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WHAT IT'S ABOUT:
A return to the magical Greek island of Kalokairi, ten years later, showing how relationships were forged in the past, and resonate in the present, all lived to the songs of ABBA.
WHAT WE THOUGHT:
As a 26-year-old I am blissfully unashamed to say out loud that I am now even more of an Abba fan, thanks to Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again.
Watching the first flick in 2008 got me so hooked, and it wasn’t just the music - the casting, singing, acting, and of course, the island location of the film catapulted me into a dream world where I too processed my everyday emotions through song.
Now, 10 years and a world of change later, the musical returns in a half prequel, half sequel that will certainly reignite a spark of pure happiness – the kind that makes you forget about all the bad in the world.
Aside from the timeless Abba hits, amazing wardrobe and fairy tale location, the casting was on point in every way.
Reprising their roles, and doing a great job at it, are Meryl Streep as Donna, Julie Walters as Rosie and Christine Baranski as Tanya. Amanda Seyfried and Dominic Cooper reunite as Sophie and Sky, while Pierce Brosnan, Stellan Skarsgård and Colin Firth return to play Sophie’s three dads: Sam, Bill and Harry.
Additions are the younger versions of Donna (Lily James), Rosie (Alexa Davies) and Tanya (Jessica Keenan Wynn), as well as Sam (Jeremy Irvine), Bill (Josh Dylan) and Harry (Hugh Skinner). And I definitely can’t forget Cher, who plays Donna’s mother Ruby.
There was a lot of pressure on the younger cast to portray the younger versions of their characters, who were so beautifully brought to life in the Mamma Mia! The Movie but that didn’t stop them from completely nailing it!
Kudos has to go to Davies and Wynn. Their versions of Rosie and Tanya were just as hilarious and lively as Walters and Baranski - from their mannerisms right down to their witty one-liners that viewers will definitely remember long after the credits roll.
Cher – who has been inspired to now release an album of Abba covers – doesn’t have a lot of screen time but boy oh boy does that woman have a voice! 10 minutes of Cher is all we needed to make this movie extra special.
One thing I was disappointed in though, was the absence of Sophie’s two best friends from the first movie – Lisa (Rachel McDowall) and Ali (Ashley Lilley). I could understand that the actresses were perhaps not written into the prequel/sequel, but I do feel as though they deserved a shout out of some sort as they played a pretty big part in Sophie’s life.
Get ready to shimmy away in the cinema seat because Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again is an energetic follow-up to the 2008 smash hit and will be loved by anyone and everyone who is looking for a feel-good flick to feast on.
