Being a Musicals fan, and a long time BIG ABBA fan, and of Swedish/German extraction, I just had to see this one. Surprisingly, I liked it but not as much as I had hoped to. Was impressed with MERYL, and knew she had studied voice in College and had hoped to play 'EVITA' but lost out to Madonna. (She looks more like the real EVA PERON, actually) But, felt bad for PIERCE trying to sing.
Well, being somebody who usually goes again and again to Musical Films, I, kind of reluctantly went for a second show, and, I liked it more than before, and suffice it to say, have now seen it about 8 times, 5 of them in the second run cheapo theatre. I find it REALLY helps if you can get a stereo sound dsl or whatever screen and the sound is more vibrant than usual. AND, PIERCE AIN'T HALF BAD! Seriously, although lacking in the S.O.S. number in which he is no match for the faster song that needs more range and it is good he is drowned out by the choir and Meryl, he MORE than delivers in the other songs when he can do a sort of talk singing reminiscent of others like REX HARRISON in 'My Fair Lady'. He puts so much emotion into his acting of the songs that you overlook the shortcomings. I agree that better to cast a actor who sorta sings instead of a singer who tries to act, definitely! Amanda Seyfried is SO dazzling and what a Soprano, she is super sweet. I knew CHRISTINE BARANSKI had done Musical Theatre, and Julie Walters I had heard sing, but she really adds the comic factor. Everyone is so good. I would say to anyone who didn't care for it the first time to try again. This has worked with OTHER movies for me, as sometimes you are expecting way too much and don't appreciate what a film has in the first viewing, or you're just not in the mood for it or something. P.S. Who is supposed to be the father? I would think STELLAN, right? I mean, he has the right coloring and Scandinavian background for her dad, BUT, he is too tall as are the other 2 and also, MERYL, LOL! Maybe it wasn't ANY of the THREE, HEHE!
So long from TUCSON, ARIZONA, U.S.A.!
Noone has commented yet. Sad.