Movies & More reviewer John Gillispie thinks "Mamma Mia," which is rated PG-13 and stars Maryl Streep, Colin Firth, and Pierce Brosnan, is a humorous version of the musical that weaves the words of hit ABBA tunes into its plot.

Many, many years ago, I memorized all the words to all the songs on an eight-track tape featuring the chart hits of the Swedish group ABBA. When I was forced to clean and straighten my room as a kid, the music of ABBA seemed to help pass the time.

There really must be something special about the group's music since here we are, all these years later, and ABBA's music is at the center of a great new musical, which was released on DVD earlier this week.

"Mamma Mia" has already taken the stage by storm, and this summer, Meryl Streep and her co-stars scored a box office smash with the film version of the musical. Last week, the film was nominated for a Golden Globe in the Best Motion Picture Musical or Comedy category.

Streep, who earned a Golden Globe nomination in the Best Performance By an Actress in a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy category, plays a mom named Donna Sheridan who doesn't know which of her three former loves is the father of her soon-to-be married daughter Sophie (Amanda Seyfried).

The men don't know the young woman exists until she writes to all three and invites them to her wedding naively thinking that she will know which one is her dad upon sight.

When the men arrive, the young woman discovers her plan might have been a mistake, and Streep's character goes into total panic mode. Playing the men are Pierce Brosnan as Sam Carmichael, Colin Firth as Harry Bright and Stellan Skarsgard as Bill Anderson.

What I love about "Mamma Mia" is that the songs of ABBA advance the plot. We've taken songs that, as noted earlier, were released on eight-track tape and created a story that flows well and contains a lot of laughs, some touching moments and a bit of mystery.

I can't leave out the two female friends of Streep's character who show up for the wedding and add greatly to the movie's comic moments. Tony- and Emmy-winner Christine Baranski is great as Tanya, an elegant and flirty friend, while Julie Walters (well known for her Oscar nomination in "Educating Rita") is hilarious and virtually steals the movie as the man-hungry Rosie.

"Mamma Mia" offers fantastic vistas, funny performances and the music of ABBA. What more could you want from such a great feel-good hit?

I do have to admit, though, that I had to resist the urge to straighten up my room while watching this movie. I guess old habits are hard to change.

John Gillispie is the public relations director for the Huntington Museum of Art. Contact the writer at jgillisp@hmoa.org.

Courtesy of Universal Pictures

Julie Walters, Meryl Streep and Christine Baranski in "Mamma Mia!"

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