Decades after her original visit, the magical nanny returns to help the Banks siblings and Michael’s children through a difficult time in their lives.
The “Mary Poppins” of Disney fifty years ago which starred Julie Andrews, by far, will always have great value to me as a fast-moving story and later, full-scale production that appealed to every child’s imagination. The bright colors and songs seemed to echo the sentiment and longing of every youthful person who wanted to turn fantasy into reality. Fast forward half a century and Mary Poppins (Emily Blunt) is still the ever-so-perfect Nanny who is now being summoned by the fully-grown, adult Michael and Jane Banks (Ben Whishaw and Emily Mortimer) when they’ve exhausted all their resources and don’t know where else to turn in order to save their childhood home.
The conversion of the story into a musical seems to be the best avenue in order to keep the fairytale-like magic flowing for the extensive plot. The presence of Lamplighter Lin-Manuel Miranda and his vocal strengths are an amazing part of bringing the once-dormant characters to life and ensuring the whimsical songs provide feel-good moments that are necessary to raise the bar in childhood entertainment. The journey back to Cherry Tree Lane provides a realistic look at what challenges children currently are facing today and how adults deal with loss and major life adjustments that impact their children and their foreseeable futures.
Director Rob Marshall has done an amazing job of maintaining the strengths of the classic, as well as adding indelible touches that incorporate the current times and the interchangeable roles and responsibilities that make up a family. “Mary Poppins Returns” is a vibrant story of hope and imagination that will span the test of time. The way in which Mike attempts to shelter his children and his heart after the death of their mother can be relative on so many levels and how he effectively deals with growth and change and puts the children’s desires above his own is typical of any parent who is willing to sacrifice so that their children will gain. Since nannies are so pervasive in today’s society, many more children can relate to their role within the family where they are expected to do a lion’s share of the work and the magical aspect of their being is just icing on the cake.
For sheer entertainment, “Mary Poppins Returns” is a safe and fun way to capture moments from a child’s perspective and let them relish in a world of fairytales and magic while at the same time exposing the young and old alike, to the unrelenting responsibility of parenting in an unforgiving world of emotional and financial accountability. Director Rob Marshall’s use of A-List Actors such as Emily Blunt, Meryl Streep, Lin Manuel-Miranda, Angela Lansbury, Colin Firth, and Dick Van Dyke is a welcome addition to a timeless treasure and provide two hours and twelve minutes of sheer fun and excitement.
Now playing in theaters everywhere
