Mary Poppins Returns Review - But Is She as Helpful as the Last Time
When Mr Banks first placed an ad for a strict nanny who would instil good manners in his children, he had no idea what kind of message he had sent out into the world. Mary Poppins, whose whereabouts were known to none, flew in (literally) and saved the day. Bearing magical abilities and a unique way of dealing with mischievous children, she changed this family for good. Five decades later, and at a time when a new family needs her most, she returns. But are her magical powers still strong enough to change the future? Let's find out.
The Original Plot
The Mary Poppins (1964) movie followed George and Winfred Banks, parents who were overwhelmed with their two naughty children, Jane and Michael. But who could blame the kids? Their father was all about his career and believed in strict and distant parenting, and their mom was all about activism. Naturally, the children sought attention, even if it meant annoying their parents and scaring away their nannies. Fed up with their antics, George Banks placed an ad for a nanny who could discipline them for good. The kids, on the other hand, wanted a kind and fun nanny. To balance the scales, Mary Poppins (played by Julie Andrews) arrived - well, more like flew in with the wind.
Using magic, she takes the kids on tons of adventures, including jumping into drawings or having upside-down tea parties. While it is mostly fun and games, she also teaches the kids core values about life and helps them find a balance between fun and responsibility. But she's not just here for the kids. She also helps the parents realize that there is life beyond career and activism, enabling them to bond with their kids once again. And no sooner has everyone begun to embrace the value of family than the magical nanny disappears.
Mary Poppins Returns
Decades after their first encounter with the magical nanny, Jane and Michael are all grown up. In fact, Michael now has three kids of his own and lives in his childhood home. But all is not well. He's dealing with the loss of his wife as well as the bank's constant pressure on him to pay back a pending loan. Jane, alongside a housekeeper (Ellen), is helping with the kids. However, with the bank threatening to repossess the house in a week, the home environment is not conducive at all. His kids - Annabel, John, and Georgie - are at the centre of all this, forced to grow up fast in a home where their father is unable to guide them.
Jane and Michael remember that their father, George, left some shares that they can use to pay back the loan. However, they cannot find the paperwork. In the middle of the search, Michael finds an old kite that he tosses aside, not knowing that it's key to proving the shares. Georgie finds it and flies it, only for the wind to pull him into the sky. Mary Poppins, this time played by Emily Blunt, comes down with the kite with a mission to change the family's life again for good.
Once again, she engages the children with magic, where she has them going on all sorts of trips, including visiting the ocean through dives into the bathtub. She leans on help from characters such as Topsy (Meryl Streep) and Jack (Lin-Manuel Miranda) as she seeks to help them find joy in their lives despite the loss of their mother and their father's troubles. It is during this time that the kids discover how the bank's manager has been lying about the shares, which Michael does not believe at first. However, Mary Poppins, alongside her friends, works out a plan to go back in time and patch up the kite, which proves the existence and ownership of the shares. And just like that, the mission pays off, and the family saves their home - what's more, they rediscover the joy of family and strengthen their bond. Best of all, the kids are finally able to go back to being children.
The Top Soundtracks
In a story that is all about magic, adventure, and rediscovery, the following songs take the day:
- Can You Imagine That? Michael's children have lost their sense of wonder after having one bad thing after another happen to them. Mary Poppins takes them on an underwater trip that reignites their imagination and childlike joy.
- The Place Where Lost Things Go. Dealing with the loss of their mother is hard. This song talks about loss and hope as Mary encourages the children that their grief is okay and reassures them about their future.
- A Cover is Not the Book. Mary and Jack perform this song, where they emphasize that things are not always as they seem, advocating for looking beyond the surface.
Other songs that stand out are Nowhere to Go But Up and Trip a Little Light Fantastic. Throughout the songs and storyline, the visuals remain vibrant with pastels and warm colours that are reminiscent of the 1930s in London.