MARY POPPINS RETURNS

Review: The film is set in 1930’s depression-era London with Mary Poppins returning to help the Banks siblings and Michael’s children through a difficult time in their lives.
Director: Rob Marshall
Actors: Emily Blunt, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Ben Whishaw, Emily Mortimer, Pixie Davies, Nathanael Saleh, Joel Dawson, Julie Walters, Meryl Streep, Colin Firth, Jeremy Swift, Kobna Holdbrook-Smith, Dick Van Dyke, Angela Lansbury and David Warner
Year: 2018
Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Family and Fantasy and Musical
Conclusion: 4/5
When I first heard that there was going to be a sequel to Mary Poppins I was quite worried. On one note because I feel like you can’t mess around with a classic film such as Mary Poppins and also because when the original came out it was much loved by all. Julie Andrews was offered a proposed cameo appearance as the balloon lady, but turned it down fearing that it would be too distracting. Julie said, “This is Emily’s show, and I really want it to be Emily’s show.” This is not a criticism or anything but although I thought that Emily Blunt was good as Mary Poppins, I felt that you couldn’t really warm to her or really relax in the same way as you did with Julie Andrews. She played a much harder character than Julie Andrews. It is great though as both are so different and you can make your mind up as to which one you prefer. The two actresses who didn’t add or give anything to the film were Meryl Streep and Julie Walters. Mentioning Meryl Streep, the scene I could have done without is the scene where she is playing Cousin Topsy. I found this scene very tedious. The scene after then didn’t really follow on properly from it and that particular story-line was never mentioned again. I found her a complete embarrassment I am afraid. Also the other weak link I thought was Julie Walters and it was as though she had walked into the set straight from the set of Paddington (2014) or Paddington 2 (2017). The one character that I enjoyed watching the most was Jack, played by Lin-Manuel Miranda. It was great to see someone who was not familiar. I loved his singing and thought he had a lovely voice. One of my favourite scenes was the chimney sweeps’ rooftop dance, in which Jack’s lamplighter pals step in time to “Trip a Little Light Fantastic”. This one scene involved about 50 dancers. Just to name another scene that I enjoyed and thought worked well was when it was bath time for the children that becomes an underwater adventure. Colin Firth is his usual watchable self. Last but not least it was great to see Dick Van Dyke back and make a little cameo especially at the age of 93!. Who would have thought? His scene almost reduced me to tears.