Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again Review

I didn't know what to expect with Mamma Mia! 2 (Here We Go Again) I imagined the plot would expand on Sophie's (Amanda Seyfried) story and what her life is like after moving away with her former fiance, Sky (Dominic Cooper). What more could you add to the story with ABBA songs?

Apparently a lot. The timeline is confusing, to say the least, and I was lost for most of the first-hour wondering who this young girl (Lily James) is. The movie starts with Donna arriving late for her graduation speech, as the valedictorian at Cambridge. Instead of giving the usually dull speech to classmates and parents, Donna breaks into song, and everyone joins. Lily James is engaging and grabs the audience's attention from the start. Then we see Sophie getting ready for the grand opening of this gorgeous hotel on top of the mountain where Donna's (Meryl Streep) modest lodging was in the original Mamma Mia!

She looks sad as she remembers the past and her now deceased mom. That was unexpected. The decorations are beautiful as Sophie feels bittersweet about having hundreds of people for the special event, but after a sudden storm destroys all the preparations so carefully laid by hotel workers, it seems like no one will be able to make it. They closed the airport in Athens, Sophie bitterly announces to Sam (Pierce Brosnan). Her two other dads won't be able to come due to previous obligations. A high-stakes contract negotiation for Harry (Colin Firth) and an award ceremony for Bill (Stellan Skarsgård). She's devastated and heartbroken.

To make matters worse, Sky, who has been in New York City learning all he can about running a hotel, has been offered a permanent job that he can't turn down. She thinks they are over.

In the meantime, we learn the story of young Donna. The way in which the script presents the backstory is unusual and original. It's like having a prequel and a sequel all in one movie, but it can be very confusing. My first thought is that young Donna is Sam or one of the other dad's daughters. Slowly, as the plot unravels and she starts meeting three handsome men in different parts of Europe, it becomes clear that the girl is repeating the original story or she is a young Donna.

The plot has some holes especially when it comes to the sequence of events and what the timeline is. There are significant inconsistencies between the backstory and how old the characters are. That's the bad part. The good part is that the music is contagious, especially for those of us who enjoyed ABBA when we were younger. You will hear many of the same songs, but who cares, they are favorites, and you can listen to them over and over. There are some new songs, and Amanda Seyfried sings several of them. She is quite good. I was very impressed with Lily James. She is gorgeous with her long, wavy hair and eccentric outfits. Also has a good singing voice.

It was great to see the same characters from the original Mamma Mia! and, particularly, to look at the guys dancing and singing. I think Colin Firth is my favorite. Perhaps because he is Mr. Darcy. It's hilarious to see him singing and having a good time. I still think Pierce Brosnan is a terrible singer though.

In summary, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again was enjoyable and didn't disappoint despite some inconsistency in the timeline and character backstories. I would give it a 7 out of 10. The movie is playing in theaters now.