Don’t get me wrong. I love all kinds of plays & musicals, from dramatic and dark, like SWEENEY TODD, to light, silly and fluffy, like THE PRODUCERS, but I can honestly say that MAMMA MIA the musical was a piece of ca-ca. It pretty much sucked from beginning to end. The reason?– the book (story), which is really no more than a pitiful narrative device to shove together (read; capitalize on) ABBA’s music via a stupid, predictable and sophomoric plot. Girl on an island trying to find her real father. All three candidates just happen to be there at the same time. Who will it be? It felt like an extended episode of THE LOVE BOAT. In my opinion, the one scene, and I mean the ONLY scene that worked at all was the very last one, when the show turned into more of a live concert with the cast wearing the same kitchy, over-the-top fashions ABBA actually performed in. I personally would have dumped the whole stupid, awkward, pasted-on book, taken the ABBA songs and started over, maybe rethinking the show as more of an extravagant “ABBA Live in Concert” event.

When I heard Meryl Streep, whom I idolize, was going to be involved in the movie version , I was more than a little surprised. In fact, I remember saying to a number of people, “Wow, she must have had them rework the script big time, cause I can’t imagine her agreeing to be in it as is.” Now I see from the trailer that MAMMA MIA has NOT been reworked. It’s the same innane piece of crap I saw on Broadway. This may be the very FIRST movie of Meryl Streep’s that I don’t see. I spent almost 100 bucks to sit through this crappola once. Believe me, that was MORE than enough.

I just want to know from the people who have posted, do you know that the ones who wrote the stage show are the two men from Abba? And do the ones who are basically flat out bagging it just from a sample, did you even go to see the stage show? And if you did, did you try to just enjoy it for what it was without analyzing it? This is meant to be a fun and happy movie, and for those of you that are assuming that it should be something more, just give it a chance and judge afterwards. People miss alot, and most information is lost through word of mouth, you may never understand thr whole nature and fun of it if you don’t bare witness to it yourself. Just losen up, take a break, and try to chill out with this. It’s meant to be a funny movie, not something that you have to study ever angle of and judge.

This is why trailers exist. If you have a shitty trailer, people are going to assume you have a shitty movie and not see it. I’d never see this movie unless something miraculous happens and it gets stellar reviews as something more than hockey ABBA schlock.

Of course, all those other musicals were pretty inventive. Moulin Rouge had a groovy soundtrack, Chicago was edgy with gorgeous sets and costumes, Dreamgirls had breakout, surprising performances, etc. Mama Mia! just looks hokey.

can’t wait for this!

So… I find it kind of hard to believe that all those stars just happen to be able to sing. Should be interesting to see how it turns out.

PS did anyone else notice how the girl’s boobs bounce about 8 times in like… one second (it’s at the final 5 seconds of the trailer). Wow.