MAMAA MIA!
YOU CAN DANCE!
by Vishal Verma

Studio: Universal
Genre: Musical Comedy
Target Audience: Family and those who love broadband musicals.
Box Office: $136,440,050(before India release)  
Starring: Meryl Streep, Amanda Seyfried, Pierce Brosnan, Amanda Seyfried, & Colin Firth
Producer: Judy Craymer, Gary Goetzman
Director: Phyllida Lloyd
Screenwriter: Catherine Johnson
Composer: Benny Andersson, Bjorn Ulvaeus
Cinematography: Haris Zambarloukos
Editor: Lesley Walker
Casting: Priscilla John
Production: Maria Djurkovic
Media Promotion (India): Percept Profile ( A division of  Percept Ltd.).

 

 

Technical Analysis
Honey honey, let me feel it, ah-hah, honey honey
Honey honey, don't conceal it, ah-hah, honey honey
I feel like I wanna sing when you do your thing
Honey honey, how you thrill me, ah-hah, honey honey
I'd heard about you before
I wanted to know some more

And was immensely glad. Baby you can,t dare to hate Abba. "Mamma Mia!" is a bubbly blast that's sure to win the hearts of those who love musicals. It confirms that Meryl Streep is actress par brilliance, she can do anything.

Here's the greatest dramatic actress of a generation swinging her hips and singing pop songs from the '70s at the age of 59 -- and she rocks. Also impressive, though, is comparative newcomer Amanda Seyfried. She played the dizziest blond in "Mean Girls" and plays a polygamist's daughter in HBO's "Big Love," but this is a full-on coming-out party for the 22-year-old, who dazzles as both actress and singer.
"Mamma Mia!" is, of course, the filmed adaptation of the hit Broadway musical that somehow manages to weave a bunch of old Abba songs into a story.

Even though most of these veterans -- with the exception of Baranski -- aren't known for their musical chops, they all do quite well, thank you, with Brosnan actually carrying the show at times.

But most of the weight is on Seyfried and Streep. The younger actress has a downright lovely voice, the stuff of classic musicals. Streep, however, more than sings; as you might expect, she acts (divinely) through singing, bringing show-stopping richness to "The Winner Takes All" while moving the story along even as she romps through "Super Trouper."

Understand, this is still just a big piece of musical fluff, and stage director Phyllida Lloyd is not fully in charge behind a camera.

But the sheer exuberance of the production overcomes its difficulties, and the incongruous mix of nostalgia, James Bond crooning and the world's greatest actress bouncing up and down on a mattress is an undeniable kick. "Mamma Mia!" is major fun.
Play it again pls.

The Story
MAMMA MIA became a Broadway smash when it hit Broadway 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. 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.

Promotion
The movie is targeted at the audiences who have a fetish for musicals and some innovation by promoting in music channels and radio could have done wonders. Anyway the movie has enough merits on its own to make it to the hearts of musical lovers.

Media awareness by Percept Profile (A division of Percept Ltd.), has been in tune.

Business Analysis
A double bonanza for musical followers – a smash hit broadband musical in a film where the story is framed around the irresistible Swedish pop group Abba which showcases Meryl Streep’s sheer brilliance.