Mamma Mia! | Christian Toto saw, Romance | DONNE TEMPO
Mamma Mia!
July/18/08 12:08 AM Filed in: Christian Toto
saw | Romance
But "Mamma Mia" clearly swipes that distinction.
The movie musical, based on the Broadway show spawned from ABBA's hit machine, might as well be sponsored by NOW. The film's mostly female characters dance, sing, flirt and assert their femininity nearly nonstop.
As morality tales go, we've seen better.
Streep's character wants nothing to do with any of the men, especially the fellow played by Brosnan. But our hardworking lady doth protest too much, and it's clear more than one romance might be in the cards.
The original "Mamma Mia!" took ABBA's best songs and strung them together to form a ragtag story. The movie does the same, and audiences will wince at how some lyrics have so little to do with the story at hand. The screenplay doesn't bail out the music like it should, leaving Streep and her co-horts to sail on solely star power. It's nearly enough, since Streep's having a blast here as the put upon "Mamma."
The real stars here are Julie Walters and Christine Baranski, who dance, cavort and wheeze their way through their hyper dance sequences. They play Streep's best galpals, squeezing laughs from places where none should rightly spring.
But Brosnan, who's been proving his acting chops anew over the past decade, shouldn't be let anywhere near another musical -- or even near a person singing a song, again. His duet with Streep's character late in the film is like an "American Idol" winner performing with someone who got kicked off in the first round.
"Mamma Mia!" exists solely to celebrate the kitschy triumph of ABBA circa the '70s. And if some of their best songs don't put a bounce in your step, your step may be incapable of bouncing.
And, boy, does this disjointed musical need those tunes. The assortment of puns, gags and slapstick attempts are moldier than a "Where's the Beef?" T-shirt. And what works on stage - broad, theatrical gestures - appears forced and hollow on screen. Director Phyllida Lloyd, who also oversaw the original stage version, gets the blame for that miscalculation.
The Greek island backdrop is luminous, so much so that it sometimes feels as if we're watching one big special effect. But no digital effect can compare to the guilty pleasures afforded by ABBA's songbook. It casts a spell all the narrative blunders - and casting hiccups - can't break.
"Mama Mia!"
Universal Pictures
2.5 Donne mandalas out of Five
Web Site: http://www.mammamiamovie.com/
— Christian Toto
