The total running time for Mamma Mia! is 1 hr. and 48 minutes. I didn't google that. I know it by heart because I counted each excruciating minute of the big screen adaptation of the comedy/musical.
The story is simple enough: Sophie Sheridan (Amanda Seyfried) is a young, beautiful 20-year-old getting married to her beau on the small island in Greece. Donna Sheridan (Meryl Streep) is the single mother who raised Sophie, and for the past 20 years Donna has never revealed to her daughter who her father is simply because she doesn't know. Based on the timeline and the fact that her mother's sexual escapades closely resemble 7Eleven's hours of operation policy, one of three men could be Sophie's father. Island life is simple and so is the world. Sophie takes it upon herself to invite all three to the wedding, decide which one isher father based on sight and first impressions, and sort the rest out later.
It seems like a good idea. A musical with endless beach scenes and cliffside views of the ocean that tugs on the heartstrings of the human condition and the relatable experience of summer love. Unfortunately, this musical misses more than a few beats. That isn't a smile on the audience's face. It's a cringe at the thought of sitting through "SOS" or any of the songs highlighting the vocals of Pierce Brosnan.
It's a musical that makes you wish it were a movie. Every other line is a song, and it's not just any song it's an ABBA song. And it's not just an ABBA song, it's an ABBA song sung by Pierce Brosnan. He's really trying, which becomes distracting in a movie that's supposed to be light and fun-filled. Other successful musicals like Hairspray (2007) or Once (2007) make you want to go out and buy the soundtrack, learn every word, and sing-a-long to all the songs during the second, third, and fourth times you go to watch the movie.
The best thing about Mamma Mia! is that it was shot on location in Greece. The scenery is great and I loved the color palette used throughout the movie. It was live, vibrant, and carefree. But then the ensemble casts would run into frame and ruin it with their singing and dancing. There are no villains in this film. All the characters are presented as likable, therefore there is something horribly wrong if the audience still finds themselves wishing for someone to fall off a cliff or have the wooden dock collapse sending the ensemble company into a watery grave. Perhaps a water gurgled version of "Voulez-Vous" would sound better than what is presented here.
If you really want to see Mamma Mia! I suggest watching the 2 min. 36 second HD trailer online. The trailer is amazing. It shows how fun this musical could have been if it were shorter and not bogged down with, you know, all that awkwardly forced singing and dancing.
"Mamma Mia!" opens July 18, 2008 and is rated PG13. Musical. Directed by Phyllida Lloyd. Written by Catherine Johnson. Starring Amanda Seyfried, Colin Firth, Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan, Stellan Skarsgard.
