited three very special guests of her own. When Sophie walks down the aisle on that fateful day, she wants her father to hand her off. The only problem is that Donna has never revealed the true identity of Sophie's father, leaving the resourceful future bride to narrow the list down to three potential candidates, Sam Carmichael (Brosnan), Harry Bright (Firth) or Bill Anderson (Skarsgård). Now, as three key figures from Donna's past return to the picturesque Mediterranean shores they all walked 20 years prior, one beautiful bride will discover the secret of her past while one lonely mother finds out that it's never too late for a little romance.
When Mamma Mia! was first released back in 2008, I was 11 years old and, at first, I didn't enjoy it as I thought it was 'over the top'. A decade later, I now know that, while it is very over the top, this isn't a bad thing. Because the musical features uplifting songs by Swedish pop group, ABBA, the film itself has to be uplifting and energetic and it succeeds. There are a lot of scenes throughout that will make you want to jump out of your seat and start dancing and singing along and I think that, when you get that urge, the film has succeeded.
This is based on the stage musical of the same name which was written by Catherine Johnson and directed by Phyllida Lloyd. The songs all featured ABBA's biggest and most memorable hits, including (of course) 'Mamma Mia', 'Dancing Queen', 'Money Money Money', 'Does Your Mother Know' and many more. The stage musical became a huge success after its premiere at the Prince Edward Theatre in London in 1999. However, both Johnson and Lloyd were unsure if a feature film adaptation would work as, because so many had seen it on stage, they didn't know if they wanted to see the same story repeated on a big screen. I think that, with Lloyd directing the feature, Mamma Mia! captures the tone and feel of the musical. Despite Lloyd's concerns and the mixed reviews from critics, the film proved to be a huge success, especially with audiences. It grossed over $609 million at the box office and was the fifth highest grossing film of 2008.
The narrative focuses on Sophie, who wants to know who her biological father is, and Donna, who is stressing over making Sophie's wedding perfect and is even more shocked to discover three of her ex-boyfriends on the island. The story may seem a little far fetched but it works for this musical. The main reason why Sophie wanted to find her father was because she wanted him to give her away at her wedding but soon decides she wants her mother to do the task. The theme of a relationship between mother and daughter works very well in this film as Streep and Seyfried are very convincing and share a believable chemistry. The most memorable scene featuring the pair is when Streep sings 'Slipping Through My Fingers', which is a moving ballad about watching your child grow up. I think that a lot of parents will be able to relate to the lyrics of this song.
Mamma Mia! features a strong ensemble cast which is probably why it was so successful. Streep gives the strongest performance and she makes Donna a very likable and funny character. You can tell that she is having a lot of fun playing this role. Her best scene is towards the end of the film when she sings 'The Winner Takes It All' as it's very dramatic and shows off her powerful vocals. Seyfried, who, at the time of Mamma Mia!'s release, was best known for her role in the 2004 comedy, Mean Girls, is perfect for the role as Sophie as she captures her sweet personality but also her determination to find out who her father is. Since its release, a lot of criticism has been aimed at Brosnan's singing, and while I agree his vocals aren't the best, I don't think this is the type of musical, like Les Miserables, where everyone is supposed to have pitch perfect voices. Not everyone in the cast is a great singer, however, they don't need to be as Mamma Mia! is a fun musical that isn't meant to be taken seriously. Solid supporting roles come from Walters and Baranski as Donna's supporting friends, Dominic Cooper as Sophie's fiance, Brosnan, Firth and Skarsgård as Sophie's three potential fathers.
Mamma Mia! is at its most energetic when the cast are performing the musical numbers. Fans of ABBA will not be disappointed as the majority of their biggest hits feature. The film opens with Sophie singing 'I Have A Dream' as she posts the letters to her potential fathers. And, even when the story has finished, the film hasn't with the end credits being just as entertaining with the cast all dressed up singing along to more of ABBA's songs, including 'Dancing Queen' and their Eurovision winning hit, 'Waterloo'. There isn't a dull moment to be found in Mamma Mia!.
The story takes place in Greece, which is where the majority of Mamma Mia! was filmed. Greece is one of the most beautiful countries in the world and the film captures that. I wouldn't be surprised if many people got the urge to travel to Greece after watching as the location looks like the perfect place to go on holiday.
Starring an ensemble cast that includes the likes of Meryl Streep, Amanda Seyfried and Pierce Brosnan and featuring most of ABBA's greatest hits, Mamma Mia! is an uplifting and energetic musical.
7/10
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