20-year-old Sophie lives with her mother, Donna, in a shabby hotel on an idyllic Greek island. She dreams of finding the father she has never known.
When she happens upon her mother’s diary, Sophie finds clues that point to three men who slept with Donna twenty years ago and might be her father. She invites them all to her wedding, hoping she will know which one is her real dad the moment she meets him.
Mamma Mia Movie Review
It leapfrogs back and forth in time, following Sophie (Amanda Seyfried) as she feverishly prepares for the grand re-opening of her mother Donna’s (Meryl Streep) hotel and young Donna (the delightful Lily James) as she discovers the island on which that hotel stands, and meets the three young men (Jeremy Irvine, Josh Dylan, Hugh Skinner) who would later become Sophie’s “three dads” (Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, Stellan Skarsgard).
A spirited cast helps buoy Phyllida Lloyd’s 2008 adaptation, whose broad musical theater feel and chipper choreography largely mitigate its trite plotline. But the sloppy filmmaking, mismatched shots, lousy lighting, egregious overdubbing, and a few shoddy attempts at historical accuracy make this the least engaging of the ABBA-singing franchises.
Despite its flaws, Mamma Mia is still worth seeing, and Streep gives a genuinely memorable and remarkably detailed performance. Even the younger cast, including Pierce Brosnan, Dominic Cooper, and Stellan Skarsgard, manage to croon their way into a few of ABBA’s best tunes.
Mamma Mia Musical Review
If you’re looking for a fun night out at the theatre, I strongly recommend getting a ticket to the latest production of Mamma Mia! The ABBA musical is one of the longest-running shows in the West End and will be an enjoyable experience for everyone who attends.
This jukebox musical is based on the songs of the Swedish pop group ABBA and the book by Catherine Johnson. The show is a great way to get to know many different characters and enjoy the singing and dancing that goes along with it.
The performances were excellent, and the cast had a lot of talent. I particularly enjoyed Mazz Murray as Donna Sheridan, an absolute vocal powerhouse.
There was also a lot of humor throughout the performance from Donna and her Dynamos, Tanya (Anna Elizabeth), and Rosie (Sonja Marquis). The duo is an excellent addition to the cast, and they do a fantastic job of ensuring the audience enjoys the show.
Mamma Mia Movie Trailer
In a prequel to the original Mamma Mia, 20-year-old Sophie (Amanda Seyfried) reunites her mother, Donna (Meryl Streep), and her two best friends, Rosie (Julie Walters) and Tanya (Christine Baranski), for the grand reopening of their former villa in Greece. But when Sam (Pierce Brosnan), Harry (Colin Firth), and Bill (Stellan Skarsgard) show up, Sophie learns that one of them could be her father, even though she doesn’t know which man is her real dad.
Lily James stars as the young version of Donna, who has a lovely voice and is ably supported by Jeremy Irvine as Sam, Hugh Skinner as Harry, and Josh Dylan as Bill. Alexa Davies and Jessica Kennan Wynn star as Rosie and Tanya, and Andy Garcia add a new character, Fernando Cienfuegos.
Mamma Mia Musical Trailer
If you’re a fan of the ABBA soundtrack (or even if you aren’t), you may want to check out the Mamma Mia Musical Trailer. It’s a joyous, feel-good musical about family and friendship on a Greek island and features the songs of the 70s Swedish pop band.
Phyllida Lloyd, who directed the stage version of the show, makes this movie work, buoying it with a broad musical theater feel, chipper choreography, and plenty of Greek chorus backups. The cast also benefits from first-rate voice coaching, with Sophie Roberts and Donna Powers displaying professional vocal depth.
Aside from the music, the story has surprisingly clever and thought-provoking moments. For instance, Donna’s three possible fathers agree to take a “third” of her parentship, and we see that she loves them all in the end.
