While the adaptation of the hit musical is mostly known for its entertaining sequences set to ABBA’s greatest hits, there are many greatMamma Mia!quotes that highlight the romance, comedy, and fun of the movie and its sequel. The 2008 big-screen adaption brings together a star-studded cast that includes Meryl Streep, Amanda Seyfried, Pierce Brosnan, and Colin Firth to name only a few. It tells the story of young Sophie (Seyfried) who invites three of her mother’s former lovers to her wedding to figure out which is her real father.
The premise is a perfect setup for funny antics and talk of past romances. Adding in the music of ABBA, andMamma Mia!became a huge hit. Its 2018 sequel,Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, continues the fun with a continuation of Sophie’s story while also flashing back to the youthful adventures of Donna. The movie is filled with hilarious one-liners, touching reflections of love, and a showcase of the actors having a great time.
Sophie (Amanda Seyfried)
Mamma Mia!wastes little time getting the story moving in the first movie as Sophie’s best friends arrive for her wedding on the Greek island and she immediately fills them in on her plan to invite her possible fathers.Sophie explains that she learned about their identities from Donna’s old diary in which she described the flings with these men but spared the details with a well-placed ellipsis.
It is a charming detail that Donna was too shy to write in her journal about what actually happened between her and these men, even though she clearly had a fun and wild side. The way Sophie cracks the code and suggests it is from the “olden times” adds to the charm of the moment. This becomes even more fun when the sequel/prequel explores Donna’s liaisons as part of the story.
Whileacting legend Meryl Streepsteals a lot of the scenes with her fun and committed performance as Donna, Amanda Seyfried is really the heart of the movie as Sophie. She is a likable protagonist whose plan might set up a lot of the chaos in the movie, butthis brief moment of her explaining her desire to meet her real fathermakes it clear why she is willing to go through all of this.
Mamma Mia!is very much the story of Sophie finding herself. While she thinks that it is the fact that she doesn’t know her father that causes this sense of loss for her, by the end of the movie, she has to confront what it is she wants for herself. This quote highlights the beginning of that journey as she seeks to understand what she is missing.
13"Great Couple Of Role Models You Two Are For Sophie! A Serial Bride And A Little Hermit Over Here!"
Donna (Meryl Streep)
Tanya (Christine Baranski) and Rosie (Julie Walters) make for terrific comedic relief characters in the two movies. The first movie introduces them as a dynamic duo with very different lifestyles but similar senses of fun and adventure as they arrive on the island as Donna’s best friends. However,when it comes to their influence on Sophie, Donna is less than impressed.
The small little line does a lot to establish Tanya and Rosie as characters. It shows that they are important people in Donna’s life and they are polar opposites when it comes to relationships. Tanya has had many failed marriages, while Rosie doesn’t seem interested in romance. However, the line actually holds a touching sentiment when looking at the second movie. While Donna jokes about her friends being role models to her daughter, when she is gone in the sequel, Tanya and Rosie step in as Sophie’s support system.
12"Nothing Works Around Here Except Me."
Like Sophie, Donna quickly cements herself as a lead character the audience can easily care for. That is not just because it isMeryl Streep playing the part, but also because she is a strong and independent woman who still wouldn’t mind finding love and settling down at some point in her life. When she gives Tanya and Rosie the tour of the hotel,Donna makes this joke about all the hard work she is putting into getting the old hotel going.
The line is an endearing one for Donna as it shows the determination and strength she has as a character. The lifestyle she has is tough, and while she might complain at times, that doesn’t mean she is going to work any less to verify it is done right. It also gives her a funny edge as she has little patience for people being in the way of her getting things done.
11"It’s One Of Those Serendipitous Moments In Life When Three Complete Strangers Share A Common Thought."
Bill (Stellan Skarsgård)
Mamma Mia!’s songsmake for the fun sequences in the movie, but the way the story leans into the sitcom premise is oddly charming. There are endless misunderstandings and secrets being kept that fuel the wildness of the movie as it goes along. This starts immediately after the three potential fathers – Harry (Colin Firth), Bill (Stellan Skarsgård), and Sam (Pierce Brosnan)– arrive on the island andSophie makes them promise not to tell Donna why they are there.
As Donna runs into her former lovers and questions why they have come, they offer flimsy and unconvincing excuses about them all being there for separate reasons. Bill adds to this by further highlighting just how unlikely the scenario is. While such shenanigans might be a bit too ridiculous for some audiences, those who can get on board with this kind of storytelling are in for a fun time.
10"How Could You, I Don’t Know Which One It Is."
The wedding scene at the end ofMamma Mia!is a perfect climax to the movie as it sees all of the secrets and misunderstandings come crashing together. It all begins with Donna interrupting the nuptials to announce to Sophie and the congregation of guests that her real father is there in attendance. However,when Sophie admits that she already knows, it adds to the confusion as Donna doesn’t even know which of the men is the real father.
It makes for a laugh-out-loud moment that completely takes the wind out of what Donna thinks is a big reveal. Her having to admit, after making the announcement about Sophie’s father being there, that she doesn’t actually know who is the real one, is even funnier with Meryl Streep’s confused reaction. The way the three “fathers” stand up proudly when Donna makes the announcement only to slowly sit down when the confusion continues is a great touch.
9"And I Haven’t Slept With Hundreds Of Men."
The confusion of the wedding scene leads to a nice moment between Sophie and Donna as they both apologize to each other. Sophie tells her mother she is sorry for lying to her and bringing all three men to the island behind her back. In turn, Donna apologizes for not knowing who Sophie’s real father is. However, Sophie reassures her mother that she doesn’t care if she sleeps with hundreds of men because she is still an amazing mother.
The sweet moment is given a humor cap asDonna feels the need to tell the people in attendance, and the priest, that she did actually sleep with hundreds of men. Meryl Streep gained a reputation as one of thegreatest actors of all timethanks to some intense and dramatic roles, but it is a lot of fun to see her embracing the humor in a role like this.
8"I Just Wanted To Say It’s Great To Have Even A Third Of Sophie."
Harry (Colin Firth)
Despite the mystery of Sophie’s father being at the center of the entire first movie,Mamma Mia!isn’t overly interested in providing an answer to that question in the end. All three of the men go to the wedding thinking they are the father and that will be giving her away. When it becomes clear that the truth about Sophie’s father is not known, the men don’t selfishly make it about themselves. Instead,Harry voices the sentiment that is shared by them all.
Without the big reveal, all three men are more than willing to share the title of Sophie’s dad. Even with the mystery unanswered, it is a touching moment that makes it worth it. It shows how much the men care about Sophie, and it is further cemented in the sequel as they all still happily share the job together.
Rosie (Julie Walters)
Part of the reasonMamma Mia!gets away with its more outlandish storytelling moments is because it never takes itself too seriously. Even in the emotional moments, characters can comment on the absurdity of it all and make the movie easy to enjoy just as pure fun and lightheartedness.In the scene in which all three fathers agree to share fatherhood of Sophie, Rosie makes this sly comment to Tanya.
It is a funny moment with Julie Walters delivering as if this bizarre situation is something that happens every day. However, the line is also a touching reminder of what is at the center of the story. Sophie longed to have a father for years, and while she was stressed about discovering the truth about which man her father was, in the end, she got to have three loving dads to call her own.
6"Why Waste A Good Wedding?"
Sam (Pierce Brosnan)
By the time the audience has gotten to the climactic wedding inMamma Mia!they are either on board with its silly, fun-loving tone or they think it’s ridiculous. This is further cemented by the way Sam and Donna’s complicated love story pans out. When Sophie and Sky decide that they don’t need to get married to be happy together,Sam decides that this is the perfect opportunity to make up for the lost time he and Donna had years ago.
The suddenness of the proposal is hilariously over-the-top and it is as if Sam is just going for that spontaneous decision. It is made even funnier with his convincing closing line to Donna, “It’s only the rest of your life.” The fact that the sequel cements Donna’s love of being spontaneous makes it seem like this is the exact kind of proposal and wedding that she would have wanted.
