Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again parents guide

Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again Parent Guide

While the editing between Donna’s past and Sophie’s present is creatively accomplished, excusing the characters’ promiscuous behavior is still a challenge.

Overall B

In this sequel to Mamma Mia!, Sophie (Amanda Seyfried) finds herself torn between honoring the dreams of her mother (Donna played by Meryl Streep) and her those of her partner (Sky played by Dominic Cooper). Meanwhile, a parallel story follows the young Donna (played by Lily James), and shows her relationships with the three men (Jeremy Irvine, Josh Dylan, Hugh Skinner) who Sophie now calls her Dads (Pierce Brosnan, Stellan Skarsgård, Colin Firth).

Release date July 20, 2018

Violence B+
Sexual Content C+
Profanity B+
Substance Use C

Why is Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again rated PG-13? The MPAA rated Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again PG-13 for some suggestive material.

Run Time: 114 minutes

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Parent Movie Review

It has been ten years since the last Mamma Mia movie. Although we are not sure how much time has passed for the characters, we do know one thing: A year has gone by since the death of Donna (Meryl Streep). During that time, her daughter Sophie (Amanda Seyfried) has devoted herself to fulfilling mom’s dream of turning their little piece of Greece into an upscale hotel.

To that end, Sophie’s boyfriend Sky (Dominic Cooper) heads off to New York to take a crash course on how to succeed in the hospitality industry. Then, just days before their Grand Opening event, Sky tells Sophie he wants to stay in the Big Apple to pursue his own career ambitions. Heartbroken, she turns to her mother’s lifelong friends, Tanya and Rosie (Christine Baranski and Julie Walters). She also finds some comfort from the three men she calls Dad: Sam (Pierce Brosnan), Harry (Colin Firth) and Bill (Stellan Skarsgård).

In a parallel storyline we meet the young Donna (played by Lily James), who is struggling with a similar feeling of rejection because her mother (Cher) didn’t come to her university graduation. Plucking up her flower power resolve, Donna bids farewell to her chums Tanya and Rosie (played by Jessica Keenan Wynn and Alexa Davies) and sets out to find herself while travelling through Europe.

We know, because of the previous film, that Donna will encounter and have a sexual fling with three young men who will all be potential candidates as Sophie’s father. And the fun of this sequel is supposed to be meeting the young Sam (Jeremy Irvine), Harry (Hugh Skinner) and Bill (Josh Dylan), and learning how these romances came to be.

The other entertainment, intentional or otherwise, is seeing how the writers of this musical work various ABBA classics into the script. The placement of “Waterloo” and “Fernando” were particularly funny.

While the editing between Donna’s past and Sophie’s present is creatively accomplished, the challenge still remains of excusing the characters’ promiscuous behavior – even though the one-night-stands are implied rather than shown. Some sexual comments, the glamorizing of single motherhood, a disregard for committed couple relationships and frequent drinking are also disappointing.

Yet what Mamma Mia 2 does do well is showing the importance of family ties. Despite the fairytale nature of the congenial Dads and their attitudes over paternity, this second visit to the sun-kissed island has fewer sexual moments and innuendo than the first and proves unexpectedly emotional in its portrayal of the bond between parents and children.

Directed by Ol Parker. Starring Lily James, Meryl Streep, Amanda Seyfried . Running time: 114 minutes. Theatrical release July 20, 2018. Updated

Watch the trailer for Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again

Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again
Rating & Content Info

Why is Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again rated PG-13? Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again is rated PG-13 by the MPAA for some suggestive material.

Violence: A storm causes property damage and puts human and animal’s lives in peril. Some characters are in need of rescuing so they don’t drown. Characters have verbal disagreements and experience emotional distress. Characters grieve over the loss of a loved one.

Sexual Content: The script includes some sexual innuendo, anatomical terms and crass comments. Some humor is derived from comments about same-gender attraction. Couples are seen embracing and kissing. Sexual relations are implied between unmarried couples: characters flirt, discuss having sex and are seen in bed together afterward. A man asks a woman to have sex with him as a favor, because it will be his first time. A woman is depicted as having several casual sexual interactions. Unwed-pregnancy is portrayed. Male characters are seen shirtless. Female characters wear some revealing clothes. Several songs have sexually-suggestive lyrics and characters dance seductively. Some characters are unfaithful to their committed relationships. Characters are seen vomiting from morning sickness. A birth is depicted without much detail.

Profanity: Mild profanity and terms of deity are used infrequently. The script also includes mild name-calling/derogatory statements about men.

Alcohol / Drug Use: The film contains pervasive portrayals of alcohol consumption: most occur in bars and social settings, and a few depict drinking to drown disappointments.

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Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again Parents' Guide

Several of the characters in this movie talk about destiny. Some feel like their fate is inevitable. Others feel it is all mapped out. Yet Donna sets out to find hers. Which of these outlooks do you identify with? Is your future something you can control? Should it be planned by others? Is it something you seek, or just stumble into? How might your feelings about destiny affect where you end up in life?

Sophie is determined to make her mother proud and is willing to make personal sacrifices to do so. Do you think her mom needs her to go to heroics to please her? Where do you think parents find real joy in the lives of their children?

Did you notice the character in a wheelchair in one of the dance numbers? Why do you think this depiction was included in the film? What other segments of society are rarely included in movies like this?

The first Mamma Mia movie was shot on islands off the coast of Greece. The sequel created some controversy when the decision was made to film on Vis Island, Croatia.

Home Video

The most recent home video release of Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again movie is October 23, 2018. Here are some details…

Related home video titles:

This movie is the sequel to Mamma Mia! Amanda Seyfried plays another dutiful daughter in Les Misérables. Meryl Streep stars as a woman who is impossible to please in The Devil Wears Prada. And Lily James stars as the irresistible love interest in the live-action version of the fairytale Cinderella.

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