Mary Poppins Returns Review
PG: For some mild thematic elements and brief action
Disney
2 Hrs and 10 Minutes
Dir: Rob Marshall | Writer: David Magee
Cast: Emily Blunt, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Ben Whishaw, Emily Mortimer, Julie Walters, Colin Firth, Meryl Streep, Dick Van Dyke, Pixie Davies, Nathanael Saleh, Joel Dawson, Angela Lansbury
Release Date: December 19th 2018
Set in 1930s London, which is the time period of the original novels by P. L. Travers, the story follows Michael (Ben Whishaw) and Jane Banks (Emily Mortimer), who are now grown up. Michael is living with his three children (Pixie Davies, Nathanael Saleh, and Joel Dawson) and housekeeper Ellen (Julie Walters), in the house on Cherry Tree Lane. After Michael has a personal loss, Mary Poppins (Emily Blunt) comes back into the lives of the Banks family. She is joined by a street lamplighter named Jack (Lin-Manuel Miranda), and an eccentric cousin named Topsy (Meryl Streep).
Piss off, Hugh Jackman. Emily Blunt is now the greatest showman. In her portrayal as the iconic titular character, Blunt delivers a showstopping performance which is one of the many carriers of the movie. She has this eccentric charm that breathes nothing but delight as Blunt makes the character her own. When Blunt belts out that singing voice as the first number occurs, whatever facial expression you have automatically turns into an immediate grin. Besides her wonderful charm, another reason why her performance works is her costar Lin-Manuel Miranda as a lightpost keeper named Jack and he’s so delightful to watch. When they’re on screen together dancing, singing, and having fun, you can’t help but smile no matter what.
When it comes to musicals, art direction is one of the major aspects that should be taken into account and the amount of effort that director Rob Marshall and his team put into this is outstanding. Each musical number is insanely inventive and wildly creative, for they are visually stunning. Because of it being 2018, the visual effects are damn near breathtaking and each musical number just takes you to the next level that, by the fantastical finale, you’re just stuffed. The film is too long and overstuffed, but it’s oh so satisfying and leaves you smiling like Blunt’s boo.
This is the ultimate Disney buffet that triggers your nostalgia in the best way imaginable. To be blunt (pun intended), I cried during the film, not because of the sentimental narrative attached, or (like John Krasinski) because of his wife’s performance, but mostly because of the incredible incorporation of art styles that I never thought I’d see on the big screen. Okay, I’m saying that as if I didn’t just watch “Spider-Verse” several times, but the element of 2D animation integrated in this movie gave us the most dazzling sequences I’ve seen on the 100-foot silver screen in a long time. Because of it being 2018 where the market is only CG-animated features, one thing I feared was the 2D sequences being replaced with CGI, and I commend director Rob Marshall for fighting this because it reminds me of how much of a gem traditional animation is and has me itching for a return like Dave Chappelle’s Tyrone Biggums.
Not only does the film keep its integrity of 2D animation, but it’s incorporated in the most inventive way, and they utilize it to their best advantage. It's been years since Disney has done 2D on the big screen and the way it’s presented here is remarkable. I haven’t seen it in action since watching Robert Zemeckis’ “Who Framed Roger Rabbit” for the first time on video as a kid. Rob Marshall. Damn, he’s done it again. As far as musical film directors go, he’s one of the best in the biz and this is the proof in the pudding.
The film follows familiar, traditional Disney tropes, such as grief over a deceased mother, but it’s cleverly focused on the widowed Michael Banks played by Ben Whishaw (who has now become the king of wholesomeness). When he expresses that grief through a musical number, which happens very early on, you feel his pain and at times you might even be on the verge of tears. You would expect that the focus for the remainder of the film would be on him, but once Poppins comes in the entire trajectory is shifted onto his kids as opposed to the adults, although we spend so much time with them in the first act. While it feels like a deviation that is flawed or misleading, you also realize that they are the movie and the adventure they embark on is darn near perfect in every way.
While gushing about the performances, the only major problem I have with the film is the music itself. The music, provided by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, is catchy and lovely, but none of the songs are particularly memorable. Even to this date, the only song from the film that lingered with me was “Nowhere to Go But Up”, but it never captures the same magic as the original songs such as “A Spoonful of Sugar” or “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” which are iconic. The score, provided by Shaiman, fits the authentic whimsicality of the film adding another layer to the joy that’s occurring, but the music just never reaches the desired level of memorability. Then, there’s this odd lamplighter sequence that seems to appeal to people of the 2000s, for they all (I kid you not) ride on BMX bikes. It is odd and it briefly took me out of the film, but my smile still maintained.
A colleague of mine who got to see the film several days earlier than me texted me randomly one night saying, “If you don’t enjoy ‘Mary Poppins Returns’ you are without a soul,” and I originally thought that he was being hyperbolic, but he’s goddamn right.
Thanks to this movie, my depression disappeared, my skin became clearer... Okay, I might be joking but, as someone, who has never watched the original “Mary Poppins” in its entirety, this served as a wonderful introduction to the character, especially for people in my age range (or younger) who have never had the chance to catch the original film.
This is a perfect film that will make kids ecstatic and generate smiles because it’s nothing more than a surprisingly sweet, fun time at the movies. It’s truly nicecore cinema that leaves you cheesing and feeling nothing but an array of positive emotions.
The film immediately puts you in a good mood with Lin-Manuel’s opening number and the classic, water-painted concept art credits. Soon after, you’ll be beaming so hard at the amazing performances by the kids, Poppins, Miranda, and the dazzling artistry they’re set in that by the time Meryl Streep makes an appearance, you’re just about ready to spontaneously combust in happiness. The last time I cheesed this hard while watching a film nonstop was “Paddington 2” which:
1) is still superior to this
2) proves that Ben Whishaw is the true king of family wholesomeness cinema
Boosted by charming performances by Miranda and Blunt and the array of outstanding visuals throughout, “Mary Poppins Returns” is nothing but a wonderful, whimsical wonder that contains nothing but utter joy for families and people of all ages.
Rating: 4/5 | 89%
Super Scene: Nowhere to Go But Up.
