Omamamia

Who put the “Oma” in “Mama Mia?” That would be Marianne Sägebrecht, who plays a feisty German grandma in OMAMAMIA. Oma Margherita, who longs to visit the Bavarian Pope in the Vatican, lives with her neurotic daughter Marie in Canada. Marie threatens to install her in a joyless Sunshine Home, but Oma gives her the slip and hops on a plane to Rome. Oma’s granddaughter Martina lives in the Eternal City, ostensibly working as an au pair, but actually shacked up with a rocker 20 years her senior. She’s mortified when Oma appears. But once she gets the hang of things, Oma’s cool – rocking at the club in her dirndl and landing a job cooking hearty Bavarian food. Finally in line at the Vatican, Oma helps a blind codger (Giancarlo Giannini) who turns out to be a con artist. He persuades her to pretend to marry him and soon all heck breaks loose. OMAMAMIA is a light-hearted romp through the splendors of Rome with an impressive international cast. (In German with subtitles) – B.B.