Take a chance on....Phyllida Lloyd?

By Steven Zeitchik

We're not too proud to admit we were amongthe initial skeptics of "Mamma Mia." What struck us about the clip we saw back in the spring was how what played as camp on stage seems like it plays straight here, which would miss the point, and fun, of the show.

But maybe it doesn't play that way after all. THR's Ray Bennett is more giddy than a hot dog at a Swedish barbecueabout the new Meryl Streep-filled bigscreen rendition of the Abba musical.

"The most fun to be had at the movies this or any other recent summer...the family will be having a rollicking good time and dancing in the aisles...Meryl Streep in one of her smartest and most entertaining performances ever...It's no stretch to think of her performance in Oscar terms.... there's not an audience anywhere that won't be smiling." (Try putting all that to an Abba tune.)

Bennett's a superior critic, and he makes a very persuasive case, but we'll also admit we're still not entirely convinced, at least based on the little we saw. The show was such great fun because it had this good-vibes singalong feel to it. But the musicals that tend to work onscreen these days are spectacles, things people can behold, not participate in (think "Chicago" or "Moulin Rouge").

Of course it's likely the movie will be a hit.

And then the offers will start pouring in to Roxette.

Comments

[Liz]

I think I may detect a hint of spam up there. Juuuust a hint.

I'm kind of looking forward to Mamma Mia! But I don't know if it will live up to my hopes.

[Dan Zee]

Well, I would have said the same thing about a play set to the music of ABBA! Ugh!

And then I saw the play during its pre-Broadway run, and then I saw it on Broadway. And then I saw it again in Boston.

If the movie captures the same amount of fun as the play, it'll be one of the best movies of the year!