Mamma Meryl!

There’s a certain stigma, particularly within the music snob culture, associated with the music of ABBA, the Swedish pop group that exploded onto the music scene in the 1970s. ABBA’S wild success, however, proves that the band has some serious chops, and its popularity has only increased since the 1999 musical opening of “Mamma Mia!.” 

With the recent outpouring of movie-musicals, "Mamma Mia!" has just joined the likes of “Chicago,” “Hairspray” and “Sweeney Todd.”

In the film, the great Meryl Streep plays Donna, a middle-aged free spirit living in Greece with her daughter Sophie (Amanda Seyfried of “Mean Girls” fame). Sophie is preparing for her wedding, and decides to find out who her real father is, having grown up with only her mother to care for her. 

She reads her mother’s diary, and discovers she was dating three men years ago (Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth and Stellan Skarsgard), any of whom could be her father.  She does not talk to her mother about this, but instead decides to invite all three men to her wedding, hoping she will know who her father is, and he will give her away during the ceremony. 

“Mamma Mia!” delivers exactly what it advertises: a cheesy, over-the-top, ABBA-filled party. Fans of the musical will most likely enjoy it, as will fans of ABBA.   
 
Streep’s performance is clearly not comparable to past legendary roles she’s played, but it is clear that she, as well as Seyfried and the rest of the cast, had fun making the film. 

Some of the singing is horrendous (Brosnan’s voice is unbearably awful), and some is not (Seyfried surprises with an outstanding voice).

It is probably fair to say that audiences have already made up their minds about whether or not to see the film, as it is definitely not for everyone. For those looking for a fun, disco-dancing romp, it’s perfect. 

While definitely not a masterpiece, “Mamma Mia!” doesn’t take itself too seriously. It’s completely ridiculous and contrived, but it’s great for audiences who just want to have fun.

If nothing else, this film will reignite the fervor that once was ABBA’s popularity.  You no longer need to be embarrassed to love the band, at least not in my book.