Being in musical theater myself and having seen the stage version of MAMMA MIA I went into this film with very low expectations. I felt the stage version was contrived, pushed and over the top with a very silly story line. I thought this film was fabulous. I feel every musical theater student should be required to see it as a study in how an actor finds the truth in the lyric, no matter how frivolous the content. Meryl Streep comes through again proving there isn't a venue where the fine actor does not prevail.