A great, fun movie if you like musicals

Rating: Null/10 (19 July 2008)

Critics have panned this movie pretty badly, but who cares??? I read one critic complain about lack of character development and a cohesive plot. Plot??? Who cares! It's an ABBA musical! That's what you go for. It wasn't made to be an Oscar winning masterpiece. It was made to be fun and on that, it delivers - very well. If you are in the mood for a fun movie with zero violence, low profanity (if any), then this is it. Be warned, there are a few sexual innuendos that might not be suitable for pre-teens, but would fly over the heads of under 8's or so.
Things I liked: * It was just downright fun. It was cheesy as can be, and you just have to go with it, and then you'll have a blast. * The music was great, of course, assuming you like ABBA. * Meryl Streep can flat out sing - I was extremely impressed by her rendition of "The Winner Takes it All". * All the actors played the over the top campy cheesy style very very well. * Shot in Greece - scenery alone is worth the movie admission. * No violence and I didn't notice any profanity (not that I'm against it - I plan to see Batman next, but it was a refreshing change of pace). * You laugh a lot. Sometimes at the story, which most people will know, sometimes at the movie itself and it's high degree of camp. * The end - it's done exactly like the musical - and it's hilarious. * The entire theater was singing at the end and there was a huge applause - when was that last time you saw that in a movie theater???
What I didn't like: * There is one scene with Meryl Streep driving where the backdrop is clearly a movie - the steering wheel turns don't match the direction of the car so well. * Pierce Brosnan's solos. He was very good in the movie as an actor, and my wife enjoyed the beefcake, but he has very limited singing skills. The director should have worked past this by having him backed up by other men which could have compensated for his lack of skills. * You have to let yourself go. It's totally unbelievable. It's totally campy, and if you can't let yourself go, you won't like it. If you aren't an ABBA fan or didn't enjoy the musical on stage if you saw it, this movie is clearly not for you.
As a closing, I was really impressed with how much fun the actors seemed to be having. I think being on the production crew for that movie would have been a blast. You could tell that the making of the movie was pure fun. They were in an exotic location and it looked like most of them had been drinking all day and night before the shoots, hanging out, and having a good time. That certainly added to its charm.