Cast a bunch of non-singing actors — Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, Julie Walters, Amanda Seyfried — in a musical. Base it on a bunch of Abba songs. Sound like something that wouldn’t work? Mamma Mia! is a rousing, joyous, wonderful celebration of life, love and family set to ‘70s music that has stood the test of time. Based on the jukebox musical, it takes place on the Greek island where Donna (Streep) retreated 20 years before to raise her daughter, Sophie (Seyfried). On the eve of her wedding, Sophie invites three men who could be her father. They all show up, along with two of Donna’s oldest friends in movie that celebrates the music and its talented cast. It was a box-office smash, resulting in the sequel. Start with the original and see if you can stop from tapping your toes and smiling through the whole damn thing.
