‘Delightfully absurd’: why Mamma Mia! is my feelgood movie
The latest in our series of writers drawing attention to their go-to mood-lifting films is an ode to the hit Abba musical from 2008
Three years ago, I was sitting on the mezzanine of an east London bar when it collapsed. On my way back from the hospital, I called my friend to come over and he asked: “What do you need?” I said I needed a glass of rosé and to watch Mamma Mia!
Since Phyllida Lloyd’s camp jukebox musical came out in 2008, I’ve seen it upwards of 20 times (including three trips to the cinema). Why? Well, let’s start with the basics. The cast: Meryl Streep, Julie Walters, Christine Baranski, Stellan Skarsgård, Colin Firth. The delightfully absurd plot: young woman raised by a single mother about to be married on a Greek island wants to find out who her father is. The music: 20 of Abba’s classic hits. What more could you ask for, really?
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