Sunday, July 20, 2008

Mamma Mia!

Four stars!

I loved ABBA as a kid. I had to bite my tongue to keep from singing along.

The story is a bit lightweight- girl is getting married, invites the three men who could be her father without telling her mom they're coming, chaos ensues...but it was a fun, joyful two hours in the theater. Most of the cast could sing really well.

Great cast! Meryl Streep was at her best, and it was a hoot to hear her singing ABBA songs. Pierce Brosnan was the only cast member who really couldn't sing well, but he made up for it with charm. Colin Firth seemed a bit Darcy-like at first (hey, he can never fully escape that role), but the character loosened up through the movie. And Christine Baranski and Julie Walters stole the show as Streep's pals. The younger leads were good, too. And the chorus (a Greek chorus, hee!) was perfect!

The scenery was beautiful. I so want to go to Greece now!

Most of the best ABBA songs were here (if not actually sung, they were instrumental versions). They weren't just thrown in. They actually fit in with the story- like Money, Money, Money and The Winner Takes It All. When Streep sings Slipping Through My Fingers, I almost started crying! Baranski nearly brought down the house with Does Your Mother Know. And of course, I wanted to sing along with Mamma Mia! and Dancing Queen.

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