Susan Granger’s review of “Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again” (Universal Pictures)
While I thoroughly enjoyed “Mamma Mia!” (2008), the jukebox romp revolved around Meryl Streep as Donna, the adventurous, high-spirited ‘70s hippie who didn’t know which of her three lovers was the father of her daughter, Sophie (Amanda Seyfried), who’s getting married on a Greek island.
Since it’s revealed in the first scene – Donna’s now dead, which leaves a huge void that not even a last-minute, flamboyant appearance by Cher can fill. And, since most of the Swedish pop group ABBA’s best songs were used in the original, the soundtrack is filled with reprises of “I Have a Dream” and some lesser known tunes like “When I Kissed the Teacher,” “Waterloo,” “Fernando” and “Andante, Andante.”
Divided into two sections, one story revolves around Sophie’s preparing to re-open the picturesque hotel founded by her oft-lamented mother, despite having a serious domestic dispute with her husband, Sky (Jeremy Irvine), who’s considering a lucrative job in Manhattan.
Sophie’s comforted by one (Pierce Brosnan) of her possible fathers, since the other two (Colin Firth, Skellan Skarsgard) are otherwise occupied. Plus there are Donna’s irrepressible bandmates, Tanya (Christine Baranski) and Rosie (Julie Walters) – and her suave hotel manager, Fernando (Andy Garcia).
The second story is a prequel, an extended flashback revealing how, 25 years earlier, energetic flower child Donna (Lily James) fled to idyllic Kalokairi on the Aegean Sea and became enamored with younger, unconvincing versions of the three men (Josh Dylan, Hugh Skinner, Jeremy Irvine).
Discarding all semblance of cohesion and reality, both casts meet and mesh during the splashy “Super Trooper” and infectious “Dancing Queen” end credits which, thankfully, include a campy glimpse of marvelous Meryl.
Written and directed by Ol Parker, it’s filled with disjointed, confusing, tormenting transitions, particularly since 72 year-old Cher is just three years older than Meryl Streep, yet plays her estranged, platinum-wigged mother.
Gulp the ouzo and pass the baklava!
On the Granger Movie Gauge of 1 to 10, “Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again” is an unfocused, frantic 5. It’s really a redundant music video.
