RottenTomatoes.com
Log In | Register | What is RT?
Check out the new RT Community
  • Home
  • Movies
  • DVD
  • Celebrities
  • News
  • Critics
  • Trailers & Pictures
  • CommunityBeta
  • Box Office
  • | In Theaters
  • | Opening
  • | Upcoming
  • | Best Of
  • | Certified Fresh
RT Search Powered by Google
help icon Enhanced RT
searches on Google
Click here to turn on enhanced search results from RT on your Google searches.
 
Movies / On DVD / Mamma Mia!
Mamma Mia!

Rate this Movie Help Icon

  • Write a Review
  • Read Reviews
  • Add to List
  • Buy Poster External Icon
  • Visit Official Site External Icon
Bookmark and Share

Mamma Mia! (2008)

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
  • DVD
53 %
Tomatometer
Template ImageTemplate Image

How does the Tomatometer work Help Icon

Reviews Counted:169

Fresh:90

Rotten:79

Average Rating:5.5/10

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: Musical & Performing Arts

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

[See More Credits]

  • Trailers
  • Pictures
  • Trailer
    >
    Trailer #2
    >
    RT Review Revue Mini - Mamma Mia!
    >
    Discovering Amanda Seyfried
    >
1 - 4 of 4

See More Movie Trailers & Pictures

Reviews for Mamma Mia!

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
  • DVD
 
 
121 - 140 (sorted by date; Australian critics are listed first)
Text View | |< << 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 >> >|
Arrange By:Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
 
 

Constructing a play -- and now a clumsily staged film -- around ABBA songs is the definition of a frivolous enterprise, and little has been done to temper the ecstatic mood with other shadings of human emotion.

Full Review Source: AV Club | comment Comment
07/17/08
Scott Tobias
Scott Tobias
AV Club

A playful and light-hearted screen version of the popular Broadway musical which is carried by the snappy and happy songs of Abba.

Full Review Source: Spirituality and Practice | comment Comment
07/17/08
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
Spirituality and Practice

It gets by on the featherweight golden oldies of ABBA, and the treat of seeing and hearing some golden oldies of the cinema break character and belt out a song.

Full Review Source: Orlando Sentinel | comment Comment
07/17/08
Roger Moore
Roger Moore
Orlando Sentinel

There's something infuriatingly entertaining about this silly story, those slumming actors (Meryl Streep! Pierce Brosnan!) and those cruel, cruel songs.

Full Review Source: San Diego Union-Tribune | comment Comment
07/17/08
James Hebert
James Hebert
San Diego Union-Tribune

In bringing her stage production to the screen, first-time film director Phyllida Lloyd has retained the show’s goofy charm and mostly breathless pacing.

Full Review Source: Kansas City Star | comment Comment
07/17/08
Robert W. Butler
Robert W. Butler
Kansas City Star

Watching the film rear back and launch constant fireworks of joy is a wonderful thing to behold, positioning itself as an ideal summer diversion to counteract all the cartoons and superheroes...a heavy dose of syrup, but it stomps proudly and effectively.

Full Review Source: BrianOrndorf.com | comment Comment
07/17/08
Brian Orndorf
Brian Orndorf
BrianOrndorf.com

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
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

It's ok. Drop your troubles at the door and dance along. After all, it's ABBA. Who can resist?

Full Review Source: EDGE Boston | comment Comment
07/17/08
David Foucher
David Foucher
EDGE Boston

There is a fine line between something that is so bad it's good, and something that's genuinely good, and Mamma Mia! straddles it throughout.

Full Review Source: DustinPutman.com | comment Comment
07/17/08
Dustin Putman
Dustin Putman
DustinPutman.com

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
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

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
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

When Streep, Walters and Baranski share the screen, Mamma Mia! comes alive and earns its exclamation point. The rest is forced gaiety pushed to the breaking point.

Full Review Source: Rolling Stone | comment 1 Comment
07/17/08
Peter Travers
Peter Travers
Rolling Stone

The ingredients seem perfect: a stellar cast, an unassailable soundtrack and source material from a proven hit. Somehow, though, this sugary mix turns into a sour hairball that will have you gagging to expel it for 108 minutes.

Full Review Source: Newsday | comment Comment
07/17/08
Rafer Guzman
Rafer Guzman
Newsday

I won't really defend Mamma Mia!, but I will recommend how to watch it: Just stop rolling your eyes and listen.

Full Review Source: Entertainment Weekly | comment Comment
07/17/08
Owen Gleiberman
Owen Gleiberman
Entertainment Weekly

I could do without 'Dancing Queen' stuck in my head, but that will unstick soon enough, and with any luck so too will the memory of Streep noodling on an air guitar.

Full Review Source: Austin Chronicle | comment Comment
07/17/08
Kimberly Jones
Kimberly Jones
Austin Chronicle

Mamma Mia! is not going to make you think, nor does it want to. But it will make you sing, as long as Brosnan keeps his mouth shut.

Full Review Source: Arizona Republic | comment Comment
07/17/08
Bill Goodykoontz
Bill Goodykoontz
Arizona Republic

A collection of droopy ditties draped around a threadbare plot.

Full Review Source: City Pages, Minneapolis/St. Paul | comment Comment
07/17/08
Ella Taylor
Ella Taylor
City Pages, Minneapolis/St. Paul

My, my, it's easy to resist this.

Full Review Source: Metromix.com | comment Comment
07/17/08
Matt Pais
Matt Pais
Metromix.com

A sappy, meaningless story, something on the order of Gidget Goes to Greece, but perhaps inferior to the Sandra Dee standard.

Full Review Source: Entertainment Insiders | comment Comment
07/17/08
Janos Gereben
Janos Gereben
Entertainment Insiders

...perhaps the worst example of what is known as a 'jukebox musical.'

Full Review Source: Sun Publications (Chicago, IL) | comment Comment
07/17/08
Josh Larsen
Josh Larsen
Sun Publications (Chicago, IL)
 
 
121 - 140 (sorted by date; Australian critics are listed first)
Text View | |< << 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 >> >|
all

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
More...

See All

More DVDs

New On DVD This Week
Tomatometer Percentage Movie
36% 36% Angels & Demons
68% 68% Funny People
25% 25% Four Christmases
45% 45% Shorts
53% 53% David & Layla

More New Releases…

What’s Hot On RT

Coen Brothers

Coen Brothers

We count down their 10 best-reviewed films

Avatar

Avatar

Watch an exclusive behind-the-scenes video

RT's Twilight corner

RT's Twilight corner

Everything you need on New Moon is here

Doomed Romance

Doomed Romance

Our top 10 star-crossed movie lovers

Other News

  • Top Stories
  • Popular
  • Interviews
 
 

Comments

 
 
Top Stories
Headlines Comments
  
  • Disney Restructuring Has Broad Implications Source: Los Angeles Times
4
  • Joel Silver Talks Ninja Assassin, Sgt. Rock, Lobo, and More Source: Collider.com
1
  • Weekly Ketchup: Idris Elba cast in Thor, more Spider-Man 4 rumors
102
  • Idris Elba Joins Thor Source: Hollywood Reporter
112
  • Jackass 3D Coming in 2010? Source: Collider.com
32
  • 6 Reasons 'Twilight' Is Doomed Source: The Wrap
64
  • Forbes Names Hollywood's Most Overpaid Actors Source: Forbes
20
  • Chris Weitz Says He's (Almost) Done with Directing Source: Film School Rejects
26
  • Spider-Man 4 Casting Rumors Multiply Like Rabbits Source: Deadline Hollywood Daily
51
  • McTeigue Says Superman Is "In a Weird Place" Source: MTV
204
Popular
Headlines Comments
  
  • Box Office Guru Wrapup: New Moon Shatters Records
153
  • Critics Consensus: New Moon Wanes
129
  • Tomatometer Watch: Will Twilight's New Moon Dazzle?
97
  • Total Recall: Star-Crossed Lovers
74
  • Weekly Ketchup: Idris Elba cast in Thor, more Spider-Man 4 rumors
51
  • Five Favorite Films with Werner Herzog
50
  • Friday Harvest: New Moon, Avatar, and more!
31
  • Total Recall: John Travolta's Best Movies
20
  • RT on DVD: Harry Potter returns, Bella heads to Adventureland
4
  • Ho, ho, ho! It's RT's Great Big Gift Guide!
0
Interviews
Headlines Comments
  
  • Eric Bana talks Love the Beast - RT Interview
8
  • Fight Club Sound Designer Reflects on Film's 10th Anniversary
19
  • James Schamus talks Taking Woodstock - RT Interview
6
  • RT on DVD: Wassup, Bruno
3
  • Scott Hicks Talks The Boys Are Back
0
  • John Hurt Talks Harry Potter, Quentin Crisp and Alien - The RT Interview
15
  • Richard Kelly chats about The Box
2
  • Terry Gilliam Talks Doctor Parnassus
16
  • Wes Anderson Talks Fantastic Mr. Fox - RT Interview
8
  • Wolverine Creator Len Wein Talks About the Film
28
 
 

Sponsored Links

Around The Network

  • Mamma Mia! at Rotten Tomatoes
  • Mamma Mia! at IGN
  • Mamma Mia! at AskMen

Fresh Links

Featured
Why Don't Australians Make Sci-fi?
Why Don't Australians Make Sci-fi? External Link

The New Matilda's Lynden Barber looks at the recent success of low-budget sci-fi -- and asks the question.

New Moon Portraits
New Moon Portraits External Link

TIME offers us a closer look at the characters from the latest Twilight film.

Follow Rotten Tomatoes on Twitter
Follow Rotten Tomatoes on Twitter External Link

Get all the latest movie updates, reviews, interviews and features here.

Competitions
Win Star Wars prizes
Win Star Wars prizes External Link

Enough Prequel, Original Trilogy and Family Guy DVDs to fill a space cruiser

Win the entire 007 collection
Win the entire 007 collection External Link

Everything from Dr. No to Quantum of Solace could be yours.

Win Fight Club Special Editions and more
Win Fight Club Special Editions and more External Link

We're giving away the 10th Anniversary Blu-ray, plus Braveheart and the Rocky collection

 
 
About| Site Map| Help| RT To Go| Contact Us| Critics Submission| Linking to RT| Licensing| Movie List| Celebs List| Newsletter
IGN Logo

IGN.com | GameSpy | Comrade | Arena | FilePlanet | GameSpy Technology
TeamXbox | Planets | Vaults | VE3D | CheatsCodesGuides | GameStats | GamerMetrics
AskMen.com | Rotten Tomatoes | Direct2Drive | Green Pixels


By continuing past this page, and by the continued use of this site, you agree to be bound by and abide by the User Agreement.
Copyright 1998-2009, IGN Entertainment, Inc. About IGN | Support | Advertise | Privacy Policy | User Agreement | Subscribe to RT's XML feed! IGN RSS Feeds
IGN's enterprise databases running Oracle, SQL and MySQL are professionally monitored and managed by Pythian Remote DBA
Certain product data ©1995-present Muze, Inc. For personal use only. All rights reserved.