Director: Phyllida Lloyd
Writer: Catherine Johnson
Producers: Judy Craymer, Gary Goetzman
Starring: Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, Stellan Skarsgård, Christine Baranski, Julie Walters, Amanda Seyfried, Dominic Cooper
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Running time: 108 min
I was on a mission for entertainment. I had planned on doing the good thing and seeing Gonzo: The Life and Times of Hunter S. Thompson but it started a bit late. I know now that I really just wanted an excuse to see it. After the skitzo dance and song filled review and an email from a girl friend praising it, I took myself to the local theater and amidst the repeat viewing fans of The Dark Knight (our review), of which there were many, I purchased my ticket to Mamma Mia!. I started to imagine myself in an empty/nearly empty cinema. The joy! I can sing along!
I was following a young couple into the theater (drats!), far enough behind to spot them coming in the door and standing at the tier of seats and looking on. A flash: this only happens when the theater is full; it’s the planning stage before attack. Just how full is this place? I turned the corner and took a look for myself. Thirty minutes before the scheduled movie start and the screening room was nearly full. And these didn’t look like cast offs from The Dark Knight either. Groups of women (young and old), couples (young and old), and a few lone males (I know) – all separated by empty seats. Counter programming at work.
I strategically chose a seat near the back, away from prying eyes and keen ears. I didn’t want anyone to notice if I started to dance in my seat and quietly mouth words to ABBA classics. The lights go down, the music kicks in and almost immediately you’re sucked in. Shot on location in Greece, I give first time director Phyllida Lloyd credit for making use of the gorgeous locale. From the opening shot, you know this isn’t going to be the musical and that has both positive and negative connotations. On the one hand, we’ll get to enjoy the gorgeous scenery but on the negative, unless these actors are secret singing sensations or (god forbid) dubbed over, the music is going to be a teensy bit painful. What I hadn’t counted on was the sheer power of ABBA’s music taking over and bypassing any faults, trust me – there are many, in the singing voices.
