We Watched Mamma Mia! (2008 Movie)

Sage is back on the podcast this week to talk the 2008 Abba jukebox musical movie, Mamma Mia! 

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Time Codes:
00:00 - Opening Act: Intro & Musical History
06:05 - Movie Thoughts
34:03 - Debating Who's the Father & Final Thoughts
49:14 - Curtain Call: What Comes Next

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#review #musical #movie #broadway #abba #mammamia #downoncemorepod

Transcript

SPEAKER_03 0:00

What's up, everyone? Welcome to another episode of Down Once More. I'm your host, Matt, and I am joined this week by Sage to talk the 2008 movie version of Mamma Mia, starring Meryl Streep, Amanda Seafried, Dominic Cooper, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, Stellan Skarsgard, all the fun people. So Sage, welcome and thank you for the inspiration to talk about this movie this week. So appreciate it. Yes. And it is fitting because this is the first episode after Father's Day. So as you pointed out, good timing all around. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 0:35

Um we are recording it before Father's Day, but it is kind of perfect.

SPEAKER_03 0:39

We are. We are. So we're still in the pre-Father's Day mood. This will come out after you guys are in your post-Father's Day mood. So is there a post-Father's Day mood or in a pre-Father's Day mood? I feel like that's just life.

SPEAKER_01 0:52

Um at that point, it's just a Fourth of July mood, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 0:56

That's true. That's true. Um, let's how how we'll do it. I will talk a little bit about the history of the show, general premise, then we'll talk about uh initial in like introductions to the show, how we know it, then we'll dive into our thoughts on the movie itself. I'm saying show, but I mean the movie. I have not seen the stage version, but I will be because part of the Broadway season coming up. So I will be seeing that in December, I believe. Um all right. So Mamma Mia Stage Musical. If you are not familiar with it, it is a jukebox musical uh to the music of the Swedish pop group ABBA from 1970s to 1980s, they were around. Uh, it's written by British playwright Katherine Johnson. Uh the music is composed by Benny Anderson and Bjorn Ulvaeus, who are two of the members of ABBA. It was produced by Judy Kramer. She met uh the members of ABBA while they were in 1983 while they were working with Tim Rice on chess, which has been uh wow, which was chess, which has been having a very successful revival run on Broadway recently, had a number of Tony nominations as well. And then in 1997, uh Judy Kramer commissioned Catherine Johnson to write the book for the musical and also brought on Philadelphia to direct it in 1998, and Phyllis Lloyd also directed this movie version. Uh, the musical itself premiered in the West End in 1999, it went on a US national tour in 2000 and then opened on Broadway in 2001. And then seven years later, this movie graced our screens to pretty average reviews, I would say. It has about like 57% Rotten Tomatoes, so not great uh reviews, but features the music of Abba.

SPEAKER_01 2:54

It's Abba, Abba, Abba Abba, I think is my Abba, but I've heard that I've say most things wrong.

SPEAKER_03 3:03

No, I think you're right. I think it's Abba. Abba is me just bringing up my Christian, like being raised. That's well, the names of God is Abba.

SPEAKER_01 3:11

Do they say Abba?

SPEAKER_03 3:12

They do. That's one of the names of God. So maybe I'm attributing the Swedish pop band to God. So could be.

SPEAKER_01 3:21

So which is a fair confusion.

SPEAKER_03 3:24

Yeah, obviously. Obviously. Pop music, God. So this musical, it follows the story of Sophie who is getting married. She's 20, and it is her the day, well, a couple days before her wedding, and she invites the three guys that she thinks may be her father to her wedding because her mother was unsure, never knew which guy it was, and she wants to meet her father so she feels like she can know who she is. So she invites all three of them, almost like a parent trap situation, and hijinks and Sue. That's what I like saying when it's just random, crazy stuff happens, is hijinks and Sue. So that's the overall gist of the musical at a very high level. Sage, do you have any other notes on the gist of this musical?

SPEAKER_01 4:13

Um, I don't think so. I I think it's a very fun premise to the idea that the mom, well, it's also very important that they're in Greece and they're living on this island where the mother is running a hotel and it's kind of like run down, kind of on its last leg, but the whole like first scene that you really get is the daughter of Sophie reading through the diary and just like finding out all of the guys that could be her father, and then how it's very probable also that she was um what's the word? I don't even know what it is. It starts with the C. Conceived on the island. Because she I was like, what's the word? I was like, consummated? That's not it. No, she was conceived on the island for sure, though. Because they're all talking about, like, oh, you know, and I showed Harry the island, and then I showed Sam the island, and it's all that stuff.

SPEAKER_03 5:11

And then dot dot dot.

SPEAKER_01 5:13

But it's very beautiful, it's a very fun movie. Dot dot dot dot dot dot is you know what that means. Um that's right. But I no, I think that's a very good introduction to it. It's a very sweet little fun story. And I, you know, Abba Abba, great music for it. Did excellent, love it. Now some of Meryl Streep's best work.

SPEAKER_03 5:37

I would probably tend to agree with that. Uh, I do also like her as the witch in uh Into the Woods.

SPEAKER_01 5:45

So oh, I I was gonna bring up The Devil Wars Prada, where she just um she's a very multifaceted woman.

SPEAKER_03 5:56

She she sure is, and Sage, before I I have a couple of strong feelings about this movie. We might fight this podcast episode, we will see. But what was your first introduction to this musical? What are your overall thoughts uh on it?

SPEAKER_01 6:14

Yeah. I because this was made in 2008. I cannot tell you when I must have seen it first, but most likely too young. Um, too young to understand how somebody could have three fathers. Um but it was very fun. I I know that I've always loved this, and I was talking to you about it because I find it to be such a beautiful, fun summer watch. Uh you know, I think it's a very sweet little time. Uh it, you know, just getting to see like the beautiful scenery of Greece, and they're always jumping in the water and like having a really fun time in all the scenes. And also, the I you probably didn't, but what you need to do after this is look up the uh like cast party after like they got done filming it, they all just got hammered at the best time, it looks like. There's some really good photos from it. It's amazing. I can't imagine. There will never be, I need that to be somehow recreated in my life. The like, what do you even call that? Like the cast party, the call party? The rap party. I would love to have that same vibe. I mean, rap party. Yes, yes, yes, yes. Uh no, I love the movie. I love the show. I don't know that I've ever seen it live, but I do love, I mean, I'm a big fan of ABBA, so this was fabulous to me. I have a great time with it every single time. I've got a long list of good things and like only four bad things about it, and they're all like very short, silly little bad things. Like just me being like, I think this part of the movie didn't make sense.

unknown 7:47

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 7:48

I have very, very high um high uh hopes for this one. I I really love it. Okay. I I like this movie. Fair. So I can't wait to hear how you're mad about it.

SPEAKER_03 7:59

Um, well, I'll just get out of the way. The the main thing that I'm mad about is that they cast Pierce Bra Brosnan to do the majority of the male singing roles, and that man cannot sing worth shit. So, like, I get that he's an Which dad is he? He's Sam. The one that Donna marries at the end.

SPEAKER_01 8:23

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 8:25

And he's the one that does the most singing. Bad, bad, objectively bad, in my opinion. It's not, I guess, which that wouldn't make it subjectively, but I think he's objectively bad at singing.

SPEAKER_01 8:38

Oh.

SPEAKER_03 8:40

Did you like him?

SPEAKER_01 8:43

He brings, I wouldn't say that I when he sings, especially like at the wedding party at the reception. I'm never like, wow, this guy's really good. But it is kind of nice to be like, oh, you know, I'm thinking about like when my dad sings, and I'll always be like, wow, this is really shit. So it's kind of just authentic to me. It's I was like, wow, he must be the dad.

SPEAKER_03 9:04

The sage of the musical.

SPEAKER_01 9:06

He's got that talent that they lack.

SPEAKER_03 9:08

It doesn't need to be authentic.

SPEAKER_01 9:10

You get mad about most dads when they sing. I'm thinking about when you were mad about next to normal dad. Well, being a little too like dad sounded in the West End.

SPEAKER_03 9:20

Yeah, in that version, I didn't love that dad's voice. That's true. Maybe, maybe you're right. Maybe I just have a problem.

SPEAKER_01 9:28

I'm just seeing a pattern of your behavior.

SPEAKER_03 9:30

Father singers.

SPEAKER_01 9:31

You hate dads.

SPEAKER_03 9:33

Yeah, I just I just hate them so much. No, I had nice lunch with my dad today for pre-Father's Day.

SPEAKER_01 9:41

So Love Day. Pre-Father's Day.

SPEAKER_03 9:44

Pre-Father's Day. So I don't know. I think that was my biggest gripe with it. And my other one, it is, I guess I will say, I'm jumping back. Uh this was my second time watching it. I watched it once before, didn't really do anything or stick with me. I'd never felt the need to or urge to revisit it. And so uh when you suggested it, I'm like, yeah, I should probably revisit it anyways, especially since I'll be seeing it live later this year. And so I watched it. The music is fun overall, like it is a bright, colorful, fun musical. Uh, it has a lot of energy, it never really takes a breath. Like it's going the whole time. Like it's under two hours. They hit the ground running, and then the energy of Meryl Streep, uh, as Donna and her best friends, uh, as the Dynamos, Donna and the Dynamos is so much energy, um, so much old man dancing in this, and uh and shirtless old men at the end, too. So I I think their target demographic is more like the the middle age with this movie. Like, I I would not say we are the target demographic for this movie, and you and I represent two different demographics, but uh because it it it's music from the 70s and 80s, like, and so um I think it's more targeting that crowd. But like you said, you're not from either of those decades, and you're a big ABBA fan.

SPEAKER_01 11:25

I have a blast, love that shit. Something about it.

SPEAKER_03 11:28

I I will say like the standout songs to me that I've known before that were fun were Mamma Mia, Dancing Queen, and then I really like The Winner Takes It All as well, which was the song that the producer heard that made her think like this could be something theatrical and to make it into a movie. So I think it's very fun, and like you said, the scenery of Greece and like the setting is very fun, picturesque, beautiful. It's bright, it's it's just energetic in a good time.

SPEAKER_01 11:57

Um it's such fun 2000s fashion. I don't know if you're paying attention to that. I mean, it's making a comeback now, so it's like so. I think I have a note in here. I was like, I love how everything's just so mismatched, everything's so crazy, and like especially Donna's friends.

SPEAKER_02 12:13

Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 12:14

They're both they both have very different styles, but both like now you could wear that, and it would probably really, you know, it would it would be fashionable today. Yeah. Uh so it's a very cute watch to have to, you know, kind of see how trends just come right back. For my songs, I I have in everybody that I've talked to about this, especially like people my age, have really hated the lay all your love on me um musical number and the like dance with the flip.

SPEAKER_03 12:41

I would agree, the dancing with the flippers is a lot. You're a fan.

SPEAKER_01 12:45

It was hilarious, it was adorable. Big fan, but I probably sky, very possible, could have been my first crush as a child. That is if if human crush, because like cartoons like Go Diego Go, probably. Yeah. But then Sky for Mamma Mia. So I move it up at the wall.

SPEAKER_03 13:08

Well, wasn't it go Diego Go? He was still a human, he was just not a real person. He was a cartoon, he was a cartoon, but he was still a human person. I thought you were gonna say like Snoopy or something, because you're like my first human grudge. Like, where where are you going?

SPEAKER_01 13:26

Spirit, the horse from a spirit, maybe.

SPEAKER_03 13:28

Hey, that's a big one. Wait, um lots of people were in the person. Lufanza, he's the dad that dies quick. Not like middle-aged Simba.

SPEAKER_01 13:38

Wait, who's the kid?

SPEAKER_03 13:39

Lufanza.

SPEAKER_01 13:39

Simba.

SPEAKER_03 13:40

Simba is the kid.

SPEAKER_01 13:41

Yeah, you're right. Teenage Teenage Simba. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 13:44

Teenage Simba. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 13:46

Sorry, I forgot. It's regort. Okay, I have Layola. Okay, so what I was talking about, I have Lay All Your Love on Me as the first one, then Dancing Queen, uh, SOS. I like labeled as the best duet in there. Really loved that. Remind me which one that is.

SPEAKER_03 14:02

I literally finished it like 15 minutes before we were recorded, but I'm blanking which one SOS is.

SPEAKER_01 14:09

I've got to remember who the duet is in that, but it's oh, I can't sing it because it and when you're near me, nothing else can save me. SOS.

SPEAKER_03 14:19

Oh, it's Pierce Grosnan. I know it was one of the ones. I probably tuned it out because his voice was so bad. Um This is ridiculous.

SPEAKER_00 14:28

Ridiculous.

SPEAKER_01 14:32

I'm so tired of this. We're just I also have a whole section on here of who I think the father is.

SPEAKER_03 14:39

Yeah. Oh, well let's just jump out.

SPEAKER_01 14:43

Did you have more that you hate?

SPEAKER_03 14:45

Uh, I do have more that I hated. Um but hate is a strong word, but just one of the problems that is the main problem I have with jukebox musicals in general is the songs don't necessarily fit the story. Like most musicals, the song is specifically tailored to the plot and helps further the plot more. Jukebox musicals, it's really hard to make it a cohesive story, like you're changing it and having it fit where you can, but unless you're doing one that's a little like autobiographical, like The Share Show or something like that, or Tina, the Tina Turner one. Then this one where you're taking a band's completely different songs and fitting them in here, it can be very difficult to make that story make sense. And I think that's why a lot of people don't really care for jukebox musicals. And I did feel that way with most of this. Like the energy and everything was great. Some of them work decently, but there's a lot of them that just seem random and thrown in there. I feel like a little forced.

SPEAKER_01 15:55

Yeah, yeah. Yeah, I think that's a fair point to make. A very fair point. A jukebox musical is a acquired taste, something you have to be really ready for, in the zone for. Just know in your heart that it's not gonna be it's not a perfect puzzle and it never will be. But it yeah, if you can appreciate it for what it is, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 16:14

I feel like jukebox musicals are more about the vibes, like having a good time. Like Mulan Rouge is making a story of those two. Yeah, like Mulan Rouge. I actually really like the Broadway musical. I don't like the movie, but it's because the energy and I like different remixes and covers of songs because they make them unique and they do mashups. It's not just the straight up song, so it is still kind of making it their own and modifying it. And so that's that's the one jukebox musical I would say that I I really enjoy. But what other good things do you have? Or what good things do you have?

SPEAKER_01 16:58

I have so many.

SPEAKER_03 16:58

Or did you have other did you have any bad things? Did you say your bad things?

SPEAKER_01 17:02

Do you want me to start with bad? Yeah, I started with bad, so you start with bad. Uh I no, my bad things are just like silly little things. I don't I I in the one scene where she goes to see the dads all staying on the boat, I thought it was pretty ridiculous her swimming out there, and then when she needs to leave, because like her her fiance's calling for her, she hears it. She jumps off. If the boat is right here and the beach is right here, she jumps off this side of the boat. And I go, why would she swim around or under the boat? In what world? Because she's obviously lived here, you know, her whole life. She knows the correct way to get back to the land. I thought that was a little bit ridiculous. Maybe it was better for the shot. I just didn't like it. Um I like when she asks her fathers if they're her father, because they you cannot tell. They have absolutely no clue. But her asking each one of them is just such a good bit for her to believe that she will. Oh, you hate it when I say it's a good one. I don't hate it.

SPEAKER_03 18:10

I think this is a bit, and it's I don't hate it, say it. I just say you use bit as a general anytime something happens. And that's not a bit. A bit is just not something that occurred.

SPEAKER_01 18:25

I if something happens, it's a bit to me. And it's just like how I'll use guy or gal, both are like just people, and so I'll be like, Well, those gals, and someone'll be like, There's men over there, and I go, who the fuckers?

SPEAKER_00 18:40

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 18:41

Uh I'll be like, What's that guy like? And they're like, uh, my boss is a woman, and I'll be like, dude, I didn't fucking say either way. Uh guy would be anything.

SPEAKER_03 18:51

That's true.

SPEAKER_01 18:51

Uh so that's not but I enjoy that she just asks them straight out, like they're going to know. I thought that was really funny. Um, I I like how they have the bachelorette party the night before the wedding. I don't think that's it's that can't be a common thing. Um, everyone is so hung over.

SPEAKER_03 19:14

I think it used to be immediately. But while we're on the bachelorette party, these 20-year-old, like mostly like 20-year-old girls, them just swarming these two older gentlemen and tying them to poles, taking their clothes on. I'm like, what is happening right now?

SPEAKER_01 19:35

It was a little weird.

SPEAKER_03 19:36

What is happening?

SPEAKER_01 19:36

It was crazy. Yeah. I don't know. That's there's probably not many men on the island.

SPEAKER_03 19:42

So apparently not.

SPEAKER_01 19:44

In singleman, probably even less.

SPEAKER_03 19:46

Well, there was the one bartender that was really into Tanya.

SPEAKER_01 19:50

Really into Tanya?

SPEAKER_03 19:52

Really into Tanya.

SPEAKER_01 19:53

We were both so insurance. Tanya?

SPEAKER_03 19:55

Yeah, I think that was her name.

SPEAKER_01 19:57

Uh one of the dynamos. That that is very strange. I think it is Tanya. That sounds right.

SPEAKER_00 20:03

Uh I don't know.

SPEAKER_01 20:06

I I think what made me the saddest, the and I don't remember this part. So, like, rewatching it was nice. When Sophie is arguing with her mom and about the wedding. Like, she's a little bit worried, and the mom just assumes right away that she must be scared to get married, and then her daughter just like lashes out immediately, and is which like tensions are high at this point. It it's just a very like rough moment. I'm glad they get over it pretty quickly, but where Sophie's like, You didn't, of course, you don't support me. I knew you didn't want me to get married right now. Which, like, she's 20, she shouldn't be getting married. 20 is too young, in my personal opinion. Um, and so I agree with Donna, but um, but she's like, You never did the thing, you never got married. You know, I don't want my kids to not know who their dad is. And it's a little it's a little heartbreaking. But I mean, Sophie has every right to be a little bit stressed out about everything going on. Some of it is self-inflicted. Sure. She's invited all of her fathers. I feel like she could have done this, like she could have done this like a month ago, you know? She could have brought them in, kind of talked to everybody. 100%. She did it the weekend of her wedding. So that is very fun. Those are my only bad things. Uh and they're not even like compliment or sorry, comments on the show. I love them. I love the years got me stuck on the show now. Uh on the movie. Not even commentary on the movie. Yeah, the um But my list of things that I love are so long.

SPEAKER_03 21:43

Okay. Let let's dive right into it. I'm gonna let you take it away with the things you love and I will either agree, sit here quietly, or vehemently disagree and argue with you.

SPEAKER_01 21:56

Probably.

SPEAKER_03 21:56

So we will see. So take it away.

SPEAKER_01 21:59

Excellent. That's all I could ask. I first great thing. Love that her friends are Scottish. I think that adds such a beautiful accent to this funny little show. It is so great. Uh one of the best accents to just be real goofy. I I can't do one, but I appreciate these ones. And so she must have gone to school in Scotland. Because these are her fri right? These are her friends.

SPEAKER_02 22:22

I'm gonna be completely honest.

SPEAKER_01 22:24

She's 20, so she didn't go to college.

SPEAKER_03 22:26

She could have. Didn't know. I didn't even I didn't even register Scottish accents with her friend that was wearing a Duke sweatshirt.

SPEAKER_01 22:34

That's insane. That's insane.

SPEAKER_03 22:36

It's true. Sorry. I was locked in.

SPEAKER_01 22:39

Well, they both have Scottish accents.

SPEAKER_03 22:42

Hmm. Okay. Scottish accents, love it.

SPEAKER_01 22:45

My favorite funny little line was Scottish accents, love it. Funny little line that the friends say, because she's just explained that she's got three men coming and she needs them to walk. She's like, I want my father to walk me down the aisle. And one of the friends goes, It's gonna be a wide aisle. Because there's so many fathers. That is I love that. That's great. I didn't notice that the first time.

SPEAKER_03 23:09

I didn't notice that.

SPEAKER_01 23:10

But that's a good one. Uh I I think I love Mamma Mia. Yeah, yeah. I think I love Mama Mia so much because the female friendships in this are so sweet. And like the reflection of Donna's two friends and her two friends. It's very adorable. They have just very beautiful long-term female friendships. I think that's wonderful, and that's a wonderful summer vibe. It is. Yeah. I love the introductions that Donna gives of her friends, which are uh Tanya, the serial bride, and uh Rosie the Hermit, which both very fun little times. And I think those are such a cute, such a cute trio that the three of them make. Uh I have the line I really love when they're they're like really swooning over Sophie, the Donna and her friends. And so Sophie kind of like lashes out. She goes, I'm getting married, I'm not joining a convent. In parentheses, I go 20 years old. Which is like I said, just too fucking young. That's insane.

SPEAKER_03 24:20

Word. Agree with there.

SPEAKER_01 24:22

I really like the whole like an overarching. Oh, sorry, what were you saying? You're disagreeing.

SPEAKER_03 24:26

Oh, I just said same. I agreed with you.

SPEAKER_01 24:29

Okay. Oh, same. Same same. I really love this, like an overarching theme, kind of in the background of the it's the site of Aphrodite's fountain. This hotel is on top of. And it's makes for a very cute like final scene where the ground splits open and like water is spraying out. They're all dancing, and then the old men are shirtless, which I don't know why that needed to happen. They could have kept their shirts on, but whatever.

SPEAKER_03 24:57

100%.

unknown 24:58

100%.

SPEAKER_01 24:59

That's all right. That's alright. 100%. I really went to the dads. Oh, Skye, the fiance?

SPEAKER_03 25:12

Sky and the guy that is with the young guy that Harry was crushing on is also shirtless. They were dancing shirtless together.

SPEAKER_01 25:22

Beautiful. Beautiful. I wonder, I don't know that I ever clocked that as a child. In my brain, I really thought that Tanya and Rosie um ended up with the other two dads. But I don't know how that possibly happened. That I very clearly misinterpreted everything. But we've talked about this. I was raised Catholic. I imagine my brain could not comprehend that. And I was, I was telling you before we recorded, I have family members who vehemently just very much will like anytime Mamma Mia comes up, they're like, that's the worst thing to ever happen. I can't believe they make something like that. Like to just absolutely they just no, when I say like they they will not listen to the music, they absolutely hate the idea of the show. It's just the fact that she doesn't know who the dad is. They're like very against that. They're like, and they had a baby out of wedlock. And I'll be like, oh my god, can we calm down? It's got ABBA in it. It's forgivable. She's Meryl Street.

SPEAKER_03 26:28

Introduce said family members to Rocky Horror Picture Show. And then Doctor.

SPEAKER_01 26:44

No, I love the other funny thing. I love the flashbacks of the dads because it's so ridiculous. They just put like long wigs on them and just like hit their as made in the 60s as they could. It was so fucking funny. It's so hilarious. And then they have the new movie out now where they actually have like decent looking, like you know, it's a very clear flashback people. I just can only imagine them in those goofy outfits the whole time. It's just so ridiculous. Um, the the younger versions of themselves. I like the line that Donna says when she goes, You think I would forget my daughter's dads?

SPEAKER_02 27:28

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 27:29

Like when Tanya and Rosie are unsure if she saw them in the goat house or not. I think that's so fun.

SPEAKER_03 27:35

I was also so confused with at the wedding at the end when um Donna decides to stand up and make the announcement about her dad being here. And then she's like, I know. She's like, How do you know? I don't know. Like, why would you stand up and make that announcement if you don't know which one it is? Like, why? What are you doing?

SPEAKER_01 27:56

Yeah, it would have been crazy. You could have told her before. It was kind of crazy. It was kind of crazy. I really enjoy the the lines where it goes, Donna says, I brought this all on my like she's crying about how the like all the fathers are there and she doesn't know which one it is, so she like can't tell Sophie who her dad is. And she goes, I brought this all on myself because I was stupid and I was a stupid, reckless little slut. And her friends go, You sound like your mother. They're like, it's just the Catholic guilt. They say that in here. And I was like, Oh my god, oh my god, I didn't realize it's it's canon. Donna is Catholic, or at least raised Catholic.

unknown 28:40

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 28:40

And I went, what a kinship we have. I love this movie. Oh my god, the next line, the next line I have in my notes just says, sky is so fucking hot. So it's good. And I agree. Oh my god. Big fan. Young Dominic Koop. I'm just crushing on everyone that we he's great. Uh talk about his peak, of course. Oh, I like how all of the dads say that Super Trooper was their song with Donna.

SPEAKER_02 29:13

Yep.

SPEAKER_01 29:14

When she's performing for the Bachelorette party, and they're like, this was our song. I I enjoyed that. She was just really playing the field. She had a roster and she was playing those boys like fiddles.

SPEAKER_03 29:25

Excellent. Way to go, Donna.

SPEAKER_01 29:27

I think that's sweet. Way to go, Donna. Oh, the line. She gets drunk then, once she sees that all the men are at the bachelorette party. And she goes, I've done so much for my daughter, and I won't be muscled out by an ejaculation.

SPEAKER_03 29:47

Love that line.

SPEAKER_01 29:48

That's good. That's really good.

SPEAKER_00 29:52

Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_01 29:54

She Donna has the best lines in this. Okay, this is like, you know how we argue during Mean Girls? These are the lines that I was hoping for. Things that actually make sense, things that are actually freaking bad. Because she goes, Donna says, somebody up there has got it out for me, and I know it's my mother. I think that's wonderful.

SPEAKER_03 30:16

Yeah. One of my main takeaways.

SPEAKER_01 30:21

It's just me saying great lines. Oh yeah?

SPEAKER_00 30:24

Go ahead.

SPEAKER_03 30:26

Yeah. Yeah. You go. The connection's bad, so we're like kind of losing off on time. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 30:33

We're just really struggling. That'll be fine. That'll be really fun for you to edit.

SPEAKER_03 30:38

Oh yeah, it'll be a blast. Um, what were you saying about Tanya's line? I'll let you go first.

SPEAKER_01 30:45

I like sorry, sorry. I was gonna say Tanya's line, where they Rosie's like, well, what do you suggest we do with three men? And Tanya goes, Oh no, that takes me back.

SPEAKER_00 30:57

Yep.

SPEAKER_01 30:59

Tanya's always so good. Oh god.

SPEAKER_00 31:02

Uh-huh.

SPEAKER_01 31:04

Um, what are you saying? What are you saying?

SPEAKER_03 31:08

Uh, I was saying, I think one of my takeaways from this, I think Amanda Seafried needs to be in more musicals. I really like her voice. I think she was great in this. I think she's great in Lay Miz. Um, and so I don't know. I don't know if she's done other ones. I know she's done some stage shows, but I don't think there were musicals. I think it was like plays that she did on Broadway, not positive. But I do like Amanda Seyfried's voice. So that's my hot take. She does very much. I'm surprised. Like when I hear people talk about actors that are just shit in musicals. Like people hate Russell Crowe in La Miz. They don't like Gerard Butler and Phantom of the Opera. I don't mind both of those. Piers Brosnan in this far more egregious than either of those, or both of those combined. Pierce Brosnan bothered me in this.

SPEAKER_00 32:02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 32:03

Like he's suave. I'm like, you just got him because he's hot. There's hot guys that can sing too. Get hot guys that can sing well. Throw them in here. No, no. Just my thought. My two cents.

SPEAKER_01 32:17

That is very, fair. Aww. My final lines from this is the last like really good line, I think. Well, two of them is at the wedding, where uh it's right when Donna says, like, your dad's here. I know that, I just don't know who it is. And then uh they're both talking about Donna's very sad about the fact that she wasn't able to give like a father figure to her daughter. And her daughter's like, I don't care if you slept with hundreds of men, you're still my mom. And there's like a mo like Donna's face caring. And then she goes, I haven't slept with hundreds of men, and by the way, everyone.

SPEAKER_00 32:58

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 32:58

And then they all say that they're very okay with being one-third of her dad. It's very cute, it's very sweet. Uh, I cannot wait for us to debate who the father actually is.

unknown 33:09

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 33:10

I don't know that we're gonna agree.

SPEAKER_03 33:11

The climax at the ending of who's saying what, and like it's these were the resolutions was Harry comes out, um and is his true self, good for Harry. Um, Sam proposes to Donna, confesses his love, and then Bill's just there, and then Rosie starts coming on to him like a predator. Um, and he did not look like he was into it. But then just after she was chasing him across the drain pipe and crawling over the roof for him, then he decided he liked her and was gonna catch her. But I'm like, what is happening right now?

SPEAKER_01 33:52

And let that be a lesson to every woman. Yeah, it will work eventually.

SPEAKER_03 33:58

Go for what you want. Yes. Um, okay, let's let's hear your position and points for who you think the father is and why.

SPEAKER_01 34:10

Okay, these are my evidence, and then I will explain who I think the father is. So we know that she describes Harry as sweet and understanding, and he bought Donna the guitar. So uh he was studying in Paris, hopped on a train with Donna to Greece. To me, the genetics for Harry don't make sense though. Harry has brown hair, brown eyes, Donna, let's remember, blonde hair, curly hair. So, like Sophie obviously gets her hair from her mom. But her Sophie's eyes are blue, and her mom's eyes are brown. So there's very little chance that Harry was probably the dad. I don't think that's true. Um Sam, he's the first one that she does get with in this time frame that she dates, that she uh possible dad. Uh then he leaves and he goes and gets engaged. Well, actually, he's engaged, she goes and gets married. Um he did draw the hotel back of a menu, drawing as something that Sophie's very into as well. What are your feelings?

SPEAKER_03 35:14

What are your feelings? Well, he didn't he went back, it was revealed he was engaged, so he went back, was gonna end it, and then was going back for Donna, and then Donna was away with one of those blokes, and then he went back to his wife and married her, his fiance.

SPEAKER_01 35:34

Yeah, yeah. Yes, yes. Um I forget what color Sam's eyes are, but Sam is brunette as well. Uh, I would have to look. What's his eye color? Google.

SPEAKER_03 35:47

I'll look it up.

SPEAKER_01 35:47

You've got it.

SPEAKER_03 35:48

I'll find it.

SPEAKER_01 35:48

You Google it.

SPEAKER_03 35:50

You say your next point and we'll come back to it.

SPEAKER_01 35:54

My next one. Blue eyes. I think Sam would be blue eyes. So there's a chance. There's a chance. Uh you know, that does make a little bit of sense. And obviously, like they end up with each other at the end, so it'd be kind of perfect that this is their kid, but obviously they're never gonna get the DNA test, so it doesn't matter. Um, but Sam is kind or sorry, sorry, Bill. I mix up Sam and Bill for some reason. Sam seems like the name of a man who's blonde.

SPEAKER_02 36:23

That's fair.

SPEAKER_01 36:24

Uh I don't know why. It's it's always been me, uh my my assumption. Yeah, but Bill, he's the second one that Donna gets with. Okay. Uh she describes him as wild and funny. He's a writer, very adventurous. Uh Sophie is named after his aunt. So uh Bill had always heard that his aunt's money had gone to family. He had no idea who. But we find out during the movie that this money was left to Donna and her daughter Sophie at this point. Um, and that's the money that she used to purchase the hotel with. Uh I believe the aunt's name is Sophia as well. So Sophie's named after the aunt. She's Sophie. Um Sophie also really does believe it's Bill. Of all the people, she asks him to walk her down the aisle. She the other like dads kind of like come up to her and are like, I think you might be my daughter. I think I should walk you down the aisle. Yeah. So if there's anyone that she seems to have that connection where she believes that she's, you know, their kid, it seems to be Bill. And I think in my heart of hearts, it makes the most sense that she is Bill's. Um, the genetics makes sense. I think that a lot of their traits make sense. He's on the out on the water, same way, like always sailing, very adventurous. Um, to me, that I think it connects best, but I like that it's ambiguous still to the end. I think that's a very fun little fact about about the show. But that's where my heart feels.

SPEAKER_03 38:07

I go back and forth between Bill and Sam. I agree. Harry's out of the running for me too. Uh Harry headbanger. Um, and so I just he's out of the running for me. Bill, like, the one thing is like, oh, the aunt, she left money to family. But I saw that more as because no one knows who her dad is. So that wouldn't have really been a factor, but it was more that I felt like it's implied his aunt took Donna under her wing and then thought of her like family. And so just with the time she spent there and everything, that's what was kind of in my in my head. Uh the thing is maybe pushing me towards Sam, some of those like the blue eyes, and then the the artistic traits, but it was also shown because when they're staying in the goat shed, there's drawings on there, which we don't know for sure if those are Sophie's drawings or Donna's drawings. Maybe Donna draws too. We don't know, but I I kind of lean Sam, but I could also see the argument for Bill. Harry's the only one that I do not feel like is in the running personally.

SPEAKER_01 39:19

Yeah, we've all agreed.

SPEAKER_03 39:21

Yes. If you were to recast this movie today and film a new one, who would you cast in it? Yeah. I can edit this whole thing out because I did zero prep, so I have no idea who I would cast in it.

SPEAKER_01 39:40

So yeah. Oh my god, yeah. Who would I make the dads? Who would I make the dads? That's the most important thing for me. Oh, you know what? I'm gonna I don't know anybody's names, and I never will. But I'm gonna take the guy who plays um Aaron Samuels from Wait, he doesn't even sing in girls.

SPEAKER_03 40:04

I was gonna make him because he can't sing in that movie and they cut out one of the best songs. Um also sage. This movie is all of them as their older selves. You can't cast a 20-year-old.

SPEAKER_01 40:19

No, he's gonna be Skye.

SPEAKER_03 40:20

Oh, he's gonna be Sky. Sorry, sorry, you're right. Okay, I apologize. Yeah, yeah. Okay, that's what I am.

SPEAKER_01 40:25

I think I need you to decide first because I don't I never know the names of people. I like if I listen to a song, I never know who the artist is. I'm really bad at that actually.

SPEAKER_03 40:37

Um, same sometimes. Like, I'm now like I brought this topic up and it was a bad idea because I have no one in mind on who would play who. Um it's hard because some of my favorite like singers on Broadway right now, it's like like I really like Joshua Henry. You obviously can't put Joshua Henry as one of the dads, it'd be pretty obvious if she's his kid or not.

SPEAKER_01 41:02

Um but Jack Wolf could be Sky. That could be my Sky.

SPEAKER_03 41:09

But Jack Wolf, I feel like he's more young, innocent, not like heartthrobby, like Sky is portrayed in this.

SPEAKER_01 41:19

But I think that's fair. It's a fair point to make, but I him or like Jordan Fisher. I like Jordan Fisher. Either one would be like that.

SPEAKER_03 41:28

That's a solid choice.

SPEAKER_01 41:30

Yeah, yeah. Thank you. You're welcome. I'm glad we could agree on something. We could only think of Sky. That's all I've got to do.

SPEAKER_03 41:36

I can think of any.

SPEAKER_01 41:37

I couldn't name a single middle-aged man that could play the dance.

SPEAKER_03 41:41

I'm trying to think of a middle-aged woman who could play Donna that is blonde. Casey Levy. I like Casey Levy, she's great next to normal. She played Elsa in Frozen on Broadway, great voice, just one best actress in a musical at the Tony's for her role in ragtime. So Casey Levy would be a solid Donna. I would support that one. And then yeah, I don't know for the middle-aged dad. I don't know anything.

SPEAKER_01 42:15

Um, I mean Do you feel that Sophie was warranted in inviting all three dads? Was that it was the wedding. In her defense, I it's kind of like your birthday, you gotta do what you want. Yeah, I but she didn't tell her husband.

SPEAKER_03 42:31

I feel like it it was not the most well thought out plan. I'll just say that. Because if she would have thought about it for more than a couple seconds, she would have realized that she was probably gonna end up with a situation like exactly what she did, where all three guys then think they're her dad, and then no one knows. So I sh it wasn't the most well thought out plan. I get why she was doing it, but I did really appreciate when uh Sky finds out and is talking to her, and Sophie says she needs it so that she can know who she is, and he said, Well, knowing who you are, that's about finding yourself, not finding your father. And I thought that was a very good line and um very like observant and poignant to say, like, hey, your identity isn't tied to someone else, it's about realizing who you are and who you want to be.

SPEAKER_01 43:29

So I think it's it kind of shows how young she is, maybe not immature, but a little bit childish to be I well I can invite all of them because when they yeah, she's too young. Uh because when when he shows up, I'm just gonna know. Like I'm gonna know who my dad is. Of course. I'll just I'll just feel it on that. Um, I think that's crazy. Uh but yeah, she's just like, no, I'll feel it, it'll be all. And was she planning to just send the other two home or just let them sit in the back at the wedding? My mom's still gonna find out. So that's kind of crazy. Agreed.

SPEAKER_03 44:12

Agreed. Yeah, her grand plan was to have one of them walk her down the aisle and surprise her mom with it. Yeah. Awful. Awful plan.

SPEAKER_01 44:25

Not a well-thought-out plan. The plan of a 20-year-old who has five more years until their frontal lobe is developed.

SPEAKER_03 44:31

Thankfully, at the end, she did make the decision hey, let's not get married yet. That's not what we want to do. Let's go on adventure. So she did become wise. Once she got the just the aura of the three fathers around her, then she got wisdom. Not that you need a man to choose wisdom. That's not what I was trying to imply. I was just saying, like, fatherly advice.

SPEAKER_01 44:53

I got that voice clear. Yeah, you're never gonna run for president.

SPEAKER_03 44:57

I would never run for president, anyways. Uh ain't nobody want that job. So no, I don't really have any other like notes. Like it's just it is a very fun musical. Like, obviously, there were the things that I had issues with, but they weren't issues that I'm like, ugh, I would never recommend this to anyone. I think it's fun. It's like you throw it on. It's also one that you you can have on in the background, too. Like a vibe's one. It's not one you have to be locked in, the music is fun, it's gonna be a good time.

SPEAKER_01 45:29

So yeah, I agree. I agree, I agree. It's adorable, it's so sweet. It like I said, it's it's a very sweet little like I focus more on the like female friendships that are very you know prevalent in this. You've got so many beautiful songs where they're either cheering each other up or like supporting each other. I think that's really cute, very, very sweet. The amount it's a nice little it's a nice little show.

SPEAKER_03 45:58

Uh Dancing Queen. I did have notes about Dancing Queen that it just it just starts with Donna like just jumping on the bed and just like touching her toes, doing all sorts of fun things, and then just starts going through the town and all the Greek women in this town just joining in, and then their choreographed dance number on the dock and the children. Yeah, I thought that was uh a very large-scale fun number. Very fun, uh very over the top, but in a fun way in a fun way.

SPEAKER_01 46:31

So yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 46:33

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 46:34

I would describe most of the uh dance numbers as true. I feel like very, very goofy, very fun, just a silly little time. That's why the the rap party must have been amazing. They had to have a grand old time. There's no way. You'll have to Google that. I would Google it when it does.

SPEAKER_03 46:53

So yeah.

SPEAKER_00 46:56

It's insane.

SPEAKER_03 46:57

Do you have any other last thoughts, anecdotes, notes that you want to get out there?

SPEAKER_01 47:05

Um if I were to reflect on Father's Day coming up very soon, and past at this point when this comes out. Uh, I like what you said as well, that it doesn't really, you know, finding yourself isn't about, you know, finding where you come from by any means. But I think it's very beautiful that Sophie's able to kind of take inspiration from these three dads that she she then finds and kind of see that her life doesn't have to be exactly what she thinks is the right choice for her. Because she very much looks down on the fact that her mom, not looks down, but she wishes that she had a dad. She wishes that there had been like a nuclear family for her. And so she is like over-correcting in the sense that she's like, I have to get married as soon as possible, then that's the right thing. If I was freaked out because my mom wasn't married, that that's how I have to fix this. And so, like, when she sees her dads and sees how they're doing well and her mom's doing well, she's able to see that you know, not every wife has has to be the exact same path, and she can make decisions for herself rather than just out of fear, you know, because it feels like that's kind of what she's doing when she's getting married so young is she's trying to get married just because she's afraid of getting in the same situation almost as her mom. But I think it's a very beautiful sentiment that you can change your mind and you can do different things. Her mom gets married soon. I shouldn't say super, that's not true. Her mom gets married in life. Her mom gets married later in life and she still has a beautiful family. That is okay.

SPEAKER_03 48:43

It is still okay. Both things, both things can be true. Both things can be true.

SPEAKER_01 48:48

Yeah, everybody has a different path. That's right. Even if the Catholics are not okay, that's fine.

SPEAKER_03 48:55

Even though.

SPEAKER_01 48:57

You cannot make every Catholic happy.

SPEAKER_03 48:59

You cannot you won't. You cannot and you won't. You can't make anyone completely happy. You're always gonna make someone mad. So choose who you want to make mad.

SPEAKER_01 49:09

You gotta make your own decisions.

SPEAKER_03 49:11

That's right.

SPEAKER_01 49:12

That is very important. Very important.

SPEAKER_03 49:14

All right. Well, Sage, thank you for joining again and for the idea to discuss this one. Next week, I will be doing what's coming to streaming in theaters in July, so tune into that. Uh, still got Love Island instant reaction videos dropping nightly on YouTube. House of the Dragon instant reaction videos are about to start back up, or they have at this point. So lots of stuff coming to the podcast. Make sure you're subscribing, leaving a comment, dropping a like, all that fun stuff. Sharon, you can now watch it on both Apple Podcasts and Spotify as well as YouTube, and you can listen it anywhere you want to listen still. So, thank you all for tuning in. See you next time. Don't forget to go down once more. Later.