Silly and cute without a lot of emotion but its fun!!

Rating: 8/10 (6 December 2009)

I really do love a great musical but I'm ashamed to say I've never seen Mama Mia on stage but I certainly would! However with amazing musicals in the past few years on the big screen like Rent, and Hairspray I really wanted to see Mama Mia. I especially enjoyed the idea that the cast were great actors but not necessarily who you might see singing on stage. The music is always classic and I had heard nothing but rave reviews for the musical so thought this would be a blast. When all is said and done Mama Mia is the most fun you'll have at a musical this year. It has the spunk and spirit of Hairspray (which was brilliant), a breath taking beautiful setting, Hollywood stars, an amazing 70's pop soundtrack that everyone can sing along too and it just looks like the cast is having a great time. The story (while just a whole lot of fun) isn't really deep. It doesn't tackle any political, social or hidden agenda, it's just feel good and fun and it has to be taken as just that. I think given Mama Mia's appeal on stage that the movie was almost certain to be a hit and its likely one of the most well known musicals of the modern age.
I always felt that Meryl Streep was one of the most over rated actors in history. Slowly my opinions on her are changing since I've seen her in Devil Wears Prada, Doubt and now this. She is incredibly versatile and she definitely has a screen presence to be reckoned with. That is exactly what she flaunts in Mama Mia. She isn't a brilliant singer (although she is pretty good) but she is terrific as the high spirited mother of the bride. Amanda Seyfried steals the show as determined engaged Sophie. She is brilliant and lovely and really just fun to watch and her and Streep have terrific mother daughter chemistry. Stellan Skarsgård, Pierce Brosnan and Colin Firth are just terrific as the three potential fathers. None of them really strike you as musical leading men which makes them perfect. They all have distinct personalities and you will find your favorite but they are terrific. Together they are electric and the chemistry is awesome. Three Hollywood hunks that will keep you riveted in the quest for Sophie's real Dad. Honorable mention to the amazing Christine Baranski who has a small role but adds to the fun in a big way.
Romance, laughter, heart break and just a riot will make you feel like you are a part of the wedding and a part of the family. It doesn't exactly move you like some musicals I have seen but it is simply fun. I think perhaps the film makers might have been taking a risk giving the helm of the film to Phyllida Lloyd mostly because she has had little experience on the big screen. However, apparently she knows musical theater like none other and with a film of this type that's all that matters because although I have never seen the stage version, Mama Mia translates to the big screen brilliantly. What can I really say about the music? Its the Bee Gees with some of the most beloved music that the film fits into perfectly. I think its sheer brilliance that the play was written to the music and not the other way around. Mama Mia might not change the face of musicals but it is well worth seeing again and again and is certain to be a classic!! 8.5/10