Mary Poppins Returns
- Carlee Goodrum
- Dec 20, 2018
- 5 min read
We're on a roll now folks! Finally some great movies decided to grace our theaters and I of course being the movie connoisseur that I am, naturally have to go. Last night I went on an adventure with my family to Cherry Tree Lane. I'm talking about Mary Poppins Returns if you didn't guess by the quite obvious title or the little hint I placed there. Oh Disney how I love thee, you almost never steer me wrong. Well enough of my gabbing let's get to the reason you all decided to visit this blog today. LET'S DO THIS!
PLOT:
Michael (Ben Whishaw) and Jane (Emily Mortimer) Banks are all grown up. Michael with his three children, Anabel (Pixie Davies), John (Nathanael Saleh), and Georgie (Joel Dawson) are living in their family home at 17 Cherry Tree Lane. They're struggling both financially and emotionally after the loss of their wife/mother. Jane is often at the house to help out and to provide a sense of comfort for the family because she too seems to be a bit lonely. One hectic morning the kids, Michael, and Jane are taking care of a burst pipe when there's a knocking at their door. It's the bank posting a repossession notice on their front door. Michael has taken out a loan and has fallen behind on his payments so much that the bank is threatening to take away his home. He has five days to pay back the whole loan if he wishes to keep his house. The bank is run by a nasty man, Mr. Wilkins (Colin Firth) whose goal in life is to make as much money as possible with no regard for how it affects others.
The Banks' are in trouble and have no idea what to do. Enter Mary Poppins (Emily Blunt) descending down from the sky with a kite in hand. She along with Jack the lamplighter (Lin-Manuel Miranda) do everything they can to help the Banks children including the little ones as well. She takes the kids on extraordinary adventures all while teaching them valuable lessons and doing only what Mary Poppins can do... magic.
REVIEW:
To quote Mary Poppins, this movie was practically perfect in every way. From the casting to the songs to the story I found no flaws. I was smiling from start to finish, my cheeks hurt by the end of it. It was just what I needed after a long day at work. It had a great original story but it did a ton of callbacks to the original film that everyone holds so near and dear to their heart. It was the perfect sequel to a beloved classic.
Let's talk about Emily Blunt. She was the perfect choice to take the reins of Mary Poppins after the phenomenal Julie Andrews. No one can ever replace Julie Andrews but Emily Blunt comes extremely close. She captured the whole essence of who Mary Poppins is while also adding her own flair to it. I know a lot of people were pretty hesitant about casting a new Mary Poppins but I'm telling you guys Emily does not disappoint and you don't even think about that it's not Julie Andrews. She's that good. She's got the wit, the mannerisms, the snarky remarks, everything you could want from Mary Poppins and more. She also has a great singing voice which if you've seen Into the Woods you would know. She just captures the whole film and carries it with what seems like little to no effort, it just flows naturally.
The cast for this film is ridiculous. You've got everyone's favorite Broadway star Lin-Manuel Miranda who is always fantastic. He plays the somewhat Dick Van Dyke part and crushes it. He's so fun and engaging and you can just tell that he's having the time of his life in this role. He shines throughout the film and he and Emily have some great interactions and moments together. There's also Colin Firth, the legendary Meryl Streep, Julie Walters. The Banks children are cast perfectly with Ben Whishaw as Michael and Emily Mortimer as Jane. They both do such a great job and really feel like the kids we all know and love just grown up. They have some really great moments together and their interactions with Mary are very reminiscent of the first film. The kids they chose for this film are all so good. They all have a nice camaraderie together and really hold the screen. Everyone just does a great job. I could just gush over all of them but trust me they're all wonderful. There is no weak link. Oh and Dick Van Dyke makes a cameo. If that's not magical I don't know what is.
This story was as magical, nostalgic, and fun as you hoped it would be. It had all the charm from the first film and then some. A big component of this film were the songs. I loved every single song that was in this movie. They were new and original songs but they still had the flair from the first film. You could even hear hints of some of the songs used in the original throughout but they tried to make these songs completely new. All the songs were fun and had heart to them and really allowed the audience to get a deeper look into the characters and see what they were feeling.
One thing I really loved about this film was that they brought back the usage of the 2D animation. I loved this sequence in the original film because it felt whimsical and classically Disney. They utilized it greatly in this film and it added a fun element to the overall film. The pacing of the story was really great. I never felt bored once which isn't surprising given that it's a Disney movie. The plot was simple but it didn't take away from the overall story. They all had a goal in mind and it was clearly set but that didn't stop the fun and antics along the way which we expect from a Mary Poppins story. Honestly I could gush and gush over this movie but I think you guys get the point... I loved it.
PARENT'S GUIDE:
This film is rated PG but I think it's great for kids. It's fun, colorful, and musical... what more could you ask for? It's also great for adults who want to feel that nostalgia and revisit their favorite flying nanny.
OVERALL RATING:
For this film I'm going to give it a...
Mary Poppins Returns: 10/10
Like I said this movie was absolutely perfect and everything I could have dreamed of. The casting was fantastic, Emily Blunt is a welcome addition to the role of Mary Poppins. The story, the songs, everything from start to finish was great.
CONCLUSION:
Well there you have it folks! A review where I just gush over a film but come on you can't blame me... it's Mary Poppins! As you clearly see I highly recommend this for kids of all ages from 7-107. It has something for everyone and just makes you feel warm inside and sometimes you need that. As always thank you so much for taking the time to read this blog! Please make sure to leave me a comment or suggestion. Reach out to me people! Let me know you're out there! I hope you all have a Merry Christmas and enjoy your time with your family! Until next time!
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