Mama Mia – Here We Go Again (2018), directed by Ol Parker

Most of Abba’s big hits were used in the first film so minor hits and album tracks are more prominent in the sequel, but this actually serves the story better. Set several years after Mama Mia, it is coming up to the anniversary of Donna’s death. Her daughter Sophie has realised Donna’s dream of transforming the Greek island farmhouse into a hotel and is planning the grand opening, but everything is going wrong. Meanwhile we are taken back to Donna’s graduation and the story of her travels to Greece and how she met Sophie’s potential fathers. The casting of the younger versions of the main characters is great, with all of them recognisable and believable, but Lily Cole as Donna is outstanding and she sounds just like Agneta. This film is much better than the first at disguising the non-singers; Amanda Seyfried shoulders most of the musical burden and does it well. Slight but enjoyable, the plot and timeline don’t bear examination and the film could do with a few more laughs. It lifts at the very end with a poignant mother-daughter duet and a joyous whole cast finale, to go out on a high note.