Mary Poppins Returns

MARY POPPINS RETURNS   ***

Rob Marshall
2018

IDEA:  Facing the imminent repossession of their home, the Banks children, now grown with their own kids, are once again graced by the presence of their favorite magical nanny.


BLURB:  Mary Poppins Returns does everything one would expect of a Disney sequel in this era of the studio’s ravenous self-cannibalization. It hews closely to the formula of the original film, repeating its narrative beats and referencing its signature moments. It exploits the audience’s affection for that earlier property, turning nostalgia into an exchange commodity. And it indulges in the latest computer effects to offer something that, at least superficially, appears like a visual upgrade. Yet it is possible to take ideological umbrage with Disney’s current business model and still appreciate, even exult in, the prodigious craft, energy, and verve with which Mary Poppins Returns has been made. This is not, despite what the corporate imprimatur might suggest, some rote facsimile of the 1964 classic, at least in execution. It is in fact a legitimately fine example of big-screen studio spectacle, a sumptuous sensorial experience that recaptures the magic of the original more frequently than one might’ve imagined possible. From Sandy Powell’s decadent lollipop-hued costumes to Marc Shaiman’s boisterous score, it makes a case for itself as a crafts-rich entertainment that doesn’t sacrifice artistry for an easy buck. And in its self-consciously recursive nature, it also justifies its existence, insisting that in times of distress minor (breaking a ceramic bowl) or major (economic depression), we could stand to be re-minded of the pluck and intractable positivity of Mary Poppins to help us along.