Movies

ABBA songs are, of course, evil in musical form. Just try getting "Dancing Queen" out of your head once it's burrowed its way in there. "Waterloo," too, is especially pesky. But "Mamma Mia" might be the most tenacious tune in the 1970s Swedish pop group's canon.

The insanely catchy hit inspired a hugely successful Broadway musical a decade ago and now is the basis for a big, summer movie. Mamma Mia! is a massive mess, but it's fun — exuberantly goofy, sloppily crafted fun, especially if you're not in the mood for thinking too hard. (Phyllida Lloyd, who directed the stage production, makes her filmmaking debut here.)

If it works on any level at all, it's through the sheer radiance of Meryl Streep, clearly having a blast letting loose as its star, the former rocker chick Donna. Watching the woman who is considered the greatest actress of our time writhing around in overalls on top of a barn or belting out numbers in a spandex jumpsuit and platform boots can indeed be a hoot. Streep was a fan of the show — and it's evident. And she can indeed sing — a talent that's been on display in bits and pieces in previous movies, most recently A Prairie Home Companion. Amanda Seyfried (Mean Girls, Big Love) is also solid as her daughter, Sophie, who is getting married on a Greek island and invites three of Donna's former flames to determine which one is her father.

Christine Baranski and Julie Walters are splashy scene-stealers as Donna's best friends and former backup singers, but not everyone fares so well. Pierce Brosnan and Stellan Skarsgard should never be allowed to sing in public again — unless it's karaoke night and copious amounts of alcohol are involved.