The Antidote: Mama Mia!

I have found the absolutely perfect antidote for anything that ails you this summer: MAMA MIA!

The wife and I joined Ms. UCONN and Ms. I-Lust-Pat-Summit (ILPS) last night for a viewing of Mama Mia, the movie musical. I am here to tell you that I smiled through the entire movie. I'm serious--the entire movie. From the opening number to the corny ending dance performance, I was smiling.

The wife was in her glory. ABBA is one of her all time favorite bands--she even saw them in concert when she in ninth grade. This movie was the perfect antidote for her Brett Favre woes. She was too busy singing and tapping her toes to worry about His Selfishness.

It is an amazing thing, this writing a story based on ABBA lyrics. Genius! I think the most amazing part is when you are sitting there in the movie theater thinking about "Geez, I didn't know that's what the lyrics were." You think you know a song and then you see someone singing the actual lyrics in the context of a movie and it's like you never had listened to the song before. I'm not kidding when I say I wanted to go home and steal the wife's ABBA CD's so I could listen closely to the words I now know I there.

This movie is better and cheaper than an anti-depressant, so if you are feeling a little yucky, you should just suspend your need for an in-depth plot with a deep, complex story line and go get some free rays of sunshine. Make sure to bring an ABBA CD with you in the car so you can listen to it on the way home. (I suggest an actual ABBA album, not the soundtrack, as the real ABBA is much more delightful than any singing actors.)

Now, there are some rules to this antidote, so don't say I didn't warn you.

First, you must suspend your need of a specific timeline. Just go with it. For god sakes, the movie is based entirely on ABBA songs. Who cares that the time lines don't seem to make much sense?

Secondly, you must not be allergic to ABBA songs. I didn't say you have to like ABBA songs; it just helps if you don't hate them--although I am not sure how anyone could hate ABBA songs. ABBA songs are fun and corny--what's not to love? If nothing else, the movie will give you a deeper appreciation of these 70's iconic hits. And, I guarantee you will be amazed by the actual lyrics. If you aren't surprised at least once during the movie about the lyrics, you must be out getting popcorn and not listening.

Third, you must stay for the ending of the movie. When Meryl and the gang do their "Dancing Queen" encore, you want to clap along. Cheesy, cheesy, cheesy but delightful. Over the top delightful. How can you not smile when Meryl Streep is singing ABBA songs while wearing platform metallic platform shoes from the 70's?

I am not one to see movies twice, especially at the theater....but, I'd go see this again. Not because it was profound or Academy-award-winning fodder--but, because it really IS the antidote for whatever ails you. It was fun to smile for two hours. Why not go do it again? It's cheap, it's legal and it's calorie-free (well, unless you eat a bucket of popcorn--then, you are on your own).

For you true ABBA fans, watch for cameos of the band members. For you who don't even know who ABBA is (persons who were raised watching "High School Musical"), respect your elders and go enjoy "their" music. That kid Zach Efron's got nothing on this musical. If you want dark and serious and amazing, go see "The Dark Knight." If you want fun and smiles and laughter, go see "Mama Mia." But, don't say I didn't warn you that you'll be humming ABBA songs for the next few weeks.