Without a new Paddington film to warm our hearts this festive season, Disney has slipped in a long-awaited sequel as a placeholder. Mary Poppins Returns arrives 54 years after Julie Andrews became the magical nanny - winning an Oscar in the process - and now Emily Blunt is floating into the role on that iconic umbrella. Is this spoonful of sugar the perfect bolt of energy, or too sickly sweet to be enjoyed?
After a family tragedy and in the midst of the Great Slump, Mary Poppins arrives in 1930s London to look after the Banks children. With their home up for repossession and the family straining to adjust to the new normal, Mary Poppins hopes to reconnect them with the joy and wonder that they have lost. Co-starring Lin-Manuel Miranda, Ben Whishaw, Emily Mortimer, Colin Firth, Julie Walters and Meryl Streep, Mary Poppins Returns is already being considered one of the year's best films by several publications, with an onslaught of year-end nomination to boot; can such a beloved property really live up to the hype?
Sentimental but rarely twee, warm but never overstuffed, Mary Poppins Returns may not be a fundamentally necessary film, but it is wonderful to experience something so gloriously diverting at this time of the year. Having never seen the original (shock horror!), it is a perfectly charming experience in its own right and while it feels somewhat familiar in terms of the wider Disney template, when a film is filled with enchantment such as this, it's difficult not to become swept up in it. David Magee's screenplay infuses some common themes into play but explores them with the wisdom typically associated with the character of Poppins. Enriched by some terrific music - stronger in the context of the film - with the score composed by Marc Shaiman and lyrics co-written by Scott Wittman, the film soars as the wider musical genre has managed to so frequently in recent years.
Director Rob Marshall imbues Poppins with a majesty that makes you feel as if you are floating on air. With gorgeous visual storytelling aided by beautifully-detailed production design and some stunning hand-painted animation that serves as a tribute to Disney's older classics and the era the film captures so lovingly, there's an unbelievable amount of creativity interlaced throughout. With each musical number given its own unique, vibrant design, they all stand a purpose in the film; highlights include "Can You Imagine That?", "Royal Doulton Music Hall" and "The Cover Is Not A Book" although there's hardly a weak link amongst the bunch (lacklustre opening number aside). While some of the 'insubstantial' complaints aren't completely incorrect - it is very lightweight and formulaic, in a way - I'd suggest that a film radiating warmth as this one does, is a more than welcome relief.
While Mary Poppins Returns itself may not be "practically perfect in every way", Emily Blunt certainly is. Seemingly made for the titular role, Blunt is utterly tremendous here, with every splendid line delivery and musical number thriving because of her endless charm and magnetism. She glows in the iconic role, fully embodying Poppins from her walk to her talk, her emotion and her poise; be it the gloriously spectacular all-singing-all-dancing routines to the more emotionally-rich, nuanced moments undoubtedlt stirring in "The Place Where The Lost Things Go", this is nothing short of a powerhouse performance and Blunt is the life and soul of the film. Having illustrated her range in A Quiet Place in the early months, she ends the year on a high - it may be easy to dismiss, but Blunt turns in one of the year's very best performances here and would be wholly deserving of award traction in the coming months. It is such extraordinary work.
While Blunt is (understandably and deservedly) the name in lights, there are some impressive secondary players in tow, rounding out the ensemble. Ben Whishaw is tremendous, a supporting turn with the power to make the coldest of hearts melt; "A Conversation" is a quietly profound moment oozing with emotion and Whishaw proves himself as one of the UK's strongest talents. Similarly, the underappreciated Emily Mortimer is excellent as his sister, a likeable presence on the screen, and the younger kids do more than a fine job. Lin-Manuel Miranda's heavy Cockney accent may be a touch grating at times, and his frequent appearances are a little too coincidental for my liking, but his larger-than-life personality shines. A trifecta of Mamma Mia stars - Julie Walters, Meryl Streep and Colin Firth - are reliably formidable although, criminally, never on screen together. Would it hurt for them to have been incorporated into "Trip a Little Light(s are gonna find me, shining like the sun)"?.
Mary Poppins Returns is a triumph of sorts, packed with wonderful music, creative visuals and an extraordinary sense of warmth. All so pitch-perfectly led by Emily Blunt, Returns is the perfect festive diversion and while the well-worn, intrinsically Disney-fied story and themes may not completely reflect the strength of that central performance, its careful musings on grief, loss and family are impressive nonetheless. In short, Mary Poppins Returns is the sort of charming, delightful cinema the festive season was built for: a spoonful of sugar, of sorts.
★★★★★★★★☆☆
(8/10)
Summary: Look up 'lovely' in the dictionary and there's a picture of Mary Poppins Returns, a cosy hug of a movie that thrives during its spectacular musical numbers, creative animation and visuals as well as Emily Blunt's extraordinary lead performance.