Campus Connection

I was more than a little surprised when I first learned that Mamma Mia!, the smash-hit Broadway musical, was to be adapted to film. I was largely uncertain how it would translate to the big screen and whether it would retain the verve and energy of the Broadway show. The transition from stage to screen has often been a rocky one with the “Phantom of the Opera” and “Rent” being notable examples of films that did not live up to their stage predecessors. However in the right hands, as with Bill Condon’s screenplays for “Chicago” and later “Dreamgirls,” the results can be truly deserving of the originals.

The cast was a good one. Meryl Streep, if a little old and not quite the Donna I had in mind, led the ensemble cast of Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth and Stellan Skarsgard as the rather hapless would-be fathers in waiting. There were also notable supporting roles for Julie Walters as Rose and Christine Baranski as Tanya. All importantly, they were all to lend their own vocals to the production, which I believe to be an absolute must for any aspiring musical-come-movie. Most notably, the sheen was taken off the movie adaptation of ‘My Fair Lady’ for having Audrey Hepburn (as Elisa Doolittle) lip sync rather than sing herself.

Anyone who is familiar with the stage version of Mamma Mia! is aware the plot is truly absurd. Sophie, played by Amanda Seyfred, is about to be married to her sweetheart in the idyllic setting of Greece. Sophie has invited three of her mother’s former beaus, without the knowledge of her mother, who may potentially be the father she has never known. And it’s all set to an Abba soundtrack. As you can imagine, all manner of calamity ensues.

Putting the plot aside, Mamma Mia! has been a successful vehicle for the music, and the songs certainly come thick and fast with Dancing Queen, and Voulez-Vous to name a couple. The songs are not exactly seamlessly integrated with the plot and seem a little forced at times. Despite this fact, you cannot deny the irresistible urge to sing along and tap your feet (as this reviewer did unashamedly) to songs you were surprised you knew.

Despite the odd casting of Meryl Streep she gave a solid performance with a unique singing style. Comic relief, mostly of the visual kind, was provided by Julie Walters and to a lesser extent Christine Baranski- who by the way, for a woman of 56, is a knockout in that swimsuit! Colin Firth and Stellan Skarsgard were agreeable as Harry Bright and Bill Anderson, respectively. Those same pleasantries cannot be reserved for Pierce Brosnan’s performance, particularly his painfully bad singing. Bearing this in mind it seems quite incomprehensible to me that the director allowed Pierce extra quality singing time with a solo towards the end of the movie….aarrgghh!

In summary, a terrible movie, but the mixture of Abba songs and the Idyllic Greek setting may turn this into a classic yet. One for your guilty pleasure DVD collection I think.