Cinema Trips - 'Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again'

Ten years have passed since the release of the first Mamma Mia film, an adaptation of the stage play of the same name. Here We Go Again begins several years after the events of the first, with Amanda Seyfried renovating the hotel in time for its grand reopening in honor of her now passed mother, played by Meryl Streep.

There are two films within this single film, one being that of Amanda Seyfried trying her best to make her memory of her mother proud, and the other of how her mother ended up on the island to begin with, leading up to the moment she found the hotel to giving birth to her daughter. The mother in her younger years is played by Lily James.

I make no secret of the fact that the first film is one that I am less than fond of, in fact, it is one that I outright hate. However, it is for that very reason why I am glad that this film exists as it is one that I thoroughly enjoyed, in fact, it was one of the best cinema experiences that I have had this year.

The main goal of the film is not to be a film of cinematic excellence, it is a film that is more concerned with making sure that the audience is having a good time, making sure that the experience is enjoyable, appealing to the emotions rather than any logic. On this, I have to say it succeeds with flying colors.

All the new cast from the flashback storyline give out heartfelt performances that are only enhanced by the terrific song selection from ABBA’s discography. Each song serving a purpose in propelling the story further organically, rather than simply being present by virtue of it being a song by ABBA.

There are improvements all around in the sequel, the first being the younger cast is played by different and younger actors as opposed to the older actor simply putting on a wig as they did in the first. The voice talent added worked really well, especially Lily James, bringing her experience from Cinderella. Her performance truly embodied the character that Meryl Streep gave in the first film, being a joy to watch anytime she was on screen.

In addition, they also toned down the vocal work that the weaker singers in the cast needed to do to more subtle renditions of the songs or being far more in the background, making for an overall better listening experience.

What is wonderful here is that every character had a purpose here and was not simply there because of their name. Plot points and lines of dialogue that at first seemed to be throwaway lines of backstory, actually have a pay off at the end of the film.

As the film carried on, I found myself wishing that, while I enjoyed the entire film as a whole, that we got more of the flashback storyline as that was where a majority of my attention was. It was the part of the film that seemed far more interesting.

It was a wonderful film about finding who you are and taking the time to figure out what you want to do in your life. It's about sticking to your passions no matter the challenges that lay ahead, and ultimately being true to yourself. Finally, it is a film about accepting parenthood, whether it be as a single parent or as a couple. It is this last point that really made this a fantastic experience, as it celebrated motherhood.

I am not certain if it is something that I am only now starting to realize or if it was something that had always been prevalent, but the number of films that actually focus on parent-child relationships has increased: Avengers Infinity War had a significant storyline present, Incredibles 2, Ant-Man and the Wasp, and Maquia: When the Promised Flower Blooms to name the most significant. Either way, it is something I thoroughly enjoy seeing when done as well as these films have done them.

In closing, it is a film that I thoroughly recommend to people if you have even the slightest interest in musicals.