Take a Chance on Mamma Mia!

Mamma Mia! doesn't quite pull off the leap from stage to screen, but ABBA fans will find it worth taking a chance on, critics say. The "jukebox musical that strings together 19 ABBA hits on a narrative thread flimsier than dental floss" had Carrie Rickey of the Philadelphia Inquirer  "smiling and wincing—often at the same time."

Golden oldies Meryl Streep and Pierce Brosnan belt out the golden oldies, clearly "having a great time making the movie," Bill Goodykoontz writes for the Arizona Republic, "and that happiness is contagious." It's those songs that ultimately save this kitsch-fest, writes Owen Glieberman in Entertainment Weekly, who advises on how to watch it: "Just stop rolling your eyes and listen." (More ABBA stories.)