Mamma Mia! Who's Your Daddy?

Mamma Mia, here I go again, my my... Words forever etched in the minds of, well, just about everyone. For better or worse.

I'm not the consumer to whom this film would appeal as I have never been an ABBA fan, despite the popularity of the group and their music as I was a teen.

So why in the world did I watch Mamma Mia? My 13 year old daughter wanted to see it, and over the Christmas holidays, we watched it with my mother in law upon arriving in CT on a Friday evening. This was better than the alternative of sitting around while hubby and son went to see the UCONN men's team play basketball at the Hartford Arena and it was incumbent upon my daughter and me (taking one for the team) to find an alternative to channel surfing and supplement catching up. Or maybe not?

I'm going with maybe not. Certainly there was something more entertaining on TLC, HGTV, or Bravo. But, I kept an open mind and watched the entire movie.

I honestly knew only a few tidbits about it: Meryl Streep, the girl from Big Love (Amanda Seyfried), the fabulous scenery, the music of Abba, and something about a wedding.

I was skeptical about Meryl Streep starring in a musical, but I was pleasantly, although not surprisingly, impressed with her ability to transcend roles. As always, she makes it work despite my overall unfavorable opinion of the movie. I grudgingly give her performance a thumbs up, and as odd as the casting seemed, I believed in her character. Delightful doesn't roll trippingly off my tongue, but I have to admit the word applies.

I also enjoyed Amanda Seyfried's performance, particularly her chemistry with BIG STAR Streep. I anticipated, incorrectly, that Ms Streep would overshadow this young actress. Seyfried proves herself worthy in Mamma Mia! with tangible acting and singing skills, the aforementioned chemistry and a presence which has a star quality.

I had no idea the film also stars Colin Firth, Stellan Skarsgard (an Indie/foreign/art film fave of mine), and Pierce Brosnan! What?! Okay, Brosnan is still handsome and enchants me with his Irish brogue, but sorry Pierce, you can't sing, and you're a bit stiff! Colin Firth and particularly Stellan Skarsgard just seemed out of place; Firth underutilized, and Skarsgard's character just a caricature. SPOILER ALERT* I could have done without a view of Skarsgard's backside. Not because I'm a prude, simply because it's just not camera ready! END ALERT*

Basic plot: young girl (Amanda Seyfried) raised by a free spirit single mom (Meryl Streep) on a gorgeous Greek island is preparing for her wedding, discovers mom's diary and narrows who her father may be to three choices, secretly invites all three to the pending nuptials, providing the setting for much ado.

Will we ever discover who the real dad is? Anyone hear of a paternity test? Anyone care?

I think the scenery is the real star of the movie and I was longing to be there, particularly since I was stuck in post snow storm CT, watching a movie which I wasn't finding particularly entertaining. Old jokes, old stereotypes, Streep's middle aged gal pals reliving their glory years thankfully, briefly. The choreography leaves much to be desired.  Let me give credit where credit is due; stage/screen actress Christine Baranski, is perfectly cast as one of Streep's pals and her stage experience is clearly an advantage.

The music is nostalgic and I really had forgotten many of Abba's hits. Oddly enough, Abba music was one of the few reminders of home, when I was 15 and slightly homesick on a trip to Austria and Germany with a handful of classmates/friends. Hmmmm, middle aged women and their glory days...

Somehow I think this film version may have worked better with unknown actors. I was sidetracked by the "names" in this film adaptation and kept wondering why in the world they would participate. (Oh yeah, how about location and pay?) Although it's not something I felt compelled to see, I understand why this was a huge hit on stage because the music (like it or not) is infectious, and I think a live audience adds to the fun.

I do not recommend Mamma Mia, unless you are a die hard ABBA fan, or perhaps a fan of musicals. Although, I hesitate to even direct a fan of musicals to this one. See it on stage and skip the film...