I feel a little bad writing this review. Not because I'm embarrassed I watched MAMMA MIA; I won't even use the excuse that it was my wife's idea to watch it. It was, but I could have easily said "no" and left it at that. I was interested, liked the cast, and don't really mind the music of ABBA, even if I can't say I'm much of a fan.Oh, man. I am so not the target demographic for this film.
The basic premise is that Sophia, a young, vibrant and perfectly stereotypical Musical Girltm is about to married at her mother's idyllic hotel on the coast of Greece. She never knew who her father was, so after rummaging through her mother's diary she finds three potential candidates and secretly invites them all to her wedding. Hi-jinks ensue, all to the music of ABBA.
That's about it. There's some raunchy fun courtesy of Christine Baranski and Julie Walters, and it's slightly uncomfortable but strangely appealing to watch Meryl Streep sing and dance and basically act like she's 17 years old. But other than that MAMMA MIA is tired, proposterous in ways that echo better musicals without overcoming it, and even worse, a little boring. I suspect this would work much better in its Broadway incarnation than it does dressed up like a movie.
I loved this one, it's ridiculous and pointless and if they'd just cut some of the numbers with the kids, sticking to Streep et al it would have been brilliant. It is a total chick flick for singing along to rather than a movie though.
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