Movie Review: "Mamma Mia!"

"Mamma Mia!" is the kind of film that will divide audiences into two separate camps: those that fall in love with the story for the first time and fans of the original stage play that will find fault with this cinematic adaptation.

Trying her hand at a big screen musical, director Phyllida Lloyd makes good use of the freedom that film provides. Unfortunately, when choosing her cast, she opted for star power over actual musical talent.

"Mamma Mia!" Takes Place on a Greek Island

The story, which is based on the music of the 1970's pop group ABBA, revolves around Sophie (Amanda Seyfried), a 20-year-old girl that lives on a beautiful Greek island. Unfortunately, her mother Donna (Meryl Streep), who runs a hotel on the island, never told her the real identity of her father.

As her wedding to Sky (Dominic Cooper) approaches, Sophie does some detective work and narrows down the suspects to three possible men from Donna's past. Without her mother's knowledge or approval, Sophie invites these probable dads to the island for the wedding.

A nervous wreck already, Donna practically loses her mind when old boyfriends start appearing out of nowhere. She desperately tries to keep the wedding on track as secrets are revealed and long-buried feelings bubble to the surface.

Meryl Streep and Pierce Brosnan Can't Sing Very Well

Though she had a hand in creating the wildly popular stage musical, Phyllida Lloyd makes some almost fatal missteps in this version of "Mamma Mia!", especially when it comes to the singing. The ABBA music almost is a character by itself, but many of the stars butcher the songs beyond repair.

Pierce Brosnan, who plays businessman Sam Carmichael, gives it the old college try, but he simply cannot carry a tune in a bucket. Meryl Streep as Donna fares a little bit better, in particular during the heartbreaking "Slipping Through My Fingers," but most of the time she sounds rather flat.