Review Rating:
A definite must-see for all of the musical-loving families, it will have your family positively smiling from ear to ear throughout.
Musical lovers, this is the one for you. Not only is ‘Mary Poppins Returns’ chock-full of enchanting and catchy numbers, but it will also have you and your family positively smiling from ear to ear throughout, even hours after leaving the theatre.
Simply magical, some would say, ‘Mary Poppins Returns’ does exactly what it says on the tin – the nanny returns to the Banks children twenty years later. Both Michael and Jane are now all grown up, and are dealing with a significantly close loss within the family. When their house comes under threat, it’s the job of their old nanny to come to their rescue, as well as a lamplighter Jack (Lin-Manuel Miranda) to help get their creative juices flowing and save the family’s home.
The best part of a movie, without a doubt, is the singing. Emily Blunt (‘The Devil Wears Prada’ and ‘A Quiet Place’) is simply phenomenal as Poppins, and steals the show in every musical number and scene that she is involved in (Julie Andrews who?). Her duet with Lin-Manuel Miranda (‘A Cover Is Not A Book’) is particularly noteworthy, and one of the most memorable scenes of the film (although, there are many others to choose from).
Although ‘Mary Poppins Returns’ is undoubtedly the most magical movie you’ll have seen all year, it might come as a slight disappointment to those of us who have seen the original every Christmas for as long as we can remember. This “sequel” is nearly identical to Julie Andrews’ 1964 version, although if you’re a big fan – does it even matter? Of course not. Sit back and enjoy the spectacle, and remember – if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Or at least, include a smattering of brand new toe-tapping songs that are just as memorable as the original in every way, and your audience is sure to lap it up.
A definite one for all of the musical-loving families this Christmas season, make this a priority to see when the kids are fed up of their Santa toys and have cleaned out all of their selection boxes.