Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again Blu-ray Review: Timeless Tunes

By: Lynn Barker

Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, takes place about five years after the first film. 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 (Lily James’) 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?

The three DadsCourtesy of Universal Studios

Starting Over

Donna’s hotel is renovated by daughter Sophie and will have a grand re-opening in a few days. 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 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.

Young Donna and Harry dance in ParisCourtesy of Universal Studios

Changes

Sophie’s husband Sky calls her from NYC. He’s been offered a permanent job there. 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.

Classic Tonya and RosieCourtesy of Universal Studios

Sorrow and Hope

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. She meets young Sam (Jeremy Irvine) when 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.
Will the opening still 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 but 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 Donna with young SamCourtesy of Universal Studios

Reunions

It’s the present and Harry and Bill 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!

Sophie finally gets to sing with the DynamosCourtesy of Universal Studios

Glam Granny

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.

Fernando and Ruby are reunitedCourtesy of Universal Studios

Full Circle

Sophie has her baby nine months later 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.

Cher plays Sophie's glam grannyCourtesy of Universal Studios

Special Extra Features

There are a ton of extras on this Blu-ray/DVD/Digital edition that features detailed sing along material. You can play the whole movie with the Sing Along Option or watch selected tunes and add your voice. Some of the extras, however, appear more than once.

Young Donna and the Dynamos performCourtesy of Universal Studios

• Deleted/Extended Songs and Scenes with Commentary by Director/writer Ol Parker are all enjoyable. Some are song performances
• High Jinks –this is a kind of lame version of outtakes or bloopers. As usual I wish there were more and some “real” ones.
• Enhanced Sing-Alongs- the lyrics on the screen for eighteen songs are easy to read and you get Cher’s “Fernando” song and the whole wacky “Super Trouper” number with full cast at the end. Fun!
• The Story- This extra covers the idea for and execution of the original Broadway musical through the development of the first film and this one. Interesting.
• Mamma Mia! Reunited features the cast talking about the joy of reuniting for another Mamma Mia! film ten years later. Nice.
• Playing Donna focuses on Meryl Streep’s cameo with song and Lily James’ being intimidated at playing a role Meryl Streep played. Sweet and charming.
• Sophie’s Story features Amanda Seyfried talking about the evolution of the Sophie character from innocent girl to take-charge woman. Cast talks about the actress.
• Meeting Cher has the legend talking about taking the role of Ruby and loving the original stage show which she saw three times. Great for her fans especially.
• Costumes and The Dynamos concentrates on the 1970’s inspired wardrobe for the young and “legacy” older cast. The older guys hated being in spandex but the girls loved it. The costume designer highlights her fave outfits. Nice!
• Choreographing Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again is just that…building new dance moves for this second movie that both cast and dancers could accomplish. Funny and fun.
• Cast Meets Cast is a hoot! We get young and older Tonya and Rosie actresses interviewing each other basically. A lot of fun.

Young Rosie and TonyaCourtesy of Universal Studios

• Curtain Call focuses on the big finale all cast in spandex number “Super Trouper”. Pierce Brosnan calls his stretch suit “deeply humiliating”. We see the number in totality.
• Dancing Queen: Anatomy of a Scene is similar but takes apart the difficulty of shooting and planning the enormous singing and dancing cast for this famous ABBA tune, many arriving to the island in boats.
• Cast Chats – The young Dynamos and young Dads talk about their fave moments on set and the pressure of playing the younger versions of legendary actors. Fun
• Performing for Legends puts us in the recording studio as the young cast records ABBA songs in front of members of the legendary band. Talk about pressure.
• Class of ’79 again has the younger cast talking about the intimidation of playing roles established by legendary actors.. This could have been combined with Cast Chats.
• A “Today Show” interview with producer and Cher talking about the film. Nice to have.
• Audio Commentaries – one with director/writer Ol Parker and another with producer Judy Craymer are nice to hear once but re-tell some of the tidbits seen in the extras.

Sophie and Donna's spirit reuniteCourtesy of Universal Studios

Wrapping Up

You certainly get your money’s worth of extras in this Blu-ray/DVD/Digital sing-along set. It is a bonanza for fans of the music who really love to get up and sing and dance along! The story of young Donna and her three loves is a good one. Lily James and young cast bring some fresh air to the Mamma Mia! story. If you haven’t discovered the movies or musical play then give this a try. It is most often an upbeat way to get your groove to the oldies going!

Sky and Sophie are reunitedCourtesy of Universal Studios

Soundtrack sounds great and the visual elements looked colorful and crisp on my set. I would have loved some actual line flubs and true outtakes (I always do) but everything and everyone else is completely covered. We go four stars.

Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again: Sing-Along Edition Rating: 

Courtesy of Universal Studios

Buy Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again: Sing-Along Edition in stores October 23^rd.

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