Mamma Mia! is a jukebox musical, romantic-comedy based on the 1999 musical of the same name. The musical tells a story of love, family, friendship and the bond between mother and daughter through the songs of successful Swedish pop group, ABBA with additional composition by bandmember, Benny Andersson.
The film is directed by Phyllida Lloyd and is written by British playwright, Catherine Johnson. The film also boasts an all-star cast including Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan, Amanda Seyfried, Colin Firth, Stellan Skarsgård, Christine Baranski, Julie Walters and Dominic Cooper. The film was an international co-production between Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States, and was co-produced by Playtone and Littlestar Productions.
The film was distributed by Universal Pictures. Mamma Mia! held its world premiere on June 30, 2008 at Leicester Square in London and premiered on July 4, 2008 in Stockholm, Sweden, with ABBA members Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus, Anni-Frid Lyngstad and Agnetha Fältskog in attendance. The film was released theatrically on July 10 in the United Kingdom, on July 17 in Germany and on July 18 in the United States.
A sequel, titled Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, was released on July 20, 2018 with most of the main cast returning.
Synopsis[]
Set in the year 1998, on the Greek island of Kalokairi, bride-to-be, Sophie Sheridan (Amanda Seyfried) reveals to her bridesmaids that she has secretly invited three men to the wedding, each one possibly her biological father: Sam Carmichael (Pierce Brosnan), Bill Anderson (Stellan Skarsgard) and Harry Bright (Colin Firth). She is hopeful that she will learn who her true father is so he can walk her down the aisle in her marriage to Sky Rymand (Dominic Cooper).
Meanwhile, Sophie's mother, Donna Sheridan (Meryl Streep) reunites with her best-friends and former bandmates of Donna and the Dynamos, the wisecracking author Rosie Mulligan (Julie Walters) and the glamorous, three-time-divorcee Tanya Chesham-Leigh (Christine Baranski). The three possible fathers arrive and Sophie smuggles them to their room. She reveals that she, and not her mother, sent the invitations. She begs them to hide so Donna will be surprised by the old friends of whom she "so often" favourably speaks. They swear not to reveal Sophie's secret.
Donna spies them and is dumbfounded to find herself facing former-lovers. She demands they leave. Upset and hurt, Donna confides in Tanya and Rosie that she truly does not know which of the three fathered Sophie. Tanya and Rosie rally her spirits by getting her to dance with an all female ensemble of staff and islanders. Sophie finds the men aboard Bill's yacht, and they sail around Kalokairi, telling stories of Donna's carefree youth. Sophie plans to tell Sky about her ploy, but loses her nerve. Sky and Sophie sing to each other, but Sky is abducted for his bachelor party.
At Sophie's bachelorette party, Donna, Tanya, and Rosie perform once-again as Donna and the Dynamos, after years since their last performance. When Sam, Bill, and Harry arrive, Sophie decides to talk with each of them alone. While her friends dance with the men, Sophie learns from Bill that Donna received the money for her villa from his great-aunt Sofia. Sophie guesses she must be Sofia's namesake. She asks him to give her away and keep their secret until the wedding. Sophie's happiness is short-lived as Sam and Harry each pull her aside to tell her they are her father and will give her away. Sophie, overwhelmed by the consequences of raising the hopes of all three "fathers", faints.
In the morning, Rosie and Tanya assure Donna they will take care of the men. Bill and Harry intend to tell each other what they learned the previous night, but Rosie interrupts them, whilst Donna confronts Sophie, believing Sophie wants the wedding stopped. Sophie says that all she wants is to avoid her mother's mistakes. Sam accosts Donna, concerned about Sophie getting married so young. Donna confronts him and they realize they still have feelings for each other. Tanya and Sky's best-man, Pepper (Philip Michael) continue flirtations from the previous night. Sophie confesses to Sky and asks for his help. He reacts angrily to Sophie's deception and she turns to her mother for support. As Donna helps her daughter dress for the wedding, their rift is healed and Donna reminisces about Sophie's childhood. Donna admits her mother disowned her when she became pregnant. Sophie asks Donna to give her away. As the bridal party walks to the chapel, Sam intercepts Donna, who reveals the pain she felt over losing him.
Sophie and Donna walk down the aisle as the band plays. Donna tells Sophie and all gathered that her father could be any of the three men. Sam reveals that while he left Donna to get married, he did not go through with it, but returned to find Donna with another man. The men do not want paternity confirmed, agreeing to be one-third of a father for Sophie. She tells Sky they should postpone their wedding and travel the world. Sam then proposes to Donna, admitting his love for her. She eventually accepts and they get married in place of Sophie and Sky. At the reception, Sam sings to Donna and Rosie, now considering a long-term relationship, makes a play for Bill. The couples all proclaim their love as Sophie and Sky sail away to travel the world together.
Cast[]
- Meryl Streep as Donna Sheridan
- Amanda Seyfried as Sophie Sheridan
- Pierce Brosnan as Sam Carmichael
- Colin Firth as Harry Bright
- Stellan Skarsgård as Bill Anderson
- Dominic Cooper as Sky Rymand
- Julie Walters as Rosie Mulligan
- Christine Baranski as Tanya Chesham-Leigh
- Niall Buggy as Father Alex
- Chris Jarvis as Eddie
- Rachel McDowall as Lisa
- Ashley Lilley as Ali
- Philip Michael as Pepper
- Juan Pablo Di Pace as Petros
- Enzo Squillino as Gregoris
- Ricardo Montez as Stavros
Trailers[]
Trivia[]
- This movie is bookended by the song "I Have A Dream".
- Sophie sings this to open the movie and to close it before the credits.