Mamma Mia! (2008)
- During the filming of Mamma Mia!, Meryl Streep improvised one of the most famous lines in the movie.
- Many of the practical effects used in the climax were achieved without any CGI.
- Eagle-eyed viewers have noticed a hidden easter egg referencing Phyllida Lloyd's previous film in the background of the opening scene.
Mamma Mia! is a 2008 musical romantic comedy directed by Phyllida Lloyd, based on the wildly successful stage musical built around the songs of ABBA. Meryl Streep stars as Donna Sheridan, a free-spirited single mother running a hotel on a fictional Greek island, whose daughter Sophie, played by Amanda Seyfried, secretly invites three men from her mother's past β played by Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, and Stellan SkarsgΓ₯rd β to her wedding, hoping to discover which one is her biological father. The film's appeal was built entirely on the irresistible combination of ABBA's catalog and a cast of prestige actors joyfully abandoning dignity to belt out pop songs on a sun-drenched Greek island.
Meryl Streep threw herself into the musical numbers with infectious enthusiasm. Pierce Brosnan's singing, while technically challenged, was endearingly committed. Mamma Mia! earned $609 million worldwide on a $52 million budget, making it one of the highest-grossing musical films in history.
