wow, what's with all the negativity here? This is pretty much your perfect "leave your brains behind and just have fun" kind of movie! My only problem with it is that I wish they'd cast people who could actually sing rather than just big names (Pierce Brosnan, I'm looking at you!)
This is meant for those of us at a certain age. ABBA + elements of Bollywood =fun, although Pierce Brosnan gets the prize for bad singing in a musical. ;)
Yep, Meryl, none of us is here by chance. I have a hard time with musicals, wouldn't stand more than 3 ABBA songs being drunk on prom night and this thing goes for almost 2 hours. I swear, in the first 10 minutes there was a group of young women screaming, singing and running around an island followed by a group of older women also screaming and singing - I was very close to jumping out of the window. After that, I got more in the mood and saw how this might be infectious, but it's not consumable in such a dose for the average human being. Like an overlong, expensive karaoke video. Cheesy, fun sometimes, too extrovert.
One thing I can take away though: as someone who doesn't have a clue about singing (my musical preferences are either instrumental or growled metal stuff) and wouldn't be able to tell Celine Dion apart from Miss Piggy, even I sat stunned by the performance of Pierce Brosnan. It's comical how bad he is and how he doesn't seem to care, haha.
I have nothing against jukebox musicals, but Mamma Mia! only really triumphs because Abba songs are fun to sing. And it looks like the cast of this movie really WAS having fun. But I feel like getting big stars was more important to its makers than the actual singing and dancing. The two younger characters (Amanda Seyfried and Dominic Cooper) can sing, but I can't even generously call the older set a mixed bag. Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, Stellan Skarsgård... not good singers, and I cringed every time they attempted a dance routine. Throw in some slapstick and naughty grandma sex talk for good measure. And the screwball comedy aspects don't even deliver structure-wise. The bit I really did like was the Greek chorus, making clever use of the setting to integrate a musical trope in a fun way. Wish it had been more consistent, actually. Because even there's a good number here and there, a good performance here and there, a good use of setting here and there, etc., the movie just doesn't complete the pass on any of it. It just feels like a half-assed lark for the cast and crew. I can see the appeal, but it was a bit unpolished for me.
Hilarious to watch a host of top actors humiliate themselves with ABBA karaoke. Amanda Seyfried and Meryl Streep sing very well. Colin Firth and Pierce and Brosnan are astonishingly bad singers.
Very enjoyable in a camp and ironic way, despite choreography and screenplay being terrible.
I like ABBA but jesus christ this was goddawful. The only good thing about it was Colin Firth. Acting was horrible, the singing was horrible, the script was horrible. And the makeup & hair people should've been shot because everyone looked absolutely hideous.
I really cherish this film. It's such a feel-good movie! I loved the acting and singing of Amanda Seyfried and especially Meryl Streep - but I have to say the whole cast is great (they do not all have equally good voices but they seem really committed and look like they had lots of fun making this film). It's probably a girls' movie, I first watched it with my sister and the story and the songs just make you laugh and dream and giggle. Beautiful location, lots of fun and good songs in a new fashion, lovely actors - what else could you want from a movie like this?
Huge steaming pile of crap, not worthy of ABBA’s hits. I love Meryl Streep but she can barely sing and Pierce Bronson is downright embarrassing. Terrible casting. Sorry, but ABBA deserves better. Much better.
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Comments 1 - 15 of 18
justanotherfrog
wow, what's with all the negativity here? This is pretty much your perfect "leave your brains behind and just have fun" kind of movie! My only problem with it is that I wish they'd cast people who could actually sing rather than just big names (Pierce Brosnan, I'm looking at you!)daisyaday
This is meant for those of us at a certain age. ABBA + elements of Bollywood =fun, although Pierce Brosnan gets the prize for bad singing in a musical. ;)Utopia13
It may seem a typical musical-comedy and it really is! but it has something that makes it special and unique and makes you smile throughout the film.Torgo
Yep, Meryl, none of us is here by chance. I have a hard time with musicals, wouldn't stand more than 3 ABBA songs being drunk on prom night and this thing goes for almost 2 hours. I swear, in the first 10 minutes there was a group of young women screaming, singing and running around an island followed by a group of older women also screaming and singing - I was very close to jumping out of the window. After that, I got more in the mood and saw how this might be infectious, but it's not consumable in such a dose for the average human being. Like an overlong, expensive karaoke video. Cheesy, fun sometimes, too extrovert.
One thing I can take away though: as someone who doesn't have a clue about singing (my musical preferences are either instrumental or growled metal stuff) and wouldn't be able to tell Celine Dion apart from Miss Piggy, even I sat stunned by the performance of Pierce Brosnan. It's comical how bad he is and how he doesn't seem to care, haha.
Siskoid
I have nothing against jukebox musicals, but Mamma Mia! only really triumphs because Abba songs are fun to sing. And it looks like the cast of this movie really WAS having fun. But I feel like getting big stars was more important to its makers than the actual singing and dancing. The two younger characters (Amanda Seyfried and Dominic Cooper) can sing, but I can't even generously call the older set a mixed bag. Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, Stellan Skarsgård... not good singers, and I cringed every time they attempted a dance routine. Throw in some slapstick and naughty grandma sex talk for good measure. And the screwball comedy aspects don't even deliver structure-wise. The bit I really did like was the Greek chorus, making clever use of the setting to integrate a musical trope in a fun way. Wish it had been more consistent, actually. Because even there's a good number here and there, a good performance here and there, a good use of setting here and there, etc., the movie just doesn't complete the pass on any of it. It just feels like a half-assed lark for the cast and crew. I can see the appeal, but it was a bit unpolished for me.ChrisReynolds
Hilarious to watch a host of top actors humiliate themselves with ABBA karaoke. Amanda Seyfried and Meryl Streep sing very well. Colin Firth and Pierce and Brosnan are astonishingly bad singers.Very enjoyable in a camp and ironic way, despite choreography and screenplay being terrible.
DebsEllen
Lovely, lovely movie!mightysparks
I like ABBA but jesus christ this was goddawful. The only good thing about it was Colin Firth. Acting was horrible, the singing was horrible, the script was horrible. And the makeup & hair people should've been shot because everyone looked absolutely hideous.IreneAdler
I really cherish this film. It's such a feel-good movie! I loved the acting and singing of Amanda Seyfried and especially Meryl Streep - but I have to say the whole cast is great (they do not all have equally good voices but they seem really committed and look like they had lots of fun making this film). It's probably a girls' movie, I first watched it with my sister and the story and the songs just make you laugh and dream and giggle. Beautiful location, lots of fun and good songs in a new fashion, lovely actors - what else could you want from a movie like this?TomReagan
Huge steaming pile of crap, not worthy of ABBA’s hits. I love Meryl Streep but she can barely sing and Pierce Bronson is downright embarrassing. Terrible casting. Sorry, but ABBA deserves better. Much better.monty
Pass me the barf bucket, please.Berrymcgregor
Wonderful music, brilliant actors ... But somehow, the movie feels weak. What a shame.isuire
I literally did not enjoy a minute of this movie.frankqb
Meryl Streep is a wasted talent in this otherwise unwatchable film. I wish I could dislike it twice.screenraider
Talking about movies you either love or loathe. In this case, I belong to the second.Showing items 1 – 15 of 18