MAMMA MIA!: HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL FOR ALL AGES

There are two kinds of critics of “Mamma Mia!” There are the hipsters who saw it on stage in London or New York and thought the actors’ wink of self-awareness was better live. And, then, there are the people who saw it not knowing what it was. If you thought this was going to be “Sophie’s Choice” put poignantly onscreen with song and dance, you were disappointed. I was not.

It was exactly what I thought it would be – a square peg of existing pop tunes forced into the round hole of a ridiculous plot. Hell, someone wrote the story on purpose and they still couldn’t fit “Dancing Queen” into the plot – but it had to be sung. It was craptastic.

I think it’s been established that I am a simple woman of the people. As such, I don’t normally like movies where the actors are having more fun than the audience. (Yeah Clooney – I’m talking to you and the rest of you mannequins in “Ocean’s 11” through 40. Maybe I would have liked “Ocean’s 11”, “12,” and now “13” more, if I could have seen those handsome McPrettysons sweat.)

In “It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World,” some of the greatest actors of the time were running around like chickens with their heads cut off. And it was awesome. That is what I see in “Mamma Mia!” Because, like Spencer Tracy (who was 63 in 1963 when “…Mad Mad World” was made), Pierce Brosnan, Meryl Streep and the rest of them are running around like crazy – up Greek hillsides, climbing fake rooftops, up ladders… singing and dancing. And all the while glancing sideways into the camera to let us know, “Yes it’s ridiculous. We know. Come on along!” I did, twice.

Sure, the first time I saw it, it was for goofy reasons – we went to IKEA for meatballs and then to the movie – a Swedish day out. Then I saw it again, eyes wide open, with my sister-in-law and niece. Now I’ve purchased the soundtrack. Yeah. You wanna take this outside?

They wanted star-studded so I expected none of them to be able to sing. But they did and, mostly, could. Meryl Streep’s voice is a bit furry, but Christine Baranski and Mrs. Weasley (Julie Walters) must have done musical theater at some point. Nice. And Colin Firth had as good a voice as Hugh Grant in “Music & Lyrics.” Stellan Skarsgård didn’t sing much but he had the odd distinction of being my favorite character. If I were picking which old dude to “keep,” it would be him.

This brings us to Pierce Brosnan. There is no way to put this nicely – Pierce Brosnan’s singing voice is like music being forced through cheesecloth. But I was happy to watch Pierce Brosnan work really hard trying to make something of his voice and those songs. Man. He was sweating so hard… fantastic. And it could have been worse. He wasn’t Clint Eastwood “Paint My Wagon” bad.

Yes, pop songs in musicals have been done better. Phylidda Lloyd is not Baz Lurman. “Mamma Mia!” is no “Moulin Rouge!” But you know what, I’m no Ingmar Bergman. I liked it. I’m planning to buy it and watch it one day in winter when I’m making soup and it’s a background movie. Much like I watch “Moulin Rouge!” But I laughed at, with and about the whole damn thing. Who wants to help me write the Air Supply Musical?

Jackie Kashian

Read how much Laura hates this movie!