‘Mamma Mia!’ Is the Ultimate Summer Movie

The summer blockbuster has shrunken in the past couple of years, and the movie musical event is all but dead and gone — just ask Steven Spielberg. Thankfully, we’ll always have a standby summer movie to lift our sweaty spirits in the thick of July: the undeniable masterpiece that is Mamma Mia!.

When I first saw the rom-com, it was in a chilly theater in mid-August 2008. By the time I left my seat, I was officially ready to dump my Hairspray obsession and swap my Zac Efron love for Dominic Cooper devotion. And ever since then, I always tune in when Mamma Mia! is on, whether it’s for the final chaotic moments, or the whole delicious movie.

What is it that makes Mamma Mia! so good? After many re-watches, I’ve determined the answer: with its killer soundtrack, dreamy cast and drool-worthy setting, Mamma Mia! has the ultimate trifecta of what turns a movie into a summer staple.

Just try not to hum, sing or mumble along to at least one of the songs in Mamma Mia! the next time you watch. Thanks to music from ABBA, everyone’s favorite guilty pleasure band (trust me: everyone likes ABBA, even if they say they don’t), Mamma Mia! is bursting with bangers.

While its titular song is a sure hit, there’s really something for everyone in here. Looking for a somber ballad? “The Winner Takes It All” is here for you. Need a euphoric dance track? “Dancing Queen,” of course. Seeking a dreamy, beachy tune? “Our Last Summer” is the only choice.

While Mamma Mia! boasts some stellar songs, the best musical numbers are carried by Meryl Streep, who elevates “Money, Money, Money,” “Slipping Through My Fingers” and “SOS” — well, that last one she pretty much saves from Pierce Brosnan, who should not sing, but definitely should not be singing alongside Streep because she makes him sound even worse.

That said, this is basically Streep’s movie. Yes, Amanda Seyfried is on the poster, but did she sing “The Winner Takes It All” on a windy seaside cliff to Brosnan? No. Moving on! Well, not entirely, because I still have more to say about the Mamma Mia! cast.

The only way to describe the stars of Mamma Mia! is: iconic. We’ve got Emmy winner Christine Baranski, Oscar winner Streep, Oscar Winner Colin Firth, Golden Globe Winner Stellan Skarsgård and Golden Globe winner Julie Walters. None of them got the awards recognition they deserved for their Mamma Mia! performances — with the exception of Brosnan, who unfortunately won a Razzie for his role in the film — but they all have golden statues in my mind (which I have no doubt would mean more to them than a real Oscar).

So, we’ve got great music and an incomparable cast. What else could possibly be missing? A backdrop for all of it, of course. Mamma Mia! is summer on the screen, with its bountiful bougainvillea and blindingly blue water. Streep’s island hotel packs in the charm, despite her insistence it is falling apart.

So maybe none of us can really afford a Grecian getaway right now, but after enough repeat viewings of Mamma Mia! and its cliffside views, you’ll be whipping up feta salads in your kitchen and sunning in a bikini on your roof — it’s that good at transporting you to an idyllic island.

And if all of that isn’t enough to convince you to stream Mamma Mia! the next time you’re searching for a movie to complete your summer night, remember this: Not only is Mamma Mia! an instant classic, it’s also under two hours, and you don’t even need to really pay attention to the plot. Now that’s a summertime smash.