Mamma Mia!2008

It’s a better jukebox musical than Rock of Ages but still incredibly hard to watch. I don’t really hate any of it, and there are some moments I like. There’s just too much of a quirky, twee vibe sprinkled over everything for me to really enjoy it. Some of the best moments are when it gets really musical-y, but the film is too focused on “being real” to really go there.  Everyone is really hamming it up, but especially Meryl Streep, which takes me out of the film every time. Like the backdrop of the movie is “real,” but every person is acting like a caricature instead of a character. If it was one tone or the other, the movie would be better, but they’re trying to have it both ways, and it falls apart.  That’s why the “slipping through my fingers” segment is the only one that works for me and could and should be the only musical segment in the film. It is a quiet, ultra-relatable introspective moment that works on every level.  I can understand why this movie is so popular, especially if you grew up watching it, especially if you watched it with someone like, say, your mom. It’s not terrible and it can be fun, and I will watch it again eventually, but it’s ultimately a miss for me.