The original Mary Poppins is one of those magical movie experiences I hope every child gets a chance to see and feel. Magical is one of the first words that comes to mind (though probably not THE first). So, expectations were high going into a Mary Poppins sequel, and maybe even higher with most people thinking Emily Blunt as the new Mary as a perfect torch passing. If you’re looking for something nostalgic and sweet to watch for the holiday, Mary Poppins Returns is perfectly fine. However, perfectly fine will feel a bit like a disappointment…
In London, we’re a couple decades past the end of the original Mary Poppins. Michael Banks (Ben Whishaw) is now all grown up, recently widowed with 3 kids: John (Nathanael Saleh), Anabel (Pixie Davies), and Georgie (Joel Dawson). Michael’s sister Jane (Emily Mortimer) has picked up where her mother has left off, organizing on behalf of the blue collar workers of London. When unfortunate foreclosure circumstances lead to Michael potentially losing his home, Mary Poppins (Emily Blunt) hears the calling of the Banks family, and arrives via kite flight with the kids and Jack (Lin Manuel-Miranda), a streetlighter in London. Is Jack related to Bert? You’ll have to watch to find out.
Obviously, no expense was going to be spared for Mary Poppins Returns by the Disney machine. That means everything designed to tickle the inner child in everyone. There are at least 2 LONG animated and live action sequences, beautiful idealized London sets, some Lin Manuel-Miranda rapping. You get the idea. Mary Poppins Returns feels completely manufactured for enjoyment from online polling for what people would want a Mary Poppins sequel. Director Rob Marshall then finds a way to put the pieces together, with pizzazz and style. And Big Ben.
But here’s the rub…The 1964 Mary Poppins isn’t about the title character. Hear me out. The reason the original is so magical is because the main story is about an estranged father and his uptight children, and how they learn to have fun and become a closer family…with all this magical stuff happening around them. 2018’s Mary Poppins thinks SHE is the main character, and so the movie’s story is built more around good feeling nostalgia and technical magic instead of investing in a more emotional story. The story we get is a near-repeat of the 1964 film, with bank chases, street workers dancing, even a navy man firing a cannon, with only the song choices really changing. However, with Mary being the center of the movie, Mary Poppins and Jack’s excursions taking up a heftier screen time. We don’t get enough time understanding how estranged or sad Michael and his children have become, forcing Whishaw to carry too hefty an emotional weight for the time he gets onscreen. Also, Emily Blunt doesn’t get a chance to do anything with Mary Poppins. Is she ever worried? Does she care about these people she raises and then leaves? We never know, because she can do magic! When the story shifts back to the family eventually, there are few moments of very potent connection and sweetness, but then we are right back to watching Mary Poppins roll her eyes at Jack almost dying trying to climb Big Ben.
These subtle but long reaching changes to the story take Mary Poppins Returns into the forgettable category, sadly. You’ll end up watching it with the other families looking for reminders of the first film, wanting to return home and watch that one again. Looks like Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke > Emily Blunt and Lin Manuel-Miranda. Those first two are practically perfect in every way…