Movie Reaction: Mary Poppins Returns

Formula: Mary Poppins + 54 years

As far as Disney is concerned, no idea should only be explored once. One look at the trailers before their latest film is a stark reminder of that. There were trailers for live-action remakes of Dumbo, The Lion King, and Aladdin. The only other trailer was a fourth installment of Toy Story. I suppose I could be frustrated by this, however, that's difficult when I've liked so many of the films from the last few years in which they raided their archives. It's better than their strategy 30 years ago of re-releasing the same old movies to theaters. This backwards-looking strategy is nothing new for the House of Mouse. It's only a different tactic. I guess what I'm saying is that if you are annoyed that Disney is revisiting Mary Poppins after half a century, then you are fighting a losing battle. It's best to just go along with it, and enjoy.

'Joy' is the right word to use when talking about Mary Poppins Returns. I don't even have a deep affection for the movie. It wasn't one of my favorites growing up. I probably haven't seen it in 20 years. Julie Andrews is Maria more than Mary for me. Still, when Emily Blunt as Mary Poppins first comes through the doors of the Banks residence, I had a goofy smile plastered on my face. When done right, these remakes/reboots/long-stewing sequels trade originality for a deep love of the material. The best of these feel like studio-sanctioned fan fiction, and that's exactly what Mary Poppins Returns is. It's a tribute.

To fill you in, Mary Poppins Returns is a direct sequel (Not a reboot) to the 1964 original. It's set during the Great Slump (England's name for the Great Depression). Jane and Michael Banks are adults now, played by Emily Mortimer and Ben Wishaw. Michael is a widower and has three children of his own. He's fallen on some hard financial times, which prompts everyone's favorite nanny to show up and fill their lives with wonder for a bit. Lin-Manual Miranda is never far away either as a friendly lamplighter named Jack, who is a former apprentice of Bert from the original film, and de-facto sidekick to Mary.

There isn't a single challenging thing about Mary Poppins Returns, and I wouldn't have it any other way. Exactly like the original, the film consists of a thin plot with numerous song and dance numbers in which Mary teaches some simple lesson in whimsical and imaginative ways. They are all reminiscent to adventures in the original movie but with just enough changes to register as something new. Director Rob Marshall and everyone else involved do a fine job capturing the spirit of Mary Poppins.

No one should ever try to fill Julie Andrews' shoes, but Emily Blunt does and comes away looking pretty damn good. I won't compare the two performances. All I will say is that they both feel like Mary Poppins. Blunt is charming, poised, and always grinning. I love how much the character is a mystery but not one I ever want explained. A Mary Poppins origin story would be the worst thing imaginable. She's just magic, and Blunt pulls that off with aplomb. Similarly, Lin-Manual Miranda doesn't try to be Dick van Dyke, but he pulls off the same function in this movie wonderfully. That guy is simply the most likable guy in Hollywood and this movie only cerments that reputation. The Banks children young and old are all fine. Wishaw and Mortimer have the right mix of "worn down by life" and "open to wonder". The young children are, well, child actors who can sing pretty well. They aren't a detriment, but it's not like I was watching Tatum O'Neal in Paper Moon or something.

Meryl Streep, Colin Firth, Julie Walters, and Angela Lansbury all show up to pay their dues. Dick van Dyke even shows up, not as Bert. The most unexpectedly moving thing in the movie was seeing 93 year old Dick van Dyke break out a few dance moves and hearing Lansbury (also 93) sing one of the songs. Something about seeing them still doing that this late in life choked me up a little. I can't fully explain why. That is the right way to use nostalgia.

The only thing I can go after the film at all for is that the music isn't as good as the original, and that's about the most unfair comparison I could make. The original Mary Poppins has some of the best music of the Sherman brothers' legendary career. On the other hand, the songs in Mary Poppins Returns are just good. Every musical should have at least one great song, and others may have a different read of it, but I couldn't find that song in this movie. That said, "Trip a Little Light Fantastic" was a nice, elaborate production. Meryl Streep's song, "Turning Turtle" was a lot of fun. "The Royal Doulton Music Hall" and "A Cover is Not the Book" are pretty good...OK, maybe I'm warming up to the music too.

I believe that a healthy movie diet is important. There are a lot of challenging movies out there that expose the darkness in the world and provoke critical thought. This time of year, we see a lot of the in year-end list as the best of the year. Not all good movies have to be depressing though. It's good to see something good-spirited and happy to balance things out. Mary Poppins Returns is a celebration, and I'm glad that I was invited to the party.

Verdict (?): Strongly Recommend