New “Mama Mia” has the music, but not the story

Story is so important to the construction of good movies. When a movie fails to connect, the screenplay is very often at the heart of said movie’s failure. And poor storytelling sabotages “Mama Mia: Here We Go Again,” a film that has everything going for it except for the story.

“Here We Go Again” reunites much of the cast from 2008’s “Mama Mia!,” finding Sophie (Amanda Seyfried) on the verge of opening the hotel her mother dreamed of running. As Sophie rushes to put the finishing touches on her event, the film flashes back to a youthful Donna (Lily James) and fills in some backstory on how she met the three men who Sophie calls “Dad.” Cue the romance, heartbreak and musical numbers.

This film feels less like a cohesive story and more like a collection of music videos. Some of the transitions from current day to flashback don’t make a lot of sense and cause the story to jump around like a rickety old truck on a rutted dirt road. Several times, the film transitions to one plotline just when the other one is getting juicy, really disrupting the flow of the story. The movie does settle down as it winds toward the third act, but the story ping-pongs are distracting enough to pop you out of the story.

A movie that can’t settle into a compelling flow is often a symptom of bad writing. Another symptom is poor characterization. “Here We Go Again” is chock full of characters who don’t learn or grow or change. Young Donna has the closest thing to a character arc, as she goes from a world-traveling free spirit to a more settled, mature person. But none of the other characters is anything more than one-dimensional cardboard cut-outs. And flat, non-dynamic characters leads to boring storytelling.

The lack of story makes it a little difficult to judge the acting in this flick. James’ character is the most dynamic, and she also gives what is easily the best performance. She radiates warmth and soul of the screen. The returning cast members all have good moments here and there, but Christine Baranski and Stellan Skarsgard are the only ones who really manage to stand out. A more effective story might have given them more chances to show their chops, and a lot of these actors seem wasted. And no, Colin Firth doesn’t get credit for being handsome. Being handsome isn’t acting.

While “Here We Go Again” has some pretty serious writing and story problems, it also is filled with exuberant musical numbers. The songs are super catchy, they’re all Abba songs, so that’s probably stating the obvious. Still, the choreography and the camera work combine with the music to put smiles on faces. “Waterloo” and “When I Kissed the Teacher” especially capture a little of the magic of musicals from the golden age of Hollywood.

The movie is also gorgeous. The natural scenery is breathtaking, and the film is lit in a way that’s warm and inviting. The golds and blues in this movie are overemphasized just enough to be romantic. It’s a real visual treat.

“Mama Mia: Here We Go Again” strikes too many sour notes to be a satisfying story. But the familiar faces and fantastic music might be enough to make “Mama Mia” fans happy. The songs get inside your head and there’s a lot of joy on the screen. Even if this movie fails as a story, it might still leave you with a smile on your face.

2 ½ Indy Fedoras out of 5

MPAA Rating: PG-13