“Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again” (PG-13)
Ten years after the hit movie based on the blockbuster stage musical, a questionable sequel to the ABBA-inspired “Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again” has finally arrived with mixed results. Loaded with a new set of lesser-known ABBA tunes and the return of some of the original film’s hit favorites, “Here We Go Again” has its share of highs and lows for the first two-thirds of the film until it recaptures the full glory of the 2008 film in a strong third act.
“Here We Go Again” begins with Sophie (Amanda Seyfried), who apparently after her honeymoon with Sky (Dominic Cooper) decided to settle in Greece (And why not? The setting is gorgeous) and is struggling to open her mom Donna’s (Meryl Streep) original abode as a premiere hotel destination.
AUDIO: Hear Tim’s reviews of “The Equalizer 2” and “Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again” with Tom Barnard on “The KQ Morning Show.”
There’s trouble in paradise, though, as Sky has found his dream in the hotel business a half-world away in New York City; and complicating matters is that she discovers she is pregnant with their first child. Effectively, Sophie’s dilemmas mirror that of her free-spirited mom in her younger years (Lily James), and the scenes of which are juxtaposed throughout the film in a series of flashbacks.
Part sequel and part prequel, “Here We Go Again” works best when the original cast appears, including Christine Baranski and Julie Walters as Tanya and Rosie – Donna’s best friends/Donna and the Dynamos back-up singers – as well as Sophie’s three dads: Sam, Harry and Bill, played again by Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth and Stellan Skarsgard, respectively.
Naturally, Donna’s back story includes the younger versions of Tanya and Rosie (Jessica Keenan Wynn and Alexa Davies), and chronicles her brief romances with Sam (Jeremy Irvine), Harry (Hugh Skinner) and Bill (Josh Dylan), leading to her pregnancy with Sophie – which, of course, drove the story line of who the dad was in the original “Mamma Mia!”
While the younger cast members are admirable additions to the large ensemble, they just can’t live up to the memorable performances put in by the veteran stars of the original. Sure, they’re at the heart of the musical numbers that are mostly, but not always, delightful, but the minute the narrative gets back to the storytelling in-between, it feels like all the air has been sucked out of the movie.
VIDEO: See Tim’s reviews of “Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again” and “The Equalizer 2” with Adrienne Broaddus of KARE-TV.
There are a couple new additions to the “Mamma Mia” sequel that are particularly noteworthy: Andy Garcia as the handsome caretaker of Sophie’s new hotel, and Cher as Donna’s/Sophie’s estranged entertainer mother/grandmother who turns up uninvited to the grand opening of the new business. Cher’s appearance in the film, while brief, is naturally one of the big highlights of “Here We Go Again,” merely because her powerhouse voice reminds you just how less-musically inclined her co-stars are. Cher also has a statuesque presence, which makes up for almost the complete lack of Streep in the film, save for one emotionally powerful scene at the end.
Whether a follow-up chapter was even necessary is something fans of the original will surely debate after seeing the sequel, including a crucial plot point involving the main character, Donna (Meryl Streep), that dampens the mood almost from the get-go. A daring, if not welcome move from a storytelling standpoint? Probably, but it also casts a dark cloud over the sunny disposition that made the original production – both on stage and film – such a joy.
Luckily, “Here We Go Again” ends on a high note, as writer-director Ol Parker assembles the entire cast for an entertaining curtain call number that rivals the end credit tunes of the original “Mamma Mia!” True, the second go-round of the story of Donna and the Dynamos won’t knock you off your feet, but thanks to some lovable tunes, it will surely want to make you get up, dance and naturally, sing.
Lammometer: 6.5 (out of 10)
“The Equalizer 2” (R)
Denzel Washington is back as Robert McCall – and this is a pretty big deal for Washington – since this is his first sequel in his career. McCall is a retired CIA Agent who still has knack for kicking the bad guys’ asses when they’re preying on the defenseless. Despite that, he’s still trying to lead a low-profile existence by being a driver for a ride-sharing service – but he’s pulled back into the spy game full-time when his colleagues are being assassinated – and he’s on the list.
Washington is great as usual, even when the story gets predictable with the reveal of who is behind the killings. The final showdown gets out of hand, too, when McCall takes on the bad guy as a hurricane begins to bear down on East Coast. Fans of revenge thrillers won’t care, though, especially when it Washington is the guy pulling the trigger.
Lammometer: 7 (out of 10)
AUDIO: Hear Tim’s reviews of “Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again” and more with Paul Douglas and Jordana Green on WCCO Radio (segment begins 9:30 in)
Tim Lammers reviews movies weekly for The KQ92 Morning Show,” “KARE 11 News at 11” (NBC), WCCO Radio, WJON-AM, KLZZ-FM, “The Tom Barnard Podcast” and “The BS Show” with Bob Sansevere.
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