Disney’s MARY POPPINS RETURNS review by Mark Walters – Emily Blunt becomes the magical nanny

Disney’s MARY POPPINS RETURNS review by Mark Walters – Emily Blunt becomes the magical nanny

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The 1964 MARY POPPINS movie starring Julie Andrews became an instant classic for Disney, and if home video sales are any indicator, it’s still a family favorite even to this day. Now, 54 years later, we’re finally getting a sequel. MARY POPPINS RETURNS hits theaters just in time for Christmas, following a string of Disney updates to some of their classic gems. What was once old is new again, but in this case (not unlike what they did with CHRISTOPHER ROBIN) we’re catching up with some of the youthful characters we saw originally, now all grown up and facing challenges as adults.

After an opening number in which we follow street lamp lighter Jack (Lin-Manuel Miranda), we’re reunited with brother and sister Michael Banks (Ben Whishaw) and Jane Banks (Emily Mortimer) who are still living in their parents London flat, raising Michael’s three children left widowed when their mother was hit by a car. With the bank breathing down Michael’s neck for payment, and Michael without money to cover his expenses, things are looking bleak. So who should return as if on cue? The magical Mary Poppins (Emily Blunt), who at first appears to be there for the Banks children, though we soon find out she’s returned to help the entire Banks family, along with a healthy assist from Jack. As songs and dance numbers unfold, we see the new generation of Banks children learn the importance of imagination, and the true value of family.

There are no major surprises in a film like this, the experience you get is pretty much exactly what you’d expect, but that’s not to say the ride isn’t fun. Emily Blunt appears to be having a blast taking on the Mary Poppins persona, and delivers a characterization that is familiar and yet her own. This Mary seems more seasoned and hip, likely a sign of the times and an effort to connect with today’s generation of youth. She’s not rapping or anything, but we do get pretty close to that. Though some might argue the true star of this film is Lin-Manuel Miranda, who almost seems to get more screen time than Blunt, and definitely seems to be singing and dancing more. I wonder if at some point the filmmakers said “We have the guy who created HAMILTON here, we need to use him to the fullest” and geared the script to be more Jack-heavy. There’s one gigantic musical number in the middle of the film that is almost all Miranda, and it goes on and on to the point of you almost forgetting this is a Mary Poppins movie. That’s not to say it isn’t entertaining, but it does beg the question of whether or not that skewing was intentional.

Ben Whishaw and Emily Mortimer do a fine job playing the original Banks siblings now all grown up, even if we get the sense they’re pretty poor and helpless at times. I wish there had been a little more of Mary reconnecting with them, but she spends almost all of her time with Michael’s kids, leaving the older Banks siblings to struggle with more real world problems and not much relief from the world of imagination. Julie Walters is a fun addition as their live in maid, who always seems to have a witty line no matter what is going on around them. Colin Firth plays the bank executive who is plotting the demise of the Banks household, and would have been more effective if he didn’t show his hand so early on. Imagine having a likable actor like Firth turn out to be an evil baddie, but not knowing until toward the end… instead he reveals his dark side almost immediately, which seemed like a major missed opportunity. Meryl Streep has a brief scene as Mary’s crazy cousin Topsy (complete with a thick foreign accent), a character that kids may find eccentrically amusing but adults might feel is a bit overdone. The absolute best supporting character, which if you’ve seen the trailers is no huge surprise, is Dick Van Dyke as Mr. Dawes Jr., though he doesn’t show up until the final moments of the film – a cheer inducing cameo if there ever was one.

The sequel is directed by Rob Marshall (INTO THE WOODS) from a screenplay by David Magee (LIFE OF PI), and features music by Marc Shaiman. Marshall has done one thing rather brilliantly and that is captured the look and feel of a classic Disney movie. There were times where I forgot I was watching a film made today and not something from the 50s or 60s, making this an almost perfect companion piece for the original MARY POPPINS. Shaiman’s music and lyrics are good but never feel great or exceptional, there are no songs I felt like I’d be signing later to myself, which is something the original film excelled at. That’s not to say the songs here aren’t well done, they’re just not all that memorable. And at a healthy two hour and 10-minute run time, this movie might have benefit from having one less song and dance number to tighten things up. I did greatly appreciate the inclusion of hand-drawn (I’m guessing) animation mixed with live action in one of the major sequences, just like the penguin dance in the original. All in all MARY POPPINS RETURNS is fun and heavy on nostalgia and charm, and definitely earns it place among the better Disney movies, but I just wished there was more in here to take me by surprise. I guess if the formula works, might as well keep the ingredients the same.

MARY POPPINS RETURNS opens December 19, 2018

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About the Author

Born and raised in Dallas, Mark has been a movie critic since 1994, with reviews featured in print, radio and National TV. In 2001 he started the Entertainment section of the Herorealm website, where he contributed film reviews and celebrity interviews until 2004. After three years of service there, he started Bigfanboy.com, which has become one of the Dallas film community's leading information websites. Bigfanboy hosts several movie screenings in the Texas area, and works closely with film and TV studios and promotional partners to host exciting events and contests. The site also features a variety of rare celebrity and filmmaker interviews, and Bigfanboy.com regularly covers the film festival circuit as well. In addition to Hollywood reporting, Mark has worked for many years as an advertising and sci-fi/comic book artist. Clients have included Lucasfilm Ltd., Topps Trading Cards, The Dallas Mavericks and The Dallas Stars. From 2002 until 2015 he managed the Dallas Comic Con, Sci-Fi Expo and Fan Days events in the DFW area. He currently catalogs rare comic books and movie memorabilia for Heritage Auctions, and runs the Dallas Comic Show conventions, but remains an avid moviegoer and cinema buff.