This post is written by Devon Biroczky!
A couple weeks ago, I was offered the opportunity to go and see Mary Poppins Returns, the sequel to the original Mary Poppins in 1964.
The mood is immediately set for Mary Poppins Returns in just the first few minutes. Coming into this movie, you’re expecting to feel a real sense of joy and childlike wonder. Throughout the movie, those senses truly do come to fruition. If you have read my earlier post about the press junket I attended for this movie, then you know how I feel about the original version. However, I cannot deny that it is an iconic film in what it is. Memorable songs and really getting the vibe of all the imagination at play, some things that I believe also carried into this sequel.
First things first, we meet Georgie Banks (Joel Dawson), a young boy running around the parks of London, who is chasing his kite that is getting carried away by the wind. Through his panic, we see Jack (Lin-Manuel Miranda), a local lamplighter who also used to be the apprentice of Bert (Dick Van Dyke) in the original film, rescue the kite and bring it back down to Earth. However, instead of just the kite, they also bring Mary Poppins (Emily Blunt) down with it. She lands with one foot in front of the other; very formal and very posh, exactly what you’d expect from the very classy nanny.
Shortly after, we’re also introduced to a now grown up Michael Banks (Ben Whishaw), who was just a young boy in the original, along with his sister Jane Banks (Emily Mortimer). Michael is now a grieving widower with his three children, Annabel (Pixie Davies), John (Nathanael Saleh), and Georgie, while Jane is an activist for SPRUCE, the Society for the Protection of the Rights of the Underpaid Citizens of England. Michael and Jane’s lifelong home is now going into foreclosure, while Michael, now a disorganized artist, blames himself for letting it slip as he continues to grieve his wife. Thank goodness for the arrival of Mary Poppins and her absolute perfect timing.
For Mary Poppins as a character to come back in a sequel, casting is an incredibly important choice. In this case, casting Emily Blunt was a perfect decision, and I think everybody watching this movie can agree on that. She is perfectly posh and sometimes a little short in her answers, but leaving much to be desired in her words. As soon as she comes into the picture, the children are quickly going through different adventures, such as dipping into the suds of a bathtub and ending up in a vast underwater world, all the way to entering a whole other animated dimension in a meaningful bowl. Introducing these adventures to the children with the absolute grace she has makes Emily Blunt the perfect (and quite frankly, only) choice to not only fill the shoes of Mary Poppins, but also make it her own.
Lin-Manuel Miranda as Jack is also an amazing choice. Having gone from acting in Hamilton to a complete opposite role here in Mary Poppins Returns, it was such a seamless transition for him and he plays the role flawlessly. Jack is extremely lighthearted and friendly, riding his bike around London to light the lamps and cheerily going through every day with a smile on his face. He also pulls out some impeccable dance moves throughout the film, especially during one song and dance number where all of London’s lamplighters are dancing in a court of lamp posts.
Speaking of that scene in particular, we need to talk about the songs in this. Every good Disney movie (and let’s be honest, they’re all pretty good!) has memorable songs that have you singing them for days after you’ve seen it. Or in my case, have you singing them in your car, at the top of your lungs, with the windows down. The song mentioned above is “Trip A Little Light Fantastic,” which was the main song stuck in my head after I watched this movie. The entire scene is actually one of my favorites in the whole film! Some of the other songs include, “The Place Where Lost Things Go,” which is another favorite of mine from this movie, and “Can You Imagine That?” which really gets your imagination running.
Overall, the movie is truly great for what it is. With beyond perfect casting, memorable and fun songs, and an emotional yet entertaining storyline held everything together, in what I would consider to be a highly successful sequel to an absolute classic. Mary Poppins Returns is now in theaters everywhere as of today, December 19th! Take the kids for an all-around enjoyable family movie, so the kids are smiling the entire time and those who have seen the original will feel the nostalgia.
If you haven’t seen the trailer yet, check it out below before you head to your nearest theater!
