Mamma Mia!

I hate Amanda Seyfried. And it’s all Mamma Mia’s fault. I just don’t understand why I couldn’t be the girl with golden hair who sings like an angel and gets to kiss Dominic Cooper and hang out with Meryl Streep. Life is so unfair. I came up with that image years ago.

But aside from that and Pierce Brosnan’s singing (*shudders*), I LOVED Mamma Mia! The Movie. And know you’re sitting in your chair right now thinking, Girl, what kind of movie reviewer are you? But I don’t CARE. This movie was a riot and there’s nothing you can say or do to change my mind.

I know that it was super cheesy and I know that 80% of the cast was well over 55 and I know that Pierce Brosnan really can’t sing – I KNOW, okay? But if, like me, you were born in the mid 90’s and if, like me, ABBA was only played near the end of wedding receptions so that drunk Uncle Al could show us that he “still got moves” (or so he thinks), then Mamma Mia is something uniquely special. It brought ABBA back to life, making old fans remember “the good ol’ days” and also bringing in a whole new group of fans who’ve only ever known fun to be Jay Z singing a duet with Rihanna about an umbrella. So give it a break.

Also, it’s ABBA and Meryl Streep, so what on earth could be wrong with it? And it was nominated for a Golden Globe, just FYI.

I have to mention that during the movie when Julie Walters appeared my mom pointed frantically and said “That’s Julie Walters! Like, from Educating Rita!” and I was like, “Good to know, mom. Now would you please remember to take your Ritalin.” A few weeks later Educating Rita was on M-net Stars and I was like, “OMG! That’s Meryl Streep’s friend from Mamma Mia!” and my mom was like: o_o… True story…

Oh! And Christine Baranski! My mother’s favourite part of the movie was Does Your Mother Know. I think this worries my dad just a little because he tends to get a little shifty when my mom randomly bursts into song, especially when it’s about an older woman teasing a young admirer (“You’re so hot teasing me, so you’re blue but I can’t take a chance on a kid like you…”). I just loved the way this was filmed on the beach and the choreography was to die for.

My favourite song from the movie, on the other hand, was Slipping Through My Fingers. I couldn’t stop my eyes from filling with tears when I watched it for the first time. I loved the musical jewellery box and the whole mother having to let daughter go moment. Simply gorgeous. And the wedding dress was beautiful but, once again, Amanda Seyfried. Grrr. Another random aside is that on Halloween last year, my dad spent the night away to go fishing with his buddies. My mom and I decided that we were going to stay up super late watching really scary movies and hiding behind our blankets when the music got too intense. We ended up watching Mamma Mia (but, come to think of it, some people would probably have the same reaction…).

Still, I will stand by this movie to the end. It was an absolute blast to watch and since I got the DVD and soundtrack, not a month goes by without me having a marathon ABBA karaoke session. And the highlight of my year will (finally!) be being able to sing Dancing Queen on my 17th birthday. So, here’s to ABBA, Phillida Lloyd and Meryl Streep. And not Amanda Seyfried. When all is said and done.