Mamma Mia!

The immortal music of the legendary ABBA comes to life in a film named after one of her biggest hits in an enojoyable and unpretentious musical complete with a stellar cast and a simple script. The trio of "grandmothers" are surprisingly energetic to the point of taking one's breath away (or at least mine), and their "Dancing Queen" and "Super Trouper" are absolutely perfect. I loved how they were often able to appropriately incorporate the lyrics into the context of the film to make it sound as meaningful as possible. In short, a cool showcase of timeless music that doesn't get old even after repeated viewings. (07/31/2011)

It's a musical created around the songs of ABBA; it's incredibly optimistic and playful, even though the songs aren't always cheerful. I just can't help but rate it highly because this is simply a film that always brings me immense joy, and I'm just so enthusiastic about it. Plus some of the newer versions of the songs are also very good, even if the original is the original. (10/25/2015)

Young people love each other, older people love each other, everyone dances, the older ones even jump on the beds, and everyone sings Abba, Abba, and Abba again. And after the first ten minutes, a slightly contemptuous expression leaves me and is replaced by a smile. And he doesn't want to disappear for anything. There hasn't been a more positive movie in a long time, plus Amanda Seyfried is the sweetheart of the summer of 2008, and all three "fathers" are partially clowns and partially dads to admire. Plus Meryl's The Winner Takes It All is such a fantastic number that I couldn't find any flaws until the (slightly extended) end. When I see it again on the screen, maybe the magic will start to fade. At this moment, however, I hope not. (09/17/2008)

A well-known female film critic once wrote about this film that it is a crystalline kitsch, but so sweet and cute that it is simply impossible to be angry at it. This is where the poverty of film criticism manifests itself when almost all the reviews in newspapers and magazines are written by women, and gender bias inadvertently influences their reviews. I can only confirm that from my perspective, it is a kitsch unlike any other, but as a man, I wouldn't consider it cute. It can be considered a parody of itself, and even the songs of ABBA, which I grew up with, sound disgusting here and it's probably the worst use of musical motifs by a popular Swedish group that I can remember. While they usually enhance the atmosphere, such as in the case of the Australian film Muriel's Wedding, here they seem forced. Overall impression: 20%. (05/19/2011)

Four amazing actors sold themselves out to a naïve script, a talentless director and a colorblind Greek director of photography. Even the slugs in Microcosmos were filmed in a more dynamic, interesting and original fashion than the dance numbers in this movie, which is just cheap, TV-like entertainment for non-discerning audiences. It is an embarrassment for the first-league Hollywood musical genre. (08/24/2008)