Ella Gilbert
“August 11th: Harry turned up out of the blue, so I said I’d show him the island.” What I like to call ‘Mamma Mia Season’ is upon us and this year the film and its characters have become a huge trend on social media.
My, my, how can I resist you?
Both of the Mamma Mia! films were incredibly popular at first release, with the original film being the thirteenth highest-grossing film of all time in the UK box office. It is subject to a fair amount of criticism as a ‘jukebox musical’ and the casting choices for a musical have been questioned. Whilst I won’t dispute the film cast certainly don’t do the songs justice, I think it is the ‘vibes’ of the film that bring its success, and it doesn’t necessarily matter that the cast aren’t all suited to musicals.
The two films and the stage musical have often been dismissed as simply glamourizing irresponsibility, and there are frequent claims that they lack a substantial plot. But the films are addictive. Perhaps the reason for the film being so successful is that the actors genuinely seem like they’re having fun whilst filming. It is unusual in its plot as it centres around a middle-aged, unmarried woman, who for once has not been cast off as a spinster or an old witch.
It’s a rich man’s world.
The plot follows Sophie, who has invited her three potential fathers to her wedding because she wants to know ‘who she is’ and have her father give her away. One thing I love about these films is that despite the dilemmas Sophie tackles, her relationship with Sky is never doubted. It’s refreshing to have a film where the entire plot isn’t a ‘he loves me, he loves me not’ saga. Ultimately, Sophie comes to the realisation that it doesn’t matter who her father is. She recognises that family is more than biology, and that instead her relationship with her mother is what shaped her to be ‘who she is’.
Film and TV are often used as way to escape reality. In the current global situation people don’t necessarily want to watch complicated plots. The world can be pretty scary at the moment – sometimes all you want to see is people having fun in an easy-to-follow film. Mamma Mia! just radiates joy, and the romanticised life on a faraway island combined with a phenomenal soundtrack provides the perfect way to relax and ignore the outside world.
Even in 2021, it is unusual to find a film where the cast and writers are predominantly female with a plot that doesn’t belittle or criticise them. Mamma Mia! is somewhat of a feminist film but subtly so, which contributes to its sustained popularity. It’s empowering but not in a ‘Girl Boss’ way, which can sometimes be exhausting. Mamma Mia! created empowered, self-assured women without seeming perfect or unrealistic and above all, without losing or damaging the joyous atmosphere.
Life is short, and the world is wide. I want to make some memories.
Mamma Mia! the movie was released back in 2008, and its sequel in 2018. So why is it so popular at the moment? As I said, what makes the films so appealing is its atmosphere. Many people have turned to films like these not only because they romanticise escaping daily life, but in the ongoing pandemic, they also give a little taste of holiday when many people have been unable to travel. They are comfort movies, and the feel-good songs and atmosphere are certainly appreciated in times like these.
With the rise of TikTok, the popularity of the films has expanded to more than just re-watching them. Many of the film’s iconic scenes have been recreated on TikTok or quotes turned into popular sounds on the app. Donna Sheridan is often used as an example for the internet meme ‘hot girl summer’; girls dreaming of running away to Greece and ‘pulling a Donna Sheridan’. The outfits worn by Lily James as Young Donna in Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again have been used as fashion inspiration for many and there are now even whole TikTok accounts dedicated to the character.
transforming into donna sheridan don’t text pic.twitter.com/2PU3q3jcHx
— salma ミ⍣ (@s_almae) August 3, 2021
We’re seeing shows like Outer Banks and films like Mamma Mia! become increasingly popular despite criticisms over their plots. It is a sign that many young people just want to escape from reality – and when the world is so dreary at the moment, can you really blame them? Mamma Mia! has been my comfort movie for many years; I’m glad to see others enjoying and seeking comfort from it too.
Featured image courtesy of dimitrivetsikas1969 via Pixabay. No changes were made to this image. Image license can be found here.
Ella Gilbert
Ella is History and Spanish student at the University of Sheffield. She is the social media manager for Empoword and a keen writer for various publications. When not writing or studying (which is far more often than she'd like to admit), you can find her exploring the outdoors, going out for drinks with friends, or in bed with Netflix and TikTok.