Cringeworthy

Rating: 4/10 (13 July 2008)

It's quite a feat for the scenery to steal the show but that's what happens in this dreadful transfer from the stage to film. I tend to avoid musicals apart from the Gilbert and Sullivan type - deliberately tongue in cheek. However, I have a feeling Mamma Mia is a fine stage musical - it just doesn't work when straight actors take the main roles. The piece requires singers primarily as there is very little acting...a bit of dancing is called for but that is typical for a stage musical and there are plenty of performers who specialise in this genre. Streep and Walters are just so wooden it is unbelievable. Brosnan can't sing and Firth, what was he doing there? The daughter character comes over as a 13year old but is supposed to be 20 or so. So silly. This film represents a missed opportunity. The costumes are so much better than the dreadful stuff ABBA really wore, and the Greek island looks really enticing. Other than that there is nothing of merit.