Mary Poppins Returns - Movie Musical Review

‘But I feel what’s to happen all happened before’. It was 1964 when Dick Van Dyke sung those famous lines as Bert the chimney sweep. 54 years later, that line could have been applied the long awaited, and perhaps massively overdue 2018 sequel Mary Poppins Returns. A new story with familiar characters and elements we all loved in the original as we return to Cherry Tree Lane with the magical, wonderful nanny.

Michael Banks (Ben Whishaw) is all grown up, with three young children of his own. But the family has fallen on hard times following the death of his wife and after taking out a loan he can’t afford to repay, they could lose their home forever. All of this has caused Annabel, John and Georgie Banks to grow up too quickly. But Mary Poppins won’t have that as she returns to remind them to have fun and explore, all whilst teaching some valuable lessons of course.

Emily Blunt has the mammoth task of taking on the role of Mary Poppins, and she does it with grace, elegance and a cheeky glint in her eye. She doesn’t try to replicate the performance of the great Julie Andrews, as no one could, instead making the role her own. This Mary Poppins is wise and street smart, and perhaps a little more motherly than the original. And where the original Mary had chimney sweep Bert, this Mary has lamp lighter Jack, played by Lin-Manuel Miranda. This lovable character is charming and kind, with Miranda getting the opportunity to showcase his signature song style in ‘The Cover is not the Book’.

As the grown up Michael, Ben Whishaw shines. Forced to work in the bank to provide for his family instead of following his artistic passions, he is a father on the brink of falling apart and Whishaw is able to convey this in just a quiet sad look. His song ‘A Converstion’ is as soft as it is heartbreaking and, in a way, even seeing Michael Banks as an adult is sad in itself for fans of the original who know that Matthew Garber who played Michael in 1964 passed away when he was only 21 years old.

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Pixie Davis. Nathanael Salah and Joel Dawson play Annabel, John and Georgie, the Banks children doing their best to keep the family home whilst grieving the loss of their mother. Davis’ Annabel is a pint sized mother figure to her brothers with Salah’s John being the voice of reason to Dawson’s imaginative Georgie. These talented young performers win over the viewer with ease and you will them on to regain their childlike glee.

The Banks household is completed by Emily Mortimor as the now grown Jane Banks, a labour activist taking after her suffragette mother, and Julie Walters as clumsy housekeeper Ellen. Grouped with Whishaw it’s hard not to create some foreshadowing scenario with Paddington in Peru (2024) which saw Whishaw voice the famous bear with Mortimor taking over the role of Mrs Brown as Walters playing Mrs Bird.

The music, composed by Marc Shaiman with lyrics by Shaiman and Scott Wittman is catchy, touching and fun, balancing lullabies about handling loss with high energy dance numbers. If you watch this film with an analytical eye, it is quite easy to place these songs with their original counterpart. For example ‘Jolly Holiday’ and ‘Royal Daulton Music Hall’ and ‘I love to laugh’ and ‘Turning Turtle’ but I think that brings its own charm.

Though billed as a sequel and boasting a new story, what Mary Poppins Returns really does is play homage to the original. We still have the beloved penguins, the foggy streets of London, the captain and his cannon and the bank. Add in cameos from Dick Van Dyke and original Jane Banks Karen Dotrice, and this is one big thank you to the original.

Whilst nothing could in any way replace the original, this charming sequel is heart warming, fun and well worth watching.