[I’m still catching up on my Dec 2018 posts. 2nd to last one here.]
We went to see Mary Poppins Returns, the 2018 sequel to the original 1960s Disney film starring Julie Andrews. Emily Blunt portrays the fictional Mary Poppins (who doesn’t age – she’s a witch or something, right?), Lin-Manuel Miranda plays Jack, a lamp lighter (and former apprentice of Bert.)
Set in 1930s London, twenty-five years after the events of the original film, it sees Mary Poppins, the former nanny of Jane and Michael Banks, returning after a family tragedy. In the intervening years after the original story, Michael’s wife passed away. All of their savings have gone towards keeping afloat, and now they are in danger of losing the house. His sister Jane is lives nearby, seems to be an civil rights activist, and currently single. In the midst of all this, Mary Poppins returns to help the family by lifting their spirits.
While the family liked the movie, I didn’t particularly feel that there really was much to the story. It’s basically a little bit of plot connecting one set piece and musical number after another. While I liked Emily Blunt in the role as Mary Poppins, she was certainly working hard. I mean, she is singing, dancing, making faces, cracking jokes. I felt exhausted on her behalf.
I heard the film is doing very well, and there are already plans for a sequel. That’s fine. If you’re a fan of Mary Poppins or musicals, by all means, see this film. It was a bit too fluffy for my tastes.
