Mamma Mia is more for fans of Swedish pop group Abba than for fans of the Tony-winning Broadway musical.

Oscar-winner Meryl Streep plays the mother of a 20-year-old daughter on the eve of her wedding.

All of a sudden, three men show up on a Greek island claiming to be the bride's father.

Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, and Stellan Skarsgard play the former suitors who make personal attempts to reconnect with the mom and the daughter. And that means they break into Abba songs to plead their case.

Mamma Mia is directed by British theatre director Phyllida Lloyd. She directed the stage production of Mamma Mia in Los Angeles. Her film doesn't always work, and at times is a mess. It's also filled with actors who can barely carry a tune, but ultimately, if you love Abba's music, it doesn't really matter.

Mamma Mia is not an Oscar contender like Chicago or Sweeney Todd. It's simply a dessert-filled creme puff designed mostly for a female audience and rated a mild PG-13. As for most of the men in the audience, it gives them another reason to dislike movie musicals.

E-mail gcogill@wfaa.com.