Hi, my name is Gianna and I am addicted to the "Mamma Mia" franchise. I know all of the songs, I basically memorized all of the script, and Donna (Meryl Streep's character) is my idol. My sister and I are also going to where they filmed "Mamma Mia" for her bachelorette party. We are going to reenact Sophie's bachelorette party and I am going to dress up as Donna singing "Super Trouper."
Now that you know these strange facts about me, you can almost understand why I left "Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again" with questions that deeply disturbed me. I almost think that the people who created this movie didn't even watch the first "Mamma Mia" movie with all of the inconsistencies in it. Despite some mistakes, I do believe that "Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again" is a wonderful movie with songs that make you just want to get up and dance in the middle of the theater. However, I did leave the theater wondering these questions...
1. How did Donna die?
Donna had such a joyful spirit and we all missed it in the second movie. Although I got to feel her spirit as young Donna played by Lily James (who was absolutely the best character in "Mamma Mia 2"), I missed seeing Meryl Streep. We find out in the first two minutes of the movie that she died and there was a huge picture frame of Donna hanging in the hotel to commemorate her. First of all, you can't kill off Meryl Streep. Second of all, how did she even die? Was it cancer? A tragic ferry accident? The world may never know.
2. How did Sophie have an iPhone and an iPod in 2005?
The second movie was supposed to take place five years after the first movie. So if we do the math, Donna gets pregnant in 1979 and has Sophie in 1980. 20 years later, Sophie is getting married in 2000. Then five years after that, "Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again" takes place. With that said, we see Sophie using both an iPhone and an iPad in this movie. This obviously makes no sense because the first iPhone was released in 2007 and the first iPad was released in 2010.
3. Did Sam abandon his children to live on Kalokairi?
In the first movie, Sam mentions how he has grown up children of his own. However, in the second movie, Sam seems to be living on Kalokairi with Sophie. Did he just abandon his actual children for some girl that is potentially his daughter? I just don't understand.
4. How is Donna the valedictorian at Oxford?
When we first meet young Donna, it is at her graduation from Oxford. I was shocked to even see her at Oxford, but even more shocked when she was announced as the valedictorian. Now I'm not saying that Donna isn't smart. I am just confused as to how she managed to have a wonderful social life, a carefree lifestyle, and a 4.0 GPA. It just doesn't seem realistic.
5. Why is the timeline of how Donna met Sam, Bill, and Harry messed up?
This is why I'm convinced that the creators of this movie did not watch the first "Mamma Mia." In the song, "Honey, Honey," the order of how she met Sam, Bill, and Harry is explicitly stated. First, Sam brings Donna to the island Kalokairi where they sleep together and fall in love. After Sam leaves to return to his fiance, Bill shows up and Donna sleeps with him in the hopes of getting over Sam. And then Harry shows up "out of the blue" a week later and Donna sleeps with him last. This is NOT what happened in "Mamma Mia 2." There was a whole goddamn song about the timeline, yet the creators still seemed to mess it up.
6. Why did Donna only meet Harry once?
Despite the messed up timeline, I'll just roll with it for my next question. Why did Donna just meet Harry once? Their relationship moved very quickly (probably because he just wanted to lose his virginity) and they sang "Waterloo" which was great. But I really wanted to see more of young Harry in the movie because his character was so funny and didn't get the screentime that he deserved.
7. What is the name of Sophie's baby?
Ah, yes. The lovebirds Sophie and Sky. They always fight, but then they always make up in the end because the movie has too many plot points to cover. Anyway, at the end of "Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again," Sophie has her baby and it's a boy! But they never tell us his name. Is is Don (after her mom Donna)? Is it some combination of Sam, Bill, and Harry? Samillary? Again, I have no idea.
8. How is Ruby Sheridan alive?
In the first movie, Donna talks about how her mother is dead. This is a direct quote from Donna in "Mamma Mia": "Somebody up there has got it in for me. I bet it's my mother." But then all of a sudden, Donna is the one that is dead and her mom (Cher) is alive! Also, Cher is only three years older than Meryl Streep, so that's a little odd.
9. How is Ruby Sheridan a Vegas singer when she supposedly is a strict Catholic mother?
In the first movie, Donna's mother kicks her out of the house and disowns her once she finds out that Donna is pregnant. She is made out to be a strict Catholic, but not only is her mother not dead, she is also NOT a strict Catholic. Instead, Donna's mother Ruby is a famous Vegas singer. Now, this just really boggles my mind!
10. How are Bill, Sam, Harry, Tanya, and Rosie supposed to be in their 40s and 50s?
In the first movie, Meryl Streep was playing a 43-year-old woman. At this time, she was actually 59-years old, so it was kind of pushing it. Christine Baranski (Tanya) and Julie Walters (Rosie) were also playing characters around that age, which is pushing it too. However, what is even worse is that in "Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again," Sam, Bill, and Harry are supposed to be in their 50s. However, they are well older than 50, with Stellan Skarsgard (Bill) being 67-years-old! If the creators of this movie franchise wanted to be accurate, they picked the wrong actors; but they chose the best actors, which is really all that matters.
Overall, I was a bit underwhelmed by the plot line and plot holes in this movie, but I was overwhelmed by the amazing renditions of the classic ABBA songs that made me sing throughout the whole movie! I recommend that all ABBA and "Mamma Mia" fans see this movie, just to let loose and have fun with Donna and the Dynamos!
