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Is MAMMA MIA! This Summer's HAIRSPRAY!?
Beaks here...
When Meryl Streep sings, good films tend to happen. Mike Nichols's POSTCARDS FROM THE EDGE is an underrated early 90s flick based on the hard-drugging biography of Princess Leia, DEATH BECOMES HER has its moments, and A PRAIRIE HOME COMPANION is a modest, but strangely perfect swan song for the great Robert Altman. But Meryl singing ABBA... that's going to put this theory to the test. Good thing Amanda Seyfried does an entire number in a swimsuit.
Our frequent contributor "cavepearl" somehow forgot to mention the Seyfried. Is that 'cuz the movie's as unwatchably awful as HAIRSPRAY (says the guy who's always wanted to play Billy Bigelow in CAROUSEL, so don't bring that anti-musical noise here)? Let's read on, reader...
I have a rule about the musicals--unless the music is at least 60% original, I refuse to waste my time. There are exceptions to this rule and one of them is the musical Mamma Mia! When I first heard about a musical based on ABBA tunes being created in London , I was actually kind of excited. I am a closet ABBA fan. I knew at the time of their break-up that the group was actually composing a musical called The Girl with the Golden Hair. They never finished it but it lives on in the cheesy torch number “Thank You for the Music.”
If you have never seen the play, it is fun but you are not really missing that much. It is an amusing lighthearted time but one of the silliest musicals I have ever seen on Broadway. The plot is so thin that I get paper cuts just thinking about it. I was surprised at how easy the lyrics to these Swedish pop songs adapted to a cohesive narrative. It feels like they were always meant to be presented this way. By the end, the audience is on its feet singing along with the cast.
The film is an almost faithful adaptation of the famous West End musical. All the basic elements are there, from the multiple fathers/wedding storyline to the beautiful Greek island location (filmed in Greece and the new Pinewood studios in England ) and plenty of silly dance numbers that move the plot along. Even if you have never seen the play, you will probably like this film, especially if you are a clandestine ABBA fan like me, and if you enjoyed the theatrical production--you will most certainly like this film.
Make no mistake; this is a chick flick to the core. I went to an advance screening last week at a theater in a huge shopping mall in Tyson’s Corner, Virginia . I went with my friend and co-worker, The Naval Fashionista, who had seen Mamma Mia! in Vegas. We arrived just past 6 PM for a 7:30 PM show. There were only about 30 people in front of us, but about 10 minutes later, hundreds of people showed up. They were almost all women and the estrogen was flowing full tilt. Many of them were loudly demonstrating how excited they were. There was not an open seat in the huge stadium theater. Whether you are a guy or a girl however, this is the kind of audience to see this film with. If everyone was just sitting there silently watching, the experience would not have been the same.
As for the cast performances, they range from “okay” to “tremendous” with most in the “good” range. Pierce Brosnan is on the “okay” side. He seems uncomfortable singing on camera. His voice is adequate enough but, mercifully, his solo of “Knowing Me, Know You” was cut from the film. The rest of the cast sings well enough. They are obviously having fun with the material and enjoying the outstanding Greek Isle location.
On the “tremendous” end is Meryl Streep. She sang on camera in the opening number of Death Becomes Her (1992), a campy song played completely for laughs so I knew she would have the chops. Her first two solos in Mia!, “Money, Money, Money” and “Mamma Mia!” are a bit awkward but by her final song “The Winner Takes it All” she is batting 1000%. Producer Benny Anderson from ABBA called her a “miracle” and deservedly so. She sang “Winner” in only one take. Amazing! Streep still reigns as one of the greatest actors alive.
Since this film is light as puff pastry, I don’t want to criticize it too heavily but I did have some issues. The wonderful acoustic version of “Thank You for the Music” from the original production was cut and replaced with the song “One Last Summer.” A version of “Thank You” is included in the credits, but I did not like it as well. I was jarred by this omission because I know the play so well, but first-timers will probably not notice. The choreography is a bit repetitive, mostly people running around acting silly on docks or cliffs. While some of this is true to the stage production, I would have liked to see more structured production numbers. And finally, while the cast is fine for their roles, two of the main characters were white in this film, but were African-American on stage. Anyone who has never seen the play may not care, but it did concern me a little. There is very little diversity in the cast in the musical in the first place, and there are plenty or wonderful singers out there that could have done the job well, so I am not sure why the casting was almost completely whitewashed.
All in all, I had a lot of fun, as did my co-worker. Mamma Mia! is good summer movie fare, but I do not rate it with the enthusiasm I had for the fantastic Hairspray (#2 in my best of 2007) last year. However, it is definitely worth your money and time, especially if you are a woman. For people concerned about children, the film does get a teeny bit raunchy, earning a PG-13 rating, but I would not have a problem with my niece seeing it. (There is really only one “dick joke” on screen, while in the script of the original play, this is pretty constant.)
Now if I can only get those damn songs out of my head. Grade B
cavepearl
That you got them all stuck in my head just by mentioning them is probably not something I should be admitting publicly. But... "fantastic" HAIRSPRAY? Oh, Pearl.
MAMMA MIA! goes head-to-head with THE DARK KNIGHT later this summer. I might have a few reviews of that little ditty for you as well. Until then, this is Mr. Beaks saying "Don't curve bullets, kids."
If you have never seen the play, it is fun but you are not really missing that much. It is an amusing lighthearted time but one of the silliest musicals I have ever seen on Broadway. The plot is so thin that I get paper cuts just thinking about it. I was surprised at how easy the lyrics to these Swedish pop songs adapted to a cohesive narrative. It feels like they were always meant to be presented this way. By the end, the audience is on its feet singing along with the cast.
The film is an almost faithful adaptation of the famous West End musical. All the basic elements are there, from the multiple fathers/wedding storyline to the beautiful Greek island location (filmed in Greece and the new Pinewood studios in England ) and plenty of silly dance numbers that move the plot along. Even if you have never seen the play, you will probably like this film, especially if you are a clandestine ABBA fan like me, and if you enjoyed the theatrical production--you will most certainly like this film.
Make no mistake; this is a chick flick to the core. I went to an advance screening last week at a theater in a huge shopping mall in Tyson’s Corner, Virginia . I went with my friend and co-worker, The Naval Fashionista, who had seen Mamma Mia! in Vegas. We arrived just past 6 PM for a 7:30 PM show. There were only about 30 people in front of us, but about 10 minutes later, hundreds of people showed up. They were almost all women and the estrogen was flowing full tilt. Many of them were loudly demonstrating how excited they were. There was not an open seat in the huge stadium theater. Whether you are a guy or a girl however, this is the kind of audience to see this film with. If everyone was just sitting there silently watching, the experience would not have been the same.
As for the cast performances, they range from “okay” to “tremendous” with most in the “good” range. Pierce Brosnan is on the “okay” side. He seems uncomfortable singing on camera. His voice is adequate enough but, mercifully, his solo of “Knowing Me, Know You” was cut from the film. The rest of the cast sings well enough. They are obviously having fun with the material and enjoying the outstanding Greek Isle location.
On the “tremendous” end is Meryl Streep. She sang on camera in the opening number of Death Becomes Her (1992), a campy song played completely for laughs so I knew she would have the chops. Her first two solos in Mia!, “Money, Money, Money” and “Mamma Mia!” are a bit awkward but by her final song “The Winner Takes it All” she is batting 1000%. Producer Benny Anderson from ABBA called her a “miracle” and deservedly so. She sang “Winner” in only one take. Amazing! Streep still reigns as one of the greatest actors alive.
Since this film is light as puff pastry, I don’t want to criticize it too heavily but I did have some issues. The wonderful acoustic version of “Thank You for the Music” from the original production was cut and replaced with the song “One Last Summer.” A version of “Thank You” is included in the credits, but I did not like it as well. I was jarred by this omission because I know the play so well, but first-timers will probably not notice. The choreography is a bit repetitive, mostly people running around acting silly on docks or cliffs. While some of this is true to the stage production, I would have liked to see more structured production numbers. And finally, while the cast is fine for their roles, two of the main characters were white in this film, but were African-American on stage. Anyone who has never seen the play may not care, but it did concern me a little. There is very little diversity in the cast in the musical in the first place, and there are plenty or wonderful singers out there that could have done the job well, so I am not sure why the casting was almost completely whitewashed.
All in all, I had a lot of fun, as did my co-worker. Mamma Mia! is good summer movie fare, but I do not rate it with the enthusiasm I had for the fantastic Hairspray (#2 in my best of 2007) last year. However, it is definitely worth your money and time, especially if you are a woman. For people concerned about children, the film does get a teeny bit raunchy, earning a PG-13 rating, but I would not have a problem with my niece seeing it. (There is really only one “dick joke” on screen, while in the script of the original play, this is pretty constant.)
Now if I can only get those damn songs out of my head. Grade B
cavepearl
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looks fucking terrible.
no chance in hell it'll be well received. -
just curious
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Damn you Michael Bay!
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Gave the whole world AIDs when she decided to do this movie. Literally, airborne AIDs. Fuck ABBA.
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Because that was in the stage production.
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In which our hero interviews Abba during an elevator ride and razorblade edits the interview together in a cab ride to the studio. That takes skill, let me tell you.
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much like comedy and French people.
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They put it in the film where "Thank You for the Music" should have been and the film hurts for it a little.
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Is so beautiful, it's almost unfair. I would go see this movie just to stare at her for 2 hours. She is one of my few Hollywood crushes along with Kat Dennings. Plus, Big Love is the shit!
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She is fine in the role and one of the better performers. The film is just doesn't warrant a detailed review.
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The movie would have to really really suck in order to make people dislike it. Because everyone loves ABBA. Hearing their songs for two hours will make anyone happy. How do you ruin that? Unless there were numerous scenes of kittens eating babies, I can't imagine the spirit of ABBA being derailed by conventional movie crappiness. This movie will be huge.
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Could you imagine what would happen if it beat The Dark Knight on opening weekend? Geeks everywhere would spontaneously die of brain hemorrhages. Now THAT would be funny.
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That would be not going to happen but it would be funny
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Jun 27, 2008 1:35:38 PM CDT
Looks like everyone's moved on to the Dark Knight TB above...
by tonagan
Sigh.
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I am a girl and I lost man-points watching Mamma Mia! LOL
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I just watched it again last night. What's your problem with it? What DO you like? I've seen two articles by Beaks today and both of them are completely negative.
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Mamma Mia? Really? Geez-o-wiz.
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and unless you are forced to go becuase your gf or wife drags you...there is something seriously wrong with you...and ya, i know that elvis costello borrowed one of their rifts for a song...doesnt matter...insipid pop for an insipid movie
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the musical, both on the stage and on screen sucked ass...dont care that it did make money
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HAIRSPRAY'S score and songs were composed by March Shaiman for South Park:BLU and has a similar vibe to the lyrics sans Expilatives. I am surprised for the lack of geek love for one of us.
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Damn spell check.
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It seems Pearl has better taste in musicals than you which makes your condescension all the more embarassing. Stick to reviewing Transformer movies; "Hairspray" is, by far, the best modern era musical ever made (Chicago? please...)
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I got the urge to drink sprakling mineral water and buttfuck another man
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I hope, for your neighbours' sake, you never see Helter Skelter
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Jun 27, 2008 4:14:02 PM CDT
I'd rather watch a guy getting hit in the face with a keyboard
by zeke25:17
then anything with ABBA songs in it. (Though I have been known to hum along to "SOS" when it comes on the radio. Maybe if it was set to Angelina Jolie stepping naked out of a pool...)
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that Beelzebub has put aside for us or am I getting mixed up?
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Years ago I was taken to Mamma Mia! for my birthday by a dear friend. If it wasn't for her, I'd have never heard of it. It was so much fun that I later took my girlfriend to see it in another city. Which I mention for context of my thoughts on the casting. First off, I think that casting big-name actors was a mistake. As fluff as this is, it's a sweet story that is best served without the distraction of star casting. Every time Meryl or Pierce even show up on camera, you see Meryl and Pierce, not the characters they play. This takes away from the suspension of disbelief, which is already hanging on a thin thread in this kind of movie.
As far as the demographics of the casting go, none of the main characters in the road productions I saw were black, although there were several very talented background actors of color. I doubt that race was an issue in the casting. If it were, you can bet there would have been at least one major role played by a minority actor. I would rather the leads were black or whatever minority than to be big-name, too-recognizable actors. (As long as they had the chops to pull it off.)
I'm not going to see this in the theatre unless I get dragged to it. I'd rather wait in hopes that the Broadway or road production makes it on DVD in my lifetime. I thought the stagecraft was very well done. The set design was very effective and smartly put together, allowing for seamless scene changes. And there's something to the audience/production interaction that adds to this experience.
In completely unrelated news, I again make the hapless plea to anyone out there who may have the NEWER Fantasy Island with Malcolm Mcdowell on DVD. Or if anyone knows about a commercial release date of such. Thanks! -
cut bait.
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Now I have "Dancing Queen" stuck in my head. Thanks AICN. Thanks.
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I can't say one way or the other, having never seen the Broadway treatment. Even Hairspray the musical didn't shake me out of my socks. Maybe a fall launch would have been better, even near Christmas?
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But this is too gay, even for me. I was forced to see the stage show with my school. I guess it doesn't help that although i know all these songs, i don't really like abba that much. Anyway I saw an all white cast. Maybe it was only in america they had some others in there. Anyway chances are i'll end up seeing this after the 5th time i go to dark knight. So I'm hoping the movie cast bring a few surprises. I'm really interested to see bootstrap bill sing...
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... I mean, if you're a true film lover. The amount of layers and subtext and how the ensemble worked - plus an amazing sense of how a musical film should look - made it one of the best musicals ever... way over Grease, just to mention a well-loved overrated movie adaptation
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It was my favorite movie of 2007 and one of the best Blurays I own. It got a 92% on RT for a reason.
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Thanks to the filmmakers for giving me a reason to sit all the way up top of the back row so that I can do my business...
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Having said that I doubt I'll see this. You can dress up a pig, but it's still a pig. Hmmm,some young thing slept with three guys and doesn't know who the father is. Isn't that just Jerry Springer/Maury Povitch trash? Stick with Muriel's Wedding for the ABBA fix.
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but why would you want to see Pierce Brosnan and Meryl Streep lipsynch to their songs? Just throw on one of their CDs instead and listen to real musical and lyrical talent and ignore this crass corporate shit.
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..except that Meryl Streep exists in some way.
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She would have had her daughter at 40+!
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Borrowed DVD from sister and brother-in-law who 'just loved it.' After 35-40 min, I just it off. My wife said ' what took you so long?'
Avoided Mama Mia on stage locally and will avoid this. And I'm not anti-musical. Saw Wicked and though it was kinda interesting, even if the songs were so-so. -
I've seen the movie in Amsterdam and this is my opinion:
http://www.doyouknowflo.nl/daily/daily.php?subaction=showcalendar&d=23&m=6&y=2008&month=6&year=2008
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http://www.doyouknowflo.nl/news/data/upimages/0608/23-06-08.jpg
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The only way I will see this movie is if I drink two full bottles of Dimetap beforehand
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