Just a note before I start to say that this is a film only review due to the fact that as far as I know the DVD has not yet been released!
I had a fabulous evening out at the cinema yesterday watching what must be the ultimate feel good film of the year! I had heard a lot about it and I was not disappointed - in fact I don't think I have smiled and laughed so much at a film for a long time! If you have not seen it it is well worth going to see!
This film really has a lot going for it - the music of Abba (definitely a blast from my past!), a fun story line, an excellent line up (including the gorgeous Colin Firth and the fabulous Julie Walters) and all this against the beautiful backdrop of a Greek island! What more could I ask for!
So what's it all about then? Well first of we meet young Sophie Sheridan who is soon to be married. She lives on a beautiful Greek island with her mum, Donna, but she has never known her dad. After a chance discovery of her mum's old diary she realises that he could be any one of three men - Sam, Harry or Bill. In an attempt to find out the truth she invites them all to her wedding without telling her mum! Well obviously mayhem and confusion flourishes but all in such a fun filled way that you can't help wishing you were there with them!
It's a bit disconcerting to start with when all the characters start bursting into song but you do soon get used to it and after all these are ABBA songs and everyone's a classic. The singing is good but not great but most of the main characters are not known for their singing skills. I was amazed at how good Meryl Streep's singing was but did find Pierce Brosnan quite cringeworthy! What was great though was the way all of ABBA's songs fitted into the story so well and also the great choreography that went with it. All of the dancing looked so much fun especially when Donna and her friends Rosie and Tanya sing Dancing Queen. Before long they are followed by all of the women of the village all the way down to the sea front and finally resulting with most of them jumping into the sea. I liked the way that there was a mix of young and old with all of these and I just wanted to be there too!
The cast was really well known and contined some of my favourite actors. Julie Walters is always a firm favourite and she was brilliant as Donna's friend Rosie as was Christine Baranski who played her other friend Tanya. Along with Meryl Streep they made an excellent trio from the moment they greet each other screaming and cheering on the jetty to the moment they re-enact their old singing group fully dressed in flamboyent seventies gear! They were not afraid to make fools of themselves and they just looked like they were having so much fun.
If I had just one small criticism (apart from Pierce Brosnan's singing) it would be that I did not think that the younger characters were as strong. They did a reasonable job but I did not think there was much memorable about their performances.
I really was absorbed in the story all the way through and loved the way lots of storylines developed. At the end of the film did we find out who was Sophie's dad? Did we care? I'm obviously not going to tell you as that would spoil it wouldn't it?
What I will say is that I came out of the cinema after watching this film with a big cheesy grin on my face. It had been one and a half hours of sheer pleasure and I would easily go again - maybe to the 'singalonga' version next time (yes there really is one!).
One thing though, don't even think about getting up and leaving before all the credits have rolled - just when you think it's over you dioscover there's more - and then just a little bit more!
As I said at the beginning, there's no DVD yet, but when it does
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
Music / Performing Arts, Comedy - Director: Trevor Nunn, Geoffrey Posner - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over, Parental Guidance - Starring: Duncan Preston, Celia Imrie, Julie Walters, Victoria Wood, Jim Broadbent
hey there great review i have also seen it and it is absolutely amazing and i also agree that pierce brosnans singing is rather cringe worthy i would never make him sing again and tell him to stick to bond well worth the E Charlottexx
mumsymary 06.09.2008 07:32
Not seen this yet , but guess I will one day
Julieshobs 05.09.2008 14:43
I loved this film, in fact have already pre-ordered on DVD. Long gone is the image if Pierce Brosnan as James Bond.
The delirious sight of Meryl Streep leading a river of multigenerational women singing ... more
"Dancing Queen" is one of the high points ofMamma Mia!, the musical built around the songs of the hugely popular pop group ABBA. The plot sets in motion when Sophie ...
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The delirious sight of Meryl Streep leading a river of multigenerational women singing ... more
"Dancing Queen" is one of the high points ofMamma Mia!, the musical built around the songs of the hugely popular pop group ABBA. The plot sets in motion when Sophie ...
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Advantages: Funny, warm, great cast, great songs, a real feel-good film that will make you smile Disadvantages: Very slightly inferior to the stage version
KarenUK 21.07.2008 (21.07.2008)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Mamma Mia!
Advantages: A film that is suitable for young and old alike, that everyone can sing along to! Disadvantages: The main plot device may need a bit of explaining to younger children.
LAURALILIA 15.01.2009 ·
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Review of Mamma Mia!
Advantages: Funny, warm, great cast, great songs, a real feel-good film that will make you smile Disadvantages: Very slightly inferior to the stage version
KarenUK 21.07.2008 (21.07.2008)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Mamma Mia!
Advantages: Good songs, some of the cast are having fun Disadvantages: Poor singing; invisible choreography; badly written script; miscast actors; you want more?
Seresecros 01.09.2008 (01.09.2008)
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Review of Mamma Mia!
![Mamma Mia! [DVD] [2008]](http://picnicb.ciao.com/uk/81500191.jpg "Mamma Mia! [DVD] [2008]")
Sep 4th, 2008
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