Entertaining and Forgettable

Rating: 7/10 (13 November 2009)

The 20-year old bride-to-be Sophie Sheridan (Amanda Seyfried) finds in her mother's diary that the strangers Sam (Pierce Brosnan), Harry (Colin Firth) or Bill (Stellan SkarsgÃ¥rd) might be her father. The needy Sophie dreams on having her father walking with her to the altar on her wedding with Sky (Dominic Cooper) in the Greek Kalokairi Island and she invites the three men to her wedding as if she were her mother Donna (Meryl Streep). Sophie believes she will immediately recognize her father in the trio of guests. Donna owns a simple hotel in the island and used to sing with her friends Rosie (Julie Walters) and Tanya (Christine Baranski), who also arrives in Kalokairi for the wedding, in their band Donna and the Dynamos. When Donna sees her former three lovers together in her hotel, she gets stressed and confused with the situation while Sky is upset with Sophie's attitude.
"Mamma Mia!" is an entertaining and forgettable musical that has an interesting idea but a foolish story. ABBA was a successful Swedish pop music group from the early 70's to the early 80's, and the screenplay uses the lyrics of some of their most popular songs along the story entwined with dialogs. Therefore, for fans of this group, it is a plus. Another good point is the always wonderful Meryl Streep. Last but not the least, the paradisiacal locations in Greek islands is another great attraction of this feature. Unfortunately the shallow story is too silly and the choreography is very poor and could be better and better. In the balance of pros and cons, my vote is seven.
Title (Brazil): "Mamma Mia!"