Monsters at the Movies: Mary Poppins Returns

Mary Poppins Returns

reviewed by Nick Spake • grade: A

Much like how the lightsaber was passed from one generation to another in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Mary Poppins Returns marks the passing of the umbrella. On paper, this follow-up to the 1964 classic shouldn’t take flight. Having been nominated for a Best Picture Academy Award, the original is considered Walt Disney’s magnum opus and its legacy can never be topped. Mary Poppins Returns earns a special place next to its predecessor, though, with the same timing, charm, and magic while also offering something new. Where so many modern sequels bank on nostalgia alone, this one successfully takes us back to our childhoods, making every adult in the audience feel like a kid again.

Set a couple decades after the first film, the Banks children are now all grown up. Emily Mortimer’s Jane is still single and Ben Whishaw’s Michael is a widowed father of three. In addition to losing his wife, Michael is also likely to lose the house he grew up in unless he can uncover a certificate for the bank shares his father left behind. When life is at its bleakest for the Banks, Mary Poppins literally descends from the grey skies above and brings the sunshine back into their lives.

Over 50 years after winning Best Actress for playing the practically perfect nanny, Julie Andrews was given a chance to make a cameo in this film. Andrews turned it down, though, as to not distract from Emily Blunt, who inherits the role in riveting fashion. Like Andrews, Blunt is stern but also fun-loving and spontaneous while always being in control. Although she recaptures the enchantment Andrews brought to the table, it never comes off as an impression with Blunt adding her own ingredients to this spoonful of sugar. The same could be said when Matt Smith replaced David Tennant on Doctor Who. Speaking of which, is it possible that the ageless Mary is a Time Lord? Either that, or she’s been spending her holidays in Neverland.

Mary naturally has a series of musical misadventures with Michael’s children, Annabel (Pixie Davies), John (Nathanael Saleh), and Georgie (Joel Dawson). Also along for the ride is the charismatic Lin-Manuel Miranda as a lamplighter named Jack, who was an apprentice of Bert back in the day. The great Marc Shaiman’s songs are not only brilliantly choreographed and staged, but also among the catchiest tunes Disney has delivered in recent years. Mary takes the children under the sea in “Can You Imagine That?,” paying homage to “The Beautiful Briny” number from Bedknobs and Broomsticks, which was ironically intended for the

original Mary Poppins. Blunt and Miranda are every bit as animated as their cartoon co-stars in the stunning “A Cover is Not the Book” number. Meryl Streep literally flips the world upside down in “Turning Turtle,” and “Trip a Little Light Fantastic” might be Disney’s most energized live-action number since “Step in Time.” The film’s most touching song is “The Place Where Lost Things Go,” which reminds us that even in death, our loved ones are never truly gone.

As was the case with the first film, Mary’s goal is to mend a broken family by saving Mr. Banks. It would’ve been easy to make Michael a copy of his father, but there are some notable differences. Michael is affectionate towards his children and is quick to apologize whenever he crosses a line. He’s simply overwhelmed with grief and isn’t sure how to keep things together without his wife. The film not only tenderly tackles the loss of a family member, but also the loss of childhood innocence and how to get it back. While the film wisely never turns Michael into an antagonist, there is a villain in the form of Colin Firth’s greedy banker. On one hand, a villain could have come off as unnecessary in a story where the inner struggle is already enough. The villain is carefully woven into the story, though, amounting to one of the most inventive climaxes you’ll ever see.

Although Mary Poppins Returns isn’t necessarily better than its predecessor, the film is every bit as timeless. The filmmakers don’t try to make a 21stcentury Mary Poppins with lots of in-jokes and pop culture references. The performances, David Magee’s screenplay, director Rob Marshall’s visual eye, and Marc Shaiman’s musical score all feel as if they could’ve come out of the 1960s. Granted, the effects are more up to modern standards, but the filmmakers don’t constantly rely on CGI either, leaving room for gorgeous practical sets and effects. Even the animated segments remain true to the franchise’s roots with lovely hand-drawn artistry. Just as Mary looks like she hasn’t aged a day, this sequel shouldn’t show any wrinkles 50 years from now. •

Nick Spake has been working as a film critic for ten years reviewing movies on his website: nickpicksflicks.com.