Should you go see Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again? Kidzworld enjoyed it. Is it as fun as the first one? Will you want to get up and dance or go to a Greek island? Check the movie review.
By: Lynn Barker
In Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, it is about five years since we’ve seen the Mamma Mia! cast. Sophie (Amanda Seyfried) has renovated her mom Donna’s (Meryl Streep) hotel on the Greek island of Kalokairi. Husband Sky (Dominic Cooper) is in hotel management school in New York and the couple has grown apart. The grand opening of the new hotel Bella Donna attracts Donna’s old singing buddies Tanya (Christine Baranski) and Rosie (Julie Walters). Sophie learns more about young Donna’s past and meet-ups with her three “dads” Sam, Bill and Harry (Pierce Brosnan, Stellan Skarsgård, and Colin Firth). Does Sophie have more in common with her mom than she thought?
Sophie with mom DonnaCourtesy of Universal Studios
New Start
Sophie has almost finished renovations to mom Donna’s villa and the hotel will have a grand re-opening in a few days. We learn that Donna died a year before and husband Sam is doing the best he can to cope. Sophie sends out invitations to the other “dads” and her estranged grandma Ruby (Cher) then thinks better of it and tears it up. In backstory, we see young, feisty, rebellious Donna (Lily James) graduating from college, wearing gold go-go boots and singing at the event with her two gal-pals young Rosie (Alexa Davies) and Tanya (Jessica Keenan Wynn). Donna decides to travel the world and ends up in Paris.
Donna and the class go wild after graduationCourtesy of Universal Studios
Parted Lovers and Returning Friends
Husband Sky calls Sophie from NYC. He’s been offered a permanent job there. Sophie says he knows she will never leave the island. They are still in love but at a stalemate in their relationship. Tanya and Rosie arrive on the island for the re-opening party. They are attracted to Fernando Cienfuegos (Andy Garcia) hotel manager who tells them he lost his true love long ago. In the past, young Donna meets young Harry (Hugh Skinner) in Paris and they hit it off. She leaves for Greece making him feel abandoned.
Sophie welcomes older Tanya and Rosie back to the islandCourtesy of Universal Studios
Sadness and Joy
In the present Sophie and her dad Sam share their sorrow over Donna’s death. We see that young Donna went to the Greek island on a boat owned by young Bill (Josh Dylan) to whom she is also attracted. Harry follows her to the island and feels very rejected. Donna discovers an old villa and has a dream that it could be a great hotel and meets young Sam (Jeremy Irvine). They calm down a spooked horse during a storm. A storm also hits in the present and destroys all of Sophie’s grand opening decorations. She worries that the opening will never happen. In the past, Sam and Donna fall deeply in love. She sings at the bar on the island. She wants to stay and work on the old villa. He doesn’t commit to doing so. She finds a picture of him with a girl and learns that he is engaged! Donna is heartbroken! So is he as he leaves the island.
Young Harry follows Donna to the islandCourtesy of Universal Studios
Enter the “Dads”
In the present, Harry and Bill decide to come to the grand opening to support their daughter Sophie and honor Donna. In the past, the young versions of Tanya and Rosie join Donna and sing at the local bar. Regretting leaving, young Sam returns only to be told that Donna has “moved on” and is on a boat with Bill. Shattered, Sam leaves again. In the present, Sky arrives on the island and he and Sophie make up. He will stay with her there. Sophie learns she is pregnant. In the past, so does Donna!
Older Harry, Bill and Sam reunite on the islandCourtesy of Universal Studios
Enter Grandma
In the present, Donna’s estranged mom Ruby (Cher) also a famous singer, arrives uninvited to the hotel opening party. She reluctantly commits to being a grandma and soon, a great-grandma! She spots manager Fernando and is floored. Ruby is the love he lost. They reunite over the ABBA song “Fernando” (of course). In the past, Donna has her baby girl Sophie.
Ruby (Cher) and her Fernando reuniteCourtesy of Universal Studios
Celebration
Nine months later, Sophie has her baby with everyone in attendance for a christening at the island church where Sophie and Sky were married. Even the spirits of Donna, young and older, are there to help celebrate. In a credits scene, Cher sings and dances for joy as do the young and old versions of all characters.
Young Bill offers Donna a boat ride to the islandCourtesy of Universal Studios
Wrapping Up
Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again is full of life, joy and a bit of sorrow. Songs are classic ABBA tunes with a few new ones added. The singing and dancing is well-performed by the entire cast. The plot jumps back and forth from past to future but the various scenes are well-integrated and you can easily follow both stories.
Young Donna and Sam on the islandCourtesy of Universal Studios
Lily James as young Donna is a breath of fresh air and her hopeful adventures are infectious. The Rosie and Tanya characters, both older and younger versions, still have witty and funny dialogue and Alexa Davies and Jessica Keenan Wynn who play the younger Rosie and Tanya are a spot on match to their older counterparts. The three young actors playing young versions of Sam, Bill and Harry are really cute as well!
Older Rosie and Tanya comfort SophieCourtesy of Universal Studios
It’s a hoot to see Cher returning as Sophie’s famous singer/grandma and her performance of “Fernando” with Andy Garcia is both funny and fun.
Sky lets Sophie know he's back to stayCourtesy of Universal Studios
Although, along with the upbeat dance tunes, there are a few “downer” sorrow moments in the film, the songs that accompany the sadness, are appropriate and enjoyable. You either like musical movies or you don’t. If you do, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again will have you out of your seat grooving along to the “oldies”. We go four stars.
Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again Movie Rating: 
Courtesy of Universal Studios
See Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again in theaters Friday, July 20th
Have Your Say
Do you like to sing and dance along with musical films? Are you into tales of romance and family? Did you see the original Mamma Mia! movie? Dance on by with a comment!
