Funny and enjoyable even without the music

Rating: Null/10 (13 September 2013)

I liked the music of ABBA in the 1970s. Or rather, I liked the familiar music of ABBA. This movie features a lot of songs I never heard and for the most part don't like. But part of the appeal of ABBA songs is those beautiful voices. An added bonus, as I found out after Dick Clark died and ABC showed a New Year's Eve special with the best moments from New Year's Eves past, is seeing those good-looking girls perform.
This movie had a perfectly good plot without the songs. I liked the mystery of who Sophie's father is. I liked all the comedy and seeing Meryl Streep not take herself too seriously. The film was especially funny when each potential Dad realized he must be Sophie's Dad.
The songs do add something. Some of them have dancing that is fun to watch. And Streep gets to be even more silly. Plus she's quite flexible, but that's nothing compared to Christine Baranski, who apparently can move like a circus performer.
The natives seemed real enough. I'm referring to the people who didn't seem American or British who apparently had always lived wherever this movie took place.
I don't even remember the names of the potential fathers, but they all did a good job. Particularly the one with the boat. Pierce Brosnan was my favorite of the three, and he could even sing. Well, he had the talent that George Burns has for singing. In other words, not really singing talent, but you like him enough you don't care. Sadly, I saw the movie "Evelyn" around the same time I saw this, and he sang in that too. He wasn't any better and yet his character was trying to make a living.
I could have done without the wild rock concert at the end. Surely Streep has more dignity than that. And yet she is so respected even that couldn't hurt her reputation, and she seemed to be enjoying it. I'm sure many others will.
It's a worthy effort.
Sophie looks good in a swimsuit.