in the arts
from August 2008

Mamma Mia! - The Movie

After the staggering success of Mamma Mia! - The Musical, it was almost inevitable that it would make the leap to the silver screen.

What wasn’t quite so inevtable, however, was the way that, despite its expected box office takings, it would look so cheap: barring a couple of beach scenes and some helicopter work flying around the Greek island where it’s set, the whole thing looks as if it was filmed in a not-very-large studio.

In many ways, this doesn’t really matter: Mamma Mia! isn’t a huge, spectacular blockbuster movie: it’s a camp, lightweight, frothy feelgood romp.

Meryl Streep is fine as the lead - and, barring a rather odd rendition of The Winner Takes It All, where she looks drunk or on drugs, copes admirably, as do the rest of the cast. Well, with the notable exception of Pierce Brosnan. His acting’s OK, it’s just when he comes to sing that you’ll hear the audience groan in pain. It really is terrible - but full marks to him for doing it anyway. Julie Walters plays, well, Julie Walters - but has some great moments, as do the rest of the cast.

If ever a film (or, indeed, a musical) was written for an audience of women and poofs, this was it: take a look around the cinema if you go.

There’s even a bit of in-yer-face homo fun (nothing that would scare granny, though) which rounds off the film nicely.

It may not be the most adventurous film musical ever made, but go with an open mind and you just might love it!

Ray Duttine