REVIEW: Mary Poppins Returns

Courtesy of Disney

When Disney announced the studio was making a sequel to its beloved Mary Poppins, most people reacted with shock. “Sacrilege!” “How dare you!”

However, when news broke that Disney cast Emily Blunt to inherit the umbrella from Julia Andrews, people seemed to settle down a bit. Even the most vehement detractors had to admit that was basically perfect casting. Then, when musical theater nerds like myself heard that Lin-Manuel Miranda (of In the Heights and Hamilton fame) was taking over for Dick Van Dyke as a similar but new character, shock and revulsion mostly gave way to curiosity if not downright anticipation.

Now that it’s in theaters, I can say that I absolutely loved Mary Poppins Returns thanks to its refreshing sincerity and a sense of genuine happiness and wonder. I had a massive smile on my face for two solid hours. In fact (take a deep breath, everyone), I think I might like it better than the original. Keep in mind I didn’t see that one until a few years ago (to get ready for Saving Mr. Banks), therefore it was never an untouchable childhood classic for me.

So, for those who you who didn’t stop reading in a blind rage, what makes this sequel so special? Well, first there’s the story. In takes place in Depression-era London, where Jane (Mortimer) and Michael Banks (Whishaw) – now adults – are taking care of Michael’s three children in the wake of a personal loss.

What’s worse, they’re facing yet another crisis that could further ruin their lives. That’s when they’re visited once again by the magical Mary Poppins (Blunt). Along with her lamplighter friend Jack (Miranda), the enigmatic nanny teaches the family some important life lessons and helps them rediscover their sense of joy.

The staggering cast is fantastic as well. Blunt is phenomenal, evoking Julie Andrews’ iconic take on the main character without trying to copy her outright. The result is a modernized version of Mary that allows her to connect with a newer generation of young moviegoers.

Miranda is a delight as Jack, winking at Dick Van Dyke’s chimney sweep Bert while utilizing his strengths as a performer to do something much different but equally endearing (and with a similarly terrible-yet-adorable British accent). Speaking of Van Dyke, the 93-year-old legend steals the entire movie with a brief cameo that elicited cheers from the viewers in my screening.

Other big names in the cast – including Julie Walters, Colin Firth, Meryl Streep and Angela Lansbury – pop up for a few minutes here and there, clearly having a blast. Although he’s been hit-or-miss over the years, director Rob Marshall turns out to be a solid choice for a project fraught with expectations and peril. Every choice feels like the right one, striking the right balance between paying homage to the original classic and updating the story for modern sensibilities and attention spans.

Critics who have been less-than-enthused with Mary Poppins Returns have pointed out that it’s basically a beat-for-beat recreation of the first movie’s plot, with only some slight alterations. While that’s not exactly incorrect, you could say the same about plenty of other popular children’s stories. The first few books in P.L. Travers’ original series followed a formula, much like J.K. Rowling’s first six Harry Potter books.

This continuation feels similar. Was a sequel to Mary Poppins necessary? Probably not. But I’m glad it exists, especially since it’s far better than anyone could’ve expected.
Mary Poppins Returns is rated PG for some mild thematic elements and brief action.

Grade: A-