Fun, funny, and flirty

Rating: 9/10 (4 May 2020)

The wildly popular stage success Mamma Mia! finally took its place on the big screen ten years after Broadway showcased ABBA's most beloved songs. Even if you don't like ABBA-like my mom-you're going to eventually rent this movie. You'll probably end up owning it, like my mom does. It's just so cute! Yes, most of the songs don't have anything to do with the surrounding scenes and are just an excuse to prance around and sing another ABBA tune, but it's fun and funny and flirty. There are a few songs that are very well placed, towards the end, and those moments where the sing-a-long movie turns into a real musical are worth the wait.
If you've seen Postcards from the Edge, you know Meryl Streep can sing the pants off a country song. But she has other styles, too! Taking the leading role, she gets to belt out, "The Winner Takes It All," as well as softly croon, "Slipping Through My Fingers." And, since she's Meryl Streep, she doesn't play this as a silly musical comedy. She finds the human aspect in the struggling single mother and shows the audience that the primary motivation of her life has been her daughter. Yes, she prances around during the random "Dancing Queen" number, but whenever she's anywhere near her daughter, she's kissing and hugging and wiping away sentimental tears. The point of the movie is not one giant excuse to sing disco songs. It's a daughter's attempt to find herself by meeting her father, unaware that she has such a strong bond with her mother, the rest doesn't really matter. If the mother character doesn't act like a mother, the story doesn't work. No one can play Mother like Meryl Streep can, and when she gazes at her daughter, memories of her childhood are so vivid, the audience can practically see them.
Not many people know this, because the original 1968 screenplay doesn't get any credit, but Mamma Mia! is a musical version of the adorable Buona Sera, Mrs. Campbell. I like the original story infinitely better, so if you like the idea of a single mother with three potential fathers to her child, check out Gina Lollobrigida's comedy.
Feel free to laugh at me, but every time I watch Mamma Mia!, I bawl my eyes out. I have two favorite songs in the movie, and one of them was unfortunately cut from the final print. I always make sure to watch "The Name of the Game" included in the deleted scenes of my DVD, because it's a wonderfully fitting moment between Amanda Seyfried and one of her potential fathers, Stellan Skarsgard. "Slipping Through My Fingers" was not cut from the film, and it never fails to make me cry. As Amanda gets ready for her wedding, Meryl sings a touching tribute to her childhood. Amanda cuts her leg while shaving, and Meryl kisses it better with a Band-Aid. She's still a little girl who needs her mother, and getting married won't ever change that.
Filmed on location in Greece, the sparkling blue waters, beautiful beaches and cliffs will make you want to plan your next vacation. This movie is a lot of fun, and although it's not as good as its predecessor, it's a great choice when you want to relax and watch a bunch of actors and actresses having a blast. It's so obvious that Pierce Brosnan, Stellan Skarsgard, and Colin Firth enjoy every bit of screen time singing, and dancing, and Amanda Seyfried has just as much fun with her two bridesmaids as Meryl Streep has with her two girlfriends, Christine Baranski and Julie Walters. Whether you watch it for the first or hundredth time, with your mom, your girlfriends, or by yourself, you know you're in for a great evening when you pop in Mamma Mia!
DLM Warning: If you suffer from vertigo or dizzy spells, like my mom does, this movie might not be your friend. When Meryl Streep goes up on the roof during "Mamma Mia," there's a huge upside-down camera swirl. There's another swirl at the beginning of "Chiquitita". And during "Voulez-Vous" there are both fluid camera movements and flashing lights that will make you sick. In other words, "Don't Look, Mom!"