Review of Mamma Mia! (2008) by Amanda C — 23 May 2011

Mama Mia is a bit of a train wreck. To start it's horribly miscast. Amanda Seyfried is the only one who really seems to fit her role and she does a decent job with what she's given. Meryl Streep at least seems to be having fun, even if her in overalls doesn't seem quite right and she doesn't seem to have any idea what to do with herself in the musical numbers. At least her sidekicks in Julie Walters and Christine Baranski are having a ball and are the highlights of the film. The three men go from passable, to just bearable to Colin Firth, who seems to spend the whole film confused, as if he can't quite believe that he agreed to this. Pierce Brosnan made me cringe every time he started to sing and Colin Firth was just as bad although mercifully he has less to sing. This is where a playback singer would have been invaluable.

Since the filmmaker shot herself in the foot with casting, she was already fighting a losing battle. Add to that the uninspired direction that is so completely lacking in energy that even the upbeat energetic music can't breathe life into the film. The colour pallet is dull and way too blue, defiantly needing some other colour accent at least. Plus with such a gorgeous setting, the visuals should take care of themselves, but Lloyd's direction works against scenery, largely cutting it out. It could have been shot in New York for all the attention it's given.

The one bright spot is Christine Baranski's number with all the young, shirtless men. And fortunately it comes right when you start to nod off, injecting a much needed jolt of life into the otherwise lifeless film. Unfortunately it's too little and a tad too late.