Parents' Guide to

Mamma Mia!

By S. Jhoanna Robledo, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 13+

Upbeat, silly ABBA musical has sexual innuendos.

Movie PG-13 2008 108 minutes
Mamma Mia! Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

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age 10+

Based on 53 parent reviews

Patricia T.
Patricia T. Parent of 10-year-old
October 14, 2018
age 12+

This film is great if you’ve already had the talk with your girls. Nothing too explicit visually, but the whole premise of the movie is that the bride to be wants to know which of the men that her mother slept with years ago is her father.
Isaac_Burris
Isaac_Burris Adult
December 6, 2019
age 6+

Not My Favorite, But Great Film

Mamma Mia! is a classic movie that has an important message to viewers in between songs and dance performances. The movie has a message of gender role stereotypes and the dangers of gender roles. A father and a mother are more than just their traditional roles, and the movie Mamma Mia! shows how a child suffers when only responsibilities are fulfilled rather than figures are present in their life. A man is more than just a wallet and a mother is capable of more than just loving their child, and Mamma Mia! proves how initiative exists in both sexes to be more than their stereotypes.
See all 53 parent reviews

What's the Story?

In MAMMA MIA!, with her wedding fast approaching, 20-year-old Sophie (Amanda Seyfried) does the unthinkable: She invites three men -- Sam (Pierce Brosnan), Bill (Stellan Skarsgård), and Harry (Colin Firth) -- from her mother Donna's (Meryl Streep) past to the Greek isle-set festivities without telling her. Donna dated all three one long-ago summer, and one of them is Sophie's father, though she's not sure which one. But Sophie is convinced that one of them should walk her down the aisle, even if it means wreaking havoc just before the big day.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (53 ):
Kids say (174 ):

Based on the hit Broadway musical of the same name, this movie is a frothy concoction that manages to entertain despite the fact that it's disjointed, nonsensical, and fairly cheesy. Onstage, you can forgive all these shortcomings -- the music, the dancing, and the theatricality of it all sweep you away. But on-screen it's a more hazardous bet. Though some of the musical numbers soar -- "Dancing Queen," of course, and the infectious "Mamma Mia!" -- many more hit the wrong note. Although Streep is formidable (who else can meld camp with believable emotion?) and actually sings quite prettily, the dance numbers might make you laugh in all the wrong places. Seeing Streep in Spandex, her straggly mane tossing about, is a little like witnessing your mom let loose at a party after one too many drinks: Your heart soars at her joie de vivre, but you also kind of want her to stop. Still, Streep's acting chops serve her well; Christine Baranski, who plays Donna's cougar-y sidekick, also fares well, and Julie Walters is just plain fun. Brosnan is dashing as always, though singing isn't his strong suit. And Firth and Skarsgård seem like afterthoughts.

In the end, it's Seyfried who frankly saves the whole enterprise. Her Sophie beseeches you to check your judgments at the door. Her voice is outstanding, managing to ground the silliness of ABBA's greatest hits. And the island? It's so heavenly that it mitigates the film's flaws. So what if it's all a little off? In the end, Mamma Mia! manages to move you with its unabashed exuberance. The eponymous tune does, after all, go: "Mamma Mia, how can I resist you?" For a few moments, anyway, it's the 1970s all over again. Bring on the disco ball.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about who Mamma Mia! is meant to appeal to -- older fans who've been listening to ABBA since they first hit it big, or younger folks who might be familiar with the Broadway show. Do musicals translate well to the big screen? What makes them successful (or not)? What messages does the movie send about relationships and marriage?

  • Musicals have been a film genre almost since the days in which movies first had sound. What are some of the elements of musicals, not only in terms of performers singing but also in terms of production values, choreography, and style?

  • Do you think the frequent sexual allusions and insinuations are necessary for the movie? Why, or why not?

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