![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
mrdreamjeans"Mama Mia", that's a tasty meatball bit of summer viewing fun! It took a month to reach us, but the film musical, starring Meryl Streep, finally reached Brenham. I took my folks yesterday and we thoroughly enjoyed the afternoon out of the 100 degree plus heat. Some of my friends will be surprised that I liked the movie, as I was quite vocal in how much I disliked the touring stage production I saw in Seattle.
A few comments ... Is there anything that Meryl Streep can't do? She was a funny, whimsical, bawdy and touching center to the film. She sang really well, especially knocking my socks off in "The Winner Takes It All". Amanda Seyfield, the young woman playing Sophie, her daughter, was simply splendid! The mother-daughter relationship between the two of them was completely believable. Julie Walters nearly stole the show as Streep's quirky cookbook author friend; Christine Baranski, with her roots firmly planted in Broadway, was a hoot as the thrice-divorced Sonia (though I admit her solo number on the beach was unexpectedly discomforting to me).
The male performances were a mixed bag. Pierce Brosnan and Streep certainly had chemistry, but his singing was amateurish. (It was actually better than I expected from what I'd read.) I didn't like the young actor playing Skye, Sophie's fiance, shirtless or with his shirt on. Now, Colin Firth ... that's another story ... *swoon* ... and his singing was quite good. What made the movie so much fun was the use of a literal Greek chorus that popped up at odd moments, played for laughs. Also, the gorgeous location in the Greek Islands didn't hurt the eyes! :) All in all, "Mama Mia" was just what I wanted on a Saturday afternoon in August .. escapist entertainment, silly fun, dominated by a performance with a lot of heart! Be aware that it's still a forced premise for a musical; plus, you've got to like ABBA's music (so much of it has a sameness about it); but, if leave your critic's hat at home and just go to have fun, you will.
Off-topic: I was delighted to fill up my gas tank at $3.59/gallon yesterday. The price is down 53 cents a gallon in the past two weeks. My first thought? "When's the Republican National Convention?" LOL! I'll take it.
A few comments ... Is there anything that Meryl Streep can't do? She was a funny, whimsical, bawdy and touching center to the film. She sang really well, especially knocking my socks off in "The Winner Takes It All". Amanda Seyfield, the young woman playing Sophie, her daughter, was simply splendid! The mother-daughter relationship between the two of them was completely believable. Julie Walters nearly stole the show as Streep's quirky cookbook author friend; Christine Baranski, with her roots firmly planted in Broadway, was a hoot as the thrice-divorced Sonia (though I admit her solo number on the beach was unexpectedly discomforting to me).
The male performances were a mixed bag. Pierce Brosnan and Streep certainly had chemistry, but his singing was amateurish. (It was actually better than I expected from what I'd read.) I didn't like the young actor playing Skye, Sophie's fiance, shirtless or with his shirt on. Now, Colin Firth ... that's another story ... *swoon* ... and his singing was quite good. What made the movie so much fun was the use of a literal Greek chorus that popped up at odd moments, played for laughs. Also, the gorgeous location in the Greek Islands didn't hurt the eyes! :) All in all, "Mama Mia" was just what I wanted on a Saturday afternoon in August .. escapist entertainment, silly fun, dominated by a performance with a lot of heart! Be aware that it's still a forced premise for a musical; plus, you've got to like ABBA's music (so much of it has a sameness about it); but, if leave your critic's hat at home and just go to have fun, you will.
Off-topic: I was delighted to fill up my gas tank at $3.59/gallon yesterday. The price is down 53 cents a gallon in the past two weeks. My first thought? "When's the Republican National Convention?" LOL! I'll take it.
![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}