In addition, the camera work in Mamma Mia! is awkward and the editing is way too choppy. In almost every singing scene the camera is apparently right in the actors’ faces, creating a claustrophobic feeling throughout the film.
It’s difficult to recreate the power of a stage musical on film. A movie musical needs to exude an earnestness and energy that you would see from stage performers. The Oscar-winning film Chicago or last year’s Hairspray are examples of musicals that manage to create the same charge you would see onstage. You can overlook a ridiculous plot, or suspend disbelief when characters break out in song if those characters are engaging and the music pushes the story forward.
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Fans of ABBA’s music will be unimpressed with the uneven performances of their old favorites. Fans of Mamma Mia! onstage will be bothered by the film’s uneven camera work and irregular song and dance scenes. Parents of teen fans of the new musical craze exemplified in movies like High School Musical will cringe at this less-than-wholesome subject matter. Yet teens are perhaps the only demographic that would tolerate a film this flawed, more akin to a karaoke party than a movie musical.
CAUTIONS:
- Language/Profanity: A few vulgar words and crude comments.
- Drugs/Alcohol: Sophie’s fiancé Sky (Dominic Cooper) carries around a cigar but we never see him smoke it. Drinking throughout the film. In one scene several characters are hungover after a big party.
- Sex/Nudity: Kissing. In several scenes the cast is wearing revealing beach attire. Donna was apparently a bit promiscuous in her earlier years and is not sure who Sophie’s father is. A moderate amount of sexually charged dialogue and dance moves throughout the film. For example, in one scene Donna grabs Tanya’s (Christine Baranski) chest and asks, “Where did you get these?” Her response, “My third husband.” One major character turns out to be homosexual. In one scene on his boat, Bill (Stellan Skarsgard) exposes his bare backside to Rosie (Julie Walters) but the scene plays for laughs and isn’t sexual. Divorce is mentioned several times with a “no big deal” attitude. There is some joking about beauty products made from the sex organs of a donkey.
- Violence: None.
- Worldview: Generic bubble-gum message of “follow your dreams” held in high regard.