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Movies / On DVD / Mamma Mia!
Mamma Mia!

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Mamma Mia! (2008)

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Reviews Counted:35

Fresh:14

Rotten:21

Average Rating:5.2/10

Consensus: This jukebox musical is full of fluffy fun but rough singing voices and a campy tone might not make you feel like "You Can Dance" the whole 90 minutes.

Australian Rating: PG [See Full Rating] Mild sexual references and coarse language

Runtime: 1 hr 49 mins

Genre: Comedies

Australian Theatrical Release:
Jul 10, 2008 Wide

US Box Office: $143,704,210

Synopsis: After its run as a West End hit in London, MAMMA MIA became a Broadway smash when it opened in New York back in 2001. With a story framed around the music of the Swedish pop band Abba, crowds loved... After its run as a West End hit in London, MAMMA MIA became a Broadway smash when it opened in New York back in 2001. With a story framed around the music of the Swedish pop band Abba, crowds loved its raucous, dance party vibe. Now it comes to the silver screen, with some truly delightful performances from the likes of Meryl Streep and Pierce Brosnan. It is the story of Sophie (Amanda Seyfried) a young woman living on a picturesque Greek island with her mother, Donna (Streep.) Together, Donna and Sophie run a ramshackle island inn, and they are in the midst of preparing for Sophie's wedding. As the wedding approaches, Sophie becomes troubled by the fact that she has never known her father. She was the result of one of her mother's summer flings, and her mother has never revealed her father's identity. When Sophie stumbles upon her mother's diary, she learns that there are three possible men who could be her dad. Without telling her mother, she invites all three to her wedding. When Harry (Colin Firth), Sam (Brosnan), and Bill (Stellan Skarsgard) all arrive at the same time, Donna is of course shocked and overwhelmed by seeing her old lovers again after such a long time. She turns to her two best friends, Tanya (Christine Baranaki) and Rosie (Julia Walters), for their support, and vows to just get through the wedding and weekend. Meanwhile, Sophie spends time with each man, determined to learn the truth. Major hijinks and confusion ensues, all amidst the utterly romance scenery, and the rather irresistible, swelling love ballads. Streep has a lovely singing voice, and to watch her throw herself into this whimsical role is truly a delight. She looks like she is having a ball, and it is hard not to shimmy along with her. Baranski reliably delivers an over-the-top showstopper, and Brosnan's tender singing voice makes his character all the more touching. The film strives to be a jubilant celebration of mother/daughter relationships and the love between good friends, and no matter how cheesy some may find Abba, it is hard to resist its many charms. [More]

Starring: Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, Amanda Seyfried

Starring: Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, Amanda Seyfried, Stellan Skarsgard, Julie Walters, Dominic Cooper, Christine Baranski

Director: Phyllida Lloyd

Director: Phyllida Lloyd
Screenwriter: Catherine Johnson
Producer: Judy Craymer, Gary Goetzman
Composer: Benny Andersson, Bjorn Ulvaeus
Studio: Universal Pictures

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Reviews for Mamma Mia!

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1 - 15 (sorted by date; Australian critics are listed first)
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ABBA's legacy will stand the test of time far longer than this

Full Review Source: Dark Horizons | comment Comment
09/11/08
Garth Franklin
Garth Franklin
Dark Horizons
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Perhaps your enjoyment will depend on how much you like the songs (I’m not a huge ABBA fan), but the great thing about this film is its joyousness.

Full Review Source: At the Movies (Australia) | comment 3 Comments
07/18/08
David Stratton
David Stratton
At the Movies (Australia)
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A film that actually earns the exclamation mark that adorns its title, thanks to the exuberance that Streep and her co-stars bring to the job of reviving the rituals of the movie musical.

Full Review Source: Sydney Morning Herald | comment 2 Comments
07/11/08
Sandra Hall
Sandra Hall
Sydney Morning Herald
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This joyous frolic propelled and inspired by the timeless music of ABBA is a bit like Grease for the older set, with Meryl Streep and Pierce Brosnan playing the leading roles

Full Review Source: Urban Cinefile | comment Comment
07/05/08
Urban Cinefile Critics
Urban Cinefile Critics
Urban Cinefile
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The story is ... urh. No film has ever had a more irrelevant story.

Full Review Source: Guardian [UK] | comment 2 Comments
10/18/08
Peter Bradshaw
Peter Bradshaw
Guardian [UK]
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A sage once advised being wary of movies in which the people on screen are having more fun than the people in the audience. Mamma mia, was that good advice.

Full Review Source: Los Angeles Times | comment 3 Comments
10/18/08
Kenneth Turan
Kenneth Turan
Los Angeles Times
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The legal definition of torture has been much aired in recent years, and I take Mamma Mia! to be a useful contribution to that debate.

Full Review Source: New Yorker | comment 5 Comments
07/21/08
Anthony Lane
Anthony Lane
New Yorker
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A lot of fun.

Full Review Source: Ebert & Roeper | comment 3 Comments
07/21/08
Richard Roeper
Richard Roeper
Ebert & Roeper
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Likable, serviceable, and eminently danceable.

Full Review Source: Wall Street Journal | comment 2 Comments
07/18/08
Joe Morgenstern
Joe Morgenstern
Wall Street Journal
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There are the wall-to-wall songs by ABBA, if you like that sort of thing. I don't, not much.

Full Review Source: Chicago Sun-Times | comment 2 Comments
07/18/08
Roger Ebert
Roger Ebert
Chicago Sun-Times
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You can have a perfectly nice time watching this spirited adaptation of the popular stage musical and, once the hangover wears off, acknowledge just how bad it is.

comment 7 Comments
07/17/08
A.O. Scott
A.O. Scott
New York Times
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Mamma Mia! presents itself as a piece of clever counter-programming to this summer's surfeit of pounding, effects-driven comic-book movies. But filmgoers eager to sample its sunny, synth-pop pleasures are likely to feel just as bludgeoned.

Full Review Source: Washington Post | comment Comment
07/17/08
Ann Hornaday
Ann Hornaday
Washington Post
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The singing-and-dancing work for the basic excitement and energy of a live performance, but an additional boost of cinematic prowess is needed to sustain a similar rhythm on film.

Full Review Source: Variety | comment Comment
07/17/08
Jordan Mintzer
Jordan Mintzer
Variety
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Logic is unnecessary to savor Mamma Mia! Escapist and fun, it never takes itself too seriously.

Full Review Source: USA Today | comment Comment
07/17/08
Claudia Puig
Claudia Puig
USA Today
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Cute, clean, camp fun, full of sunshine and toe tappers.

Full Review Source: Empire Magazine | comment Comment
07/11/08
Angie Errigo
Angie Errigo
Empire Magazine
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1 - 15 (sorted by date; Australian critics are listed first)
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Latest News for Mamma Mia!

February 04, 2009: Exclusive: Inside Pinewood/Shepperton - A Photo Tour
Every year, the BAFTA film awards present a trophy for Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema. Introduced in 1978, the award recognises an organisation or a person's career... More...

January 21, 2009: Razzies Name 2008's Worst Movie Nominees
No awards season would be complete without the Golden Raspberry Awards (AKA The Razzies), awarded each year to the very worst movies to hit Hollywood. This year's winners will... More...

January 07, 2009: People's Choice Awards Winners Announced
The 35th annual People's Choice Awards were handed out on January 7, 2009. A complete list of film nominees, with winners in bold, follows below. More...

December 28, 2008: There's a neat free spirit versus family values message here, about a dad being no big deal when you can have three. Not to mention that family is more about who loves you, than whatever does or doesn't dangle between their legs. Opens in new window
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