Nothing can replace Mary Poppins starring
Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke. That’s absolute movie law. However, Mary
Poppins Returns, is a nice homage to the original with plenty of little
reminders (including a scene with very old but spry Dick Van Dyke) of some
tunes, frivolity, and instead of chimney sweeps we have lamplighters. All
plucky dancers. This is a movie with musical scenes – if you hate that,
bow out now. This is a movie with incredibly wise, cute kids – if you hate that
bow out now. But if you are ready for Emily Blunt as Mary Poppins – practically
perfect in the right way – then you are in for a treat.
Michael (Ben Whishaw) and Jane (Emily Mortimer) are grown up now and Michael has kids of
his own. His wife passed. Life is in disarray on Cherry Street Lane, and they
could lose the house. Time for a wind shift and the arrival of Mary Poppins,
carpet bag and talking umbrella in hand. Spit spot – soon she has the kids
clean and orderly and ready to be kids again. Each errand or outing is an
adventure with a ride in an animated carriage, a swim under the ocean, or a
dance with the lamplighters led by Jack (Lin Manuel-Miranda – sparkly eyes and
cheeky grin). All in all, they must find bank shares to keep the house from
foreclosure. Oh the mean banker (Colin Firth at his stuffiest). Can they beat
out that stroke of midnight?
Pleasant tunes, jolly dancing, colorful film-making, and the
calm control of Mary Poppins. You can’t lose. I enjoyed Mary Poppins
Returns a lot. After a busy week and on a gray dreary Friday, this
after work matinee replenished my soul and made me feel like a kid again.
Cheers!
