Mary Poppins Returns (2018)

Review

130min

Genre:       Adventure, Family, Fantasy, Musical

Director:    Rob Marshall

Cast:         Emily Blunt, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Ben Whishaw…and more

Writers:     David Magee, Rob Marshall, P.L. Travers… and more

-Synopsis-

With young ‘Jane’ and ‘Michael Banks’ now grown and raising their own family in depression-era London, the world’s most iconic nanny returns to help the family in their time of need and bring some much needed magic and wonder, as director Rob Marshall assembles an all-star cast while Emily Blunt steps into some mighty shoes in this unexpected sequel . . . several generations in the making.

Fifty-four years after the “practically perfect” British nanny first swooped onto our screens to save the Banks family and bring merriment to the world, Disney continues on its path of breathing new life into beloved and lucrative properties, morphing remake into sequel to nostalgically revive a screen icon while introducing her to a whole new generation.

Blunt stars as the eponymous, no-nonsense magical British nanny, floating back down to Cherry Tree Lane after twenty-five years to reunite with her adult former cares Jane Banks (Emily Mortimer) and Michael Banks (Ben Whishaw), as he struggles to raise his three children ‘Anabel’ (Pixie Davies), ‘John’ (Nathanael Saleh) and ‘Georgie’ (Joel Dawson) while tough times conspire to threaten the family home. But cometh the hour, cometh the nanny, as she wrangles the children and teams up with trusty local lamplighter ‘Jack’ (Lin-Manuel Miranda) to embark on an all-singing magical adventure, helping to hold the Bankses together . . . and once again teaching them about what really matters along the way

Having triumphed at the Oscars with his 2002 screen adaptation of ‘Chicago’, and successfully tackling Sondheim for Disney with 2014’s fairy tale musical ‘Into the Woods’, it seems fitting and prudent that the ‘house of mouse’ would turn to Rob Marshall to revisit one of their all time classics—and they make a wise move right from the off in going for a sequel rather than a remake, surely hoping to mitigate note-for-note, line-for-line comparisons between the talented Emily Blunt and the incomparable Dame Julie Andrews.

Although not strictly a remake or reboot, ‘Mary Poppins Returns’ largely follows the same formula of the original in terms of the plot, structure and theatricality, replacing chimney sweeps with lamplighters, cartoonish frolics in a painting with animated adventures on a ceramic bowl . . . and so on, but with a slightly sharper tone and a greater sense of peril. Most importantly this sequel manages to recreate the playful style and magical quality of the 1964 classic (if not quite the impact), coating a good old fashioned morality tale with a stylish veneer of wholesome family adventure—but let’s be honest here, there’s one key element of success for this project . . . nostalgia.

In many ways this is an extension of the 1964 Disney classic, with Marshall & co. leaning heavily on the elements which defined the childhoods of millions. But if you’re expecting an impromptu sing-along then you may be disappointed as there’s no recycling in this extravagant production, only a whole new selection of glorious jaunty songs and wonderful music from Marc Shaiman (South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut, Hairspray)—which although not as iconic and instantly hummable as the original work of the legendary Sherman Brothers, still a delightful score in its own right and expertly performed by the actors . . . who also nail the grand dance numbers.

‘Mary Poppins Returns’ is visually masterfully conceived and executed too, relying on more traditional techniques and making the more modern digital adornments look seamless, transforming the location shoots and extensive studio work into legit 1930s London, and proving far more realistic than the production designs of the original, which even for the time smacked of pantomime soundstage production. Yet the smartest design decision made here is to stick with traditional animation for the actors to jump into, giving us another fantasy animal world of song & dance, while paying homage to Disney’s legacy.

For all its undeniable qualities, ‘Mary Poppins Returns’ is ultimately and perhaps inevitably hampered by the impossible legacy it was always going to struggle to live up to, and despite the impeccable craftsmanship which separates this film from the 1964 original and brings it into the 21st century, there’s always a huge narrative anchor weighing it down, plus the sense of boxes being ticked and the spectre of an untouchable canonical formula.

It’s a testament to Julie Andrews‘ legendary Oscar-winning performance in the original that despite Emily Blunt’s delectable tour-de-force, the iconic titular character may be this film’s Achilles’ heel . . . if it truly has one. The versatile young Brit is undeniably charismatic and does an admirable job in recreating the screen Poppins’ attitude, enunciation and dulcet tones, but she was never going to live up to the wonderment and childhood memories of generations—and although it’s unfair to compare her with the great classical British soprano dame and her four-octave range, for many Emily Blunt will just never be Mary Poppins.

Yet Mary Poppins she most certainly is, and probably the definitive one for generations to come, in what is a delightful and fitting tribute to an all-time family favourite, and a worthy ode to classic Disney . . . which further adds to the already overflowing coffers of modern Disney.

The Bottom Line…

Whilst it may be far from practically perfect in any way, ‘Mary Poppins Returns’ proves a delightful tribute to the 1964 family classic, and a hugely enjoyable ode to classic Disney—thanks to an admirable central performance from a game Emily Blunt, solid supporting turns all around, a healthy sprinkle of nostalgia magic, and impeccable cinematic craftsmanship from Rob Marshall and the ‘house of mouse’.

Similar films you may like (Home Video)

Into the Woods (2014)

Award winning director Rob Marshall (Chicago, Memoirs of a Geisha) teams up with Disney to bring the award winning Sondheim Broadway musical to the big screen, an all-star adaptation of the tale of a witch who blackmails a medieval baker and his wife into completing a quest that brings together several characters from the classic fairytales of the Brothers Grimm . . . among others.

Directed by Rob Marshall and starring Meryl Streep, Emily Blunt and James Corden among others.

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