Review of Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again (2018) by Allysa C — 30 Jul 2018

I would like to start out by saying that this sequel was something 11-year-old me had always dreamed about and getting to see it actually come to life was a truly incredible experience. Unfortunately, some things in the sequel just did not truly satisfy me as a viewer and a critique. I felt as though many things happened a bit too abruptly and without much preface or indication. Though it is a clear fact that the duration of young Donna's summer flings did happen rather quickly and spontaneously, the development of the characters and the situations did not fully satisfy me. The storyline seems to progress at a rather alarming rate with character after character being introduced and scenes flipping back and forth rather sporadically. Additionally, there was a lot of continuity errors from the first movie which I will now elaborate on. For example, the order in which Donna met and slept with Sophie's potential fathers. At the beginning of the first movie, Sophie is seen reading her mother's diary to her friends and reads aloud how Donna had actually met Sam first and throughout her encounters with the other men, she couldn't stop thinking about him. Secondly, in the first movie, Donna briefly passed a comment informing viewers that her mother was seemingly deceased, saying something along the lines of, "Someone up there must have it out for me, I bet it's my mother." Another continuity error lies with Rosie and Tanya's existing knowledge of who Donna had met the summer of Sophie's conception. In the first movie, Donna is explaining to her friends how she had initially told them both that Sophie's father was "Sam, the architect" then proceeds to tell them she's not so sure because she actually slept with two other men as well that summer. Her friends seem shocked by this information as if they were just now hearing about this for the first time. I believe they said something along the lines of "Donna you dog." However, in the sequel, one can clearly see Donna's short-haired friend Rosie pining after Bill as she watches him chat it up with young Donna before Donna comes over to her friends and informs them that she is leaving them to go hang out with him privately. Aside from all of this, which I could have somehow found it in my heart to overlook (and there may be more errors I did not list), the one thing that really grinds my gears more than anything is the pictures that were taken of Sam, Bill, and Harry with Donna during that summer in the first movie. In these photos, they all have a rather 70's hippie look, including but not limited to long hair (possibly mullets), headbands, and mustaches, topped off with some straight up whacked out clothing. Harry is the only one actually dressed a little differently than the rest (more gothic, remember he was referred to as Harry HeadBanger?) However, the sequel depicts all the men and Donna in a much more modern style.

Overall, though some details could have been stretched into a third film, as to keep a more appropriate pace for the audience and a more precise plotline, and though the continuity was not all there (as you can tell from the examples above), the sequel still gave me as a viewer and fan a true sense of euphoria. Additionally, it definitely maintained the sensation that comes along with the first movie which really defines the "Mamma Mia" movement. Above all, Lily James' portrayal of young Donna was truly marvelous. I especially enjoyed the birth scene which she enacted so brilliantly and enticingly. Viewers could really sense every wave of emotion, it was truly beautiful. I would like to say well done to the cast for hanging in there after a measly 10 years of what was thought to be a stalemate. Each person, overcame the obstacles they faced in their personal lives in order to create this movie and that is truly admirable. Four stars for the dedication and the persistence of everyone who had a part in making this dream of producing a sequel into a reality. Thank you for making my dreams come true.

Sincerely,.

The heart of an enthralled 11-year-old Mamma Mia fanatic.