Should of stayed on stage.

Rating: 6/10 (5 August 2008)

I went to see the stage performance of Mama Mia! a few years back and loved it. The music brings me back and the story was touching, and I left the theater in high spirits.
The movie on the other hand left me with a totally different feeling. The singing was very forced while they tried to fit the music in with the story. Some times I felt the song fit well into the scene, and other times I wondered what the production crew was thinking.
The movie started promptly, as the very cute Amanda Seyfried places three invitations to her three possible fathers in the mailbox. From this one scene, I felt the hair on my arms stand up. This whole movie was so cliché and cheesy, and definitely meant for the female crowd. This upset me because although the play had the exact same plot, I very much enjoyed it and it seemed like it was meant for both genders.
Now Pierce Brosnan. I just don't know where to start with him. Three women sitting behind me were screaming in my ear every time he appeared on screen, and every minute I hear "OMG he is sooo cute!" And that may be all he is. I don't think I have seen a person who was ever more miss-casted. He can't sing - or he can but his vocals did not fit the song, and it was very noticeable that his voice was digitally enhanced and fixed up with all the cool technology gadgets they have. I never thought I would ever see James Bong sing.
Why do I give this movie a 6 then? Meryl Streep was absolutely amazing. No, she wasn't pretty in this movie. Her hair was a mess the whole time. I don't even think they put make-up on her, and that is what I liked. Her voice is amazing and her acting was incredible (like always), but most of all, she was a mess! She put so much character into Donna, that it made me feel that this movie was just rotating around her.
In the end credits, they are all singing on a stage. WHY? If I want to see them dancing on stage then I would of went to see the actual play with was much better! Some things are better left on stage.
Oh yeah, and the film work was beautiful. I loved the cinematography. If you appreciate that kind of stuff then you may appreciate the work put into this movie.
6/10