Meryl Streep Deserves Oscar for Fun-Filled "Mamma Mia!"
Pam Vetter
July 25, 2008
My teenage sons smiled for two hours during the film. A fun jaunt? So much more than that, "Mamma Mia!" is a film that makes you feel good from the inside out.
Meryl Streep doesn't seem to represent her 50-something age. Instead, she seems young all over and truly loves life. Clearly she enjoyed working on this musical and it shows, elevating the film to the next feel-good level.
In October 2007, I saw "Mamma Mia!" on Broadway in New York City with a new friend. We had fun, but honestly, sitting where everyone looked small on stage from our balcony seats did not offer the close up and personal take on the songs that the film does offer. Add in the beautiful locations, production design, choreography, and direction, well, this film fills the bill for a complete success.
In the film, Meryl Streep plays a woman whose daughter is about to be married. The daughter, without informing her mother, invites three of her potential fathers to her wedding. The fun-filled storyline that follows is told through Abba songs that deliver.
When Meryl Streep sings, she delivers every word and note from her soul. She's truly lived life, whether in character or not and the audience internalizes her feelings. By the time we reach her most emotional number, "The Winner Takes it All," the audience has suspended disbelief and bought into the entire premise of the film.
As my family has been raving about Streep's performance, my husband is carving out time in his busy schedule to see the film this weekend. Originally writing it off as a chick flick, he now understands that this is a classic, beautiful musical of time gone by. You just don't see film offerings of this caliber very often where every element comes together to perfection.
If Streep doesn't win Oscar for her performance, clearly there's something wrong with the system that rarely rewards films that make you laugh. This film deserves official notice. As the filmmakers have added in love interests such as Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, and Stellan Skarsgard, the film is simply an incredible romp of times gone by.
We all remember our younger foolish days involving many love interests along our journey. We can identify with Streep's character, Donna, who wonders, "What if?"
Actress Amanda Seyfried, who portrays the daughter, Sophie, is clearly adorable and represents young love perfectly, not knowing what she truly wants in a relationship or in life.
Offering balance and fun are the other two actresses, Christine Baranski and Julie Waters. Playing Streep's best friends, they hit the high notes of comedy perfectly.
The international feel to the film, which includes a variety of accents and histories, seems to create a more inclusive feel for every audience member. It seems inclusive by not excluding anyone in its path of fun sing-a-long tunes.
"Mamma Mia!" is one film, which will be purchased by my family, along with the official soundtrack. Well worth the price of entry, this is one summer movie on the big screen that will leave you smiling! Enjoy!
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