Warning: Minor film spoilers follow.
“The best moments in reading are when you come across something – a thought, a feeling, a way of looking at things – which you had thought special and particular to you. Now here it is, set down by someone else, a person you have never met… And it is as if a hand has come out and taken yours.”
Hector’s lines during a pivotal scene of Alan Bennet’s ‘The History Boys’ observe the beauty of art and the essence of its magic. We observe films, read books and attend the theatre to connect with characters, to challenge our perceptions, learn about life, and perhaps recognise the beauty within our own.
‘Mamma Mia’ – both the stage musical and the 2008 film – has always struck a personal chord; the themes of a mother and daughter’s bond mirroring the connection between my mother and I. Its sun-bleached façade is endlessly uplifting, the music and humour providing much needed relief from reality: pure escapism.
My love and connection to the first film positioned my expectations for its sequel at an unusually high level. ‘Mamma Mia’ captures the beauty and fragility of life with such charm and accuracy. A look at these beloved characters during their later years, therefore, was always going to be bittersweet. Change is the only constant in life; people move on, the world never staying still. Which means, if the same level of heart-rending beauty was applied to the sequel, it was guaranteed to be tragic.
‘Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again' – both a sequel and a prequel – is uplifting and heart-breaking in equal measure. It’s a celebration of being alive, with a melancholic nod to the inevitability of growing old and moving on.
Like the first film, it urges us to live in the moment, to let go and lead the life we yearn for. Not as much a sequel as a natural progression of the character’s lives, the themes of growing old seep through; tinting the sunny exterior and painting this film with darker hues.
Even the comic relief feels like an attempt to mask the sorrow. Just as we approach life with a whimsical levity, this film also attempts to laugh through its sadness, thus creating an even greater warmth between characters. The frivolity of youth is strikingly juxtaposed with the tender truths of older years. Flashbacks are fantastically interwoven with the present day narrative – spliced together with breath-taking cinematography that both drives the story forward and emphasises an emotional core.
Transitions between two locations during the number ‘One of Us’ were particularly impressive, with the scene moving continuously from Sophie’s bedroom to Sky’s New York abode. This seamless splice of timelines foreshadows a heart-breaking final scene which is very tenderly directed.
Few scenes or musical numbers are left without at least a hint of melancholy; even uplifting songs such as ‘Dancing Queen’ are tinted with an emotional underscore. The characters aren’t quite who they used to be, and nor are we as viewers. Reprises of joyous numbers from the first film blissfully highlight these shifting moods.
The sequel is very aware of its predecessor and roots – with in-jokes employed not only for comedy, but to emphasis a seamless narrative. The characters may break out into ABBA songs every few minutes, but the sheer beauty of ‘Mamma Mia’ lies in its reflection of reality. The songs are deeply rooted in the DNA of each character, just as they reflect the shifting tones of the original band members lives. They formed the backdrop of my parent’s youth, and I, too, have been lucky to grow up with their music. Each song, with only very minor lyric changes, is applied to the film with startling accuracy. Art imitating life: perfection.
It is cast beautifully, too. The young actors within the flashback scenes are exceptional – capturing every nuanced mannerism of their older counterparts. Lily James portrays young Donna with as much soul and heart as Meryl Streep. The three young ‘fathers’ – Bill, Harry and Sam, are fully squeezed of all comedic worth, and it is extremely satisfying to witness their initial meetings with Donna.
The established cast are a delight once again. Julie Walters, arguably the biggest victim of the sequel’s melancholic undertone, shines, as always, in both comedic and mournful scenes. ‘Angel Eyes’, which Walters sings with Christine Baranski and Amanda Seyfried, perhaps best captures the tone of the entire film.
It is heart-warming and ultimately reassuring to drop in once again to the infamous Greek Island, almost like returning home and catching up with old friends: devastating and beautiful at the same time. Just like life.
Tim Norman