By Robert Yaniz Jr.

DAY 23 OF THE 2018 HOLIDAY BINGE

Disney cannot match the original’s brilliance but makes a valiant effort to do so nonetheless.

THE HYPE

There’s a reason that Disney’s 1964 classic Mary Poppins — based (loosely) on the P.L. Travers stories — has stood the test of time. But it’s not just the indelible Sherman Brothers tunes or the iconic Oscar-winning performance by Julie Andrews. That original film also captures a charming combination of wry humor and profound yet simple truths about what it takes to keep a family together. Despite the likely impossibility of recapturing that magic, the Mouse House and director Rob Marshall are tapping into the archives once again.

THE STORY

A few decades after its predecessor, Mary Poppins Returns picks up with grown-up siblings Michael (Ben Whishaw) and Jane Banks (Emily Mortimer) dealing with the aftermath of a family tragedy. Struggling to pay the bills and properly raise his three children after the death of his wife, Michael receives unsolicited help in the form of Poppins herself (Emily Blunt), who brings the same carpetbag of tricks to get the broken Banks clan back on track. Magical, musical shenanigans ensue, and viewers are invited along for the ride.

THE CAST

Although she brings a sterner, even more aloof version of the character, Blunt is sublime as Mary Poppins. Following Andrews was always going to be an uphill challenge, and Blunt rises to it, bringing her innate comic timing and vibrant voice to every second. Whishaw and Mortimer likewise bring charm and aplomb (though the latter is underserved), and the child actors (Pixie Davies, Nathanael Saleh and Joel Dawson) impress even moreso. Lin-Manuel Miranda contributes his fine vocals, though could use less screentime.

THE PRODUCTION

Marc Shaiman’s music (with lyrics co-written by Scott Wittman) might not reach the heights of perfection achieved by the first film, but both when reaching for visual grandeur (“Can You Imagine That?”) and emotional heart-tugging (“The Place Where Lost Things Go”), it hits all the right notes. Marshall does pay a bit too much fan service at times, but many of Mary Poppins Returns‘ more indulgent moments harken back to the overextended sequences in the original. So fans of that classic may not register these as flaws at all.

THE VERDICT

Towing a similar remake/sequel line as Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Mary Poppins Returns likely would not have proven to be such a success if it opted to shake so much of its predecessor loose. At 130 minutes, Marshall does leave a bit of fat on the film (ahem, looking at you “Turning Turtle”). Yet, though it does hew a bit too closely to the original template, the vision both in front of and behind the camera in Mary Poppins Returns does easily transport fans back to a world where anything is possible. Yes, even the impossible.

Mary Poppins Returns stars Emily Blunt, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Ben Whishaw, Emily Mortimer, Colin Firth, Meryl Streep, Julie Walters, Angela Lansbury and Dick Van Dyke and is directed by Rob Marshall.