"Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again"
While sequels to Broadway musicals are rare, good sequels to Broadway musicals are even rarer. Just take a look at Annie Warbucks and Love Never Dies. What these two musicals have in common is that they are terrible sequels to shows that I enjoy. However, the newly released film sequel to the jukebox musical, Mamma Mia, is different from these two musicals because it's next chapter, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, is an enjoyable sequel to a musical that I carry so much disdain for. It must be because I am a jaded, unpleasant person, who is awful to be around, but I have never liked Mamma Mia. I think it is a ridiculous musical that is sometimes entertaining, but overstays its welcome, takes itself too seriously, and is just a poorly written show. I have nothing against mindless entertainment, but I didn't think that Mamma Mia was the good kind of mindless entertainment. When I walked into the movie theatre to watch the sequel, I was more than prepared to trash it, but I just can't. I genuinely enjoyed it. I was invested in the plot and I just begrudgingly shut my pretentious mouth and had fun. I still thought parts of this sequel were ridiculous and so in character for the type of musical I think that Mamma Mia is, but unlike its predecessor, this movie seems to know what it is and is actually able to succeed in being taken slightly seriously, while I am still able to reasonably make fun of how absurd parts of it are.
Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again picks up five years after the events of the original story. Sophie (Amanda Seyfried), Sky (Dominic Cooper), and friends are hosting a grand reopening of the hotel that her mother, Donna (Meryl Streep), owned on the Greek Island. The movie flips back and forth between this story line and another one that focuses on Donna's past on the island and her relationships with the three men who are potentially Sophie's father, in addition to her independence once they all left her.
This time around, the screenplay was not written by Catherine Johnson (writer of the screenplay for the first film, in addition to the book of the musical), but by Ol Parker. Although it is somewhat disheartening to see a film that was originally written and directed by women (Phyllida Lloyd directed the first movie and the stage show) taken over by a man, since we need more movies by women, Parker's screenplay is more coherent than the original Mamma Mia. While the movie is unadulterated fun, it can be taken seriously. My main issue with the original is that it seemed to take itself too seriously and was seldom fun. This time around, it can take itself seriously, make fun of itself, and is a blast throughout. I did think it could get rather low energy at times, but it hits all of the right notes where it needed too. A few of the numbers are recycled from the first movie & musical, but that is alright. Although this is a somewhat lazy method, most of them were effective and actually moved the plot forward. When "Dancing Queen" reappears, I found it to be more joyful and jubilant than it was in the first one
After a short scene with Sophie and some of the other characters, the opening number is at Young Donna (Lily James)'s college graduation. This number, "When I Kissed the Teacher," is in true Mamma Mia fashion, meaning that it had no reason to be happening and didn't do anything to further the story. After the opening number, most (not all) of the numbers actually became plot driven. Because of what appeared to be a pointless opening number and the fact that I was at Mamma Mia 2, it did take me time to get on board with this sequel. However, Hugh Skinner and company's "Waterloo" was so enamoring, that I had no choice but to be taken by Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again.
As Young Donna, Lily James was brilliant. Not only did I believe that she could be a younger Meryl Streep, her charisma and talent were eccentric. She was the true breakout star of the film (although she came to fame with her performance as the title role in the 2015 live action remake of Cinderella). James bore a striking resemblance to Amanda Seyfried, who played her daughter. Although they never played a scene together since they were in two different eras, there were times where the camera would pan over to one of them and I wasn't sure if it was James or Seyfried on screen. The same would also go for the wonderful Jessica Kennan-Wynn and Alexa Davies, who played the younger counterparts of Christine Baranski (Tanya) and Julie Walters (Rosie). All four actresses were perfect. They delivered excellent one liners and it was impossible not to love them. Portraying the younger versions of Sophie's three possible fathers, Josh Dylan (Young Bill), Jeremy Irvin (Young Sam), and Hugh Skinner (Young Harry) were all standouts and charming in their own ways. Colin Firth (Harry) and Stellan Skarsgard (Bill) were as good as they were in the first movie, and luckily, Peirce Brosnan (Sam)'s singing wasn't inflicted on us very much in this movie.
The second number was "One of Us", which was not amazingly sung by Dominic Cooper or Amanda Seyfried as Sky and Sophie, but they improved as the film went on. Seyfried, especially, was more likeable and sweet in this film than her character was in the first one. Rounding out the cast was the paramount that was Cher as Donna's mother, Ruby, and Meryl Streep, who appears in the last number and sings a beautiful duet with Seyfried. Mention also must be made of Andy Garcia as Mr. Cienfuegos, the manager of the hotel, who is involved in the funniest bit of the entire movie.
Parker directed the film, while Anthony van Laast returned as the choreographer. I thought the staging and choreography were exceptional,. I actually wasn't blown away by van Laast's choreography in the original stage musical or movie, but in the second movie it is filled with so much life. Robert D. Yeoman's cinematography was absolutely gorgeous and he did an excellent job of capturing the staging and choreography. I particularly loved the way "Waterloo" and the other dance numbers were shot, with the camera constantly moving around the energetic actors. The locations where the film was shot were gorgeous. Who wouldn't want to go visit that appealing Greek Island?
I am absolutely baffled about how a movie that was so bad the first time around could have such an enjoyable sequel. It still has some of the unfortunate characteristics of the original Mamma Mia, but other than that it was pretty pleasurable. I didn't LOVE the movie, but I had a good time and would be more than willing to watch it a few more times throughout my life. The soundtrack to this film is also insane! Ever since I saw the movie, Cher and the company singing "Super Trouper" has been on repeat around my house. Although the movie doesn't right the wrongs of the first movie and you need the first one to understand parts of the second one, I can still enjoy this one as a separate entity from the first movie. It's not very high art, but it's fun. So, not only did Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again go again, it went better than the first one.
MAMMA MIA! HERE WE GO AGAIN
Music and Lyrics by Benny Anderson & Bjorn Ulvaeus
Direction & Screenplay by Ol Parker
Story by Catharine Johnson, Richard Curtis, & Ol Parker
The principal cast of MAMMA MIA! HERE WE GO AGAIN consisted of:
Sophie Sheridan- AMANDA SEYFRIED
Donna Sheridan- MERYL STREEP
Young Donna- LILY JAMES
Sky- DOMINIC COOPER
Tanya Chesam Leigh- CHRISTINE BARANSKI
Young Tanya- JESSICA KEENAN-WYNN
Rosie Mulligan- JULIE WALTERS
Young Rosie- ALEXA DAVIES
Sam Carmichael- PEIRCE BROSNAN
Young Sam- JEREMY IRVINE
Harry Bright- COLIN FIRTH
Young Harry- HUGH SKINNER
Bill Anderson- STELLAN SKARSGARD
Young Bill- JOSH DYLAN
Mr. Cienfuegos- ANDY GARCIA
Ruby Sheridan- CHER
Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again picks up five years after the events of the original story. Sophie (Amanda Seyfried), Sky (Dominic Cooper), and friends are hosting a grand reopening of the hotel that her mother, Donna (Meryl Streep), owned on the Greek Island. The movie flips back and forth between this story line and another one that focuses on Donna's past on the island and her relationships with the three men who are potentially Sophie's father, in addition to her independence once they all left her.
This time around, the screenplay was not written by Catherine Johnson (writer of the screenplay for the first film, in addition to the book of the musical), but by Ol Parker. Although it is somewhat disheartening to see a film that was originally written and directed by women (Phyllida Lloyd directed the first movie and the stage show) taken over by a man, since we need more movies by women, Parker's screenplay is more coherent than the original Mamma Mia. While the movie is unadulterated fun, it can be taken seriously. My main issue with the original is that it seemed to take itself too seriously and was seldom fun. This time around, it can take itself seriously, make fun of itself, and is a blast throughout. I did think it could get rather low energy at times, but it hits all of the right notes where it needed too. A few of the numbers are recycled from the first movie & musical, but that is alright. Although this is a somewhat lazy method, most of them were effective and actually moved the plot forward. When "Dancing Queen" reappears, I found it to be more joyful and jubilant than it was in the first one
After a short scene with Sophie and some of the other characters, the opening number is at Young Donna (Lily James)'s college graduation. This number, "When I Kissed the Teacher," is in true Mamma Mia fashion, meaning that it had no reason to be happening and didn't do anything to further the story. After the opening number, most (not all) of the numbers actually became plot driven. Because of what appeared to be a pointless opening number and the fact that I was at Mamma Mia 2, it did take me time to get on board with this sequel. However, Hugh Skinner and company's "Waterloo" was so enamoring, that I had no choice but to be taken by Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again.
As Young Donna, Lily James was brilliant. Not only did I believe that she could be a younger Meryl Streep, her charisma and talent were eccentric. She was the true breakout star of the film (although she came to fame with her performance as the title role in the 2015 live action remake of Cinderella). James bore a striking resemblance to Amanda Seyfried, who played her daughter. Although they never played a scene together since they were in two different eras, there were times where the camera would pan over to one of them and I wasn't sure if it was James or Seyfried on screen. The same would also go for the wonderful Jessica Kennan-Wynn and Alexa Davies, who played the younger counterparts of Christine Baranski (Tanya) and Julie Walters (Rosie). All four actresses were perfect. They delivered excellent one liners and it was impossible not to love them. Portraying the younger versions of Sophie's three possible fathers, Josh Dylan (Young Bill), Jeremy Irvin (Young Sam), and Hugh Skinner (Young Harry) were all standouts and charming in their own ways. Colin Firth (Harry) and Stellan Skarsgard (Bill) were as good as they were in the first movie, and luckily, Peirce Brosnan (Sam)'s singing wasn't inflicted on us very much in this movie.
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| Jessica Keenan-Wynn, Lily James, & Alexa Davies as the younger counterparts of Tanya. Donna, and Rosie in Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again. |
The second number was "One of Us", which was not amazingly sung by Dominic Cooper or Amanda Seyfried as Sky and Sophie, but they improved as the film went on. Seyfried, especially, was more likeable and sweet in this film than her character was in the first one. Rounding out the cast was the paramount that was Cher as Donna's mother, Ruby, and Meryl Streep, who appears in the last number and sings a beautiful duet with Seyfried. Mention also must be made of Andy Garcia as Mr. Cienfuegos, the manager of the hotel, who is involved in the funniest bit of the entire movie.
Parker directed the film, while Anthony van Laast returned as the choreographer. I thought the staging and choreography were exceptional,. I actually wasn't blown away by van Laast's choreography in the original stage musical or movie, but in the second movie it is filled with so much life. Robert D. Yeoman's cinematography was absolutely gorgeous and he did an excellent job of capturing the staging and choreography. I particularly loved the way "Waterloo" and the other dance numbers were shot, with the camera constantly moving around the energetic actors. The locations where the film was shot were gorgeous. Who wouldn't want to go visit that appealing Greek Island?
I am absolutely baffled about how a movie that was so bad the first time around could have such an enjoyable sequel. It still has some of the unfortunate characteristics of the original Mamma Mia, but other than that it was pretty pleasurable. I didn't LOVE the movie, but I had a good time and would be more than willing to watch it a few more times throughout my life. The soundtrack to this film is also insane! Ever since I saw the movie, Cher and the company singing "Super Trouper" has been on repeat around my house. Although the movie doesn't right the wrongs of the first movie and you need the first one to understand parts of the second one, I can still enjoy this one as a separate entity from the first movie. It's not very high art, but it's fun. So, not only did Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again go again, it went better than the first one.
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MAMMA MIA! HERE WE GO AGAIN
Music and Lyrics by Benny Anderson & Bjorn Ulvaeus
Direction & Screenplay by Ol Parker
Story by Catharine Johnson, Richard Curtis, & Ol Parker
The principal cast of MAMMA MIA! HERE WE GO AGAIN consisted of:
Sophie Sheridan- AMANDA SEYFRIED
Donna Sheridan- MERYL STREEP
Young Donna- LILY JAMES
Sky- DOMINIC COOPER
Tanya Chesam Leigh- CHRISTINE BARANSKI
Young Tanya- JESSICA KEENAN-WYNN
Rosie Mulligan- JULIE WALTERS
Young Rosie- ALEXA DAVIES
Sam Carmichael- PEIRCE BROSNAN
Young Sam- JEREMY IRVINE
Harry Bright- COLIN FIRTH
Young Harry- HUGH SKINNER
Bill Anderson- STELLAN SKARSGARD
Young Bill- JOSH DYLAN
Mr. Cienfuegos- ANDY GARCIA
Ruby Sheridan- CHER
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