"Mary Poppins Returns" Comes with Wonder by Emily Blunt and Lin-Manuel Miranda

Photo Courtesy of imdb.com

Fifty-four years from the 1960s classic was worth the wait in Disney's latest project, "Mary Poppins Returns". There are parallels between the film, Christopher Robin, and Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Be that as it may, Emily Blunt and Lin-Manuel Miranda's singing voices brought an outpouring of wonder that audiences must see.
"Mary Poppins Returns" takes place in 1930s London, where a now grown-up, widowed Michael Banks, played by Ben Whishaw, is struggling to keep his home and his children intact. When all seems lost, the children, Annabel, John, and Georgie, played by Pixie Davies, Nathanael Saleh, and Joel Dawson, cross paths with Michael's former nanny, the esteemed Mary Poppins, played by Emily Blunt. Through her magic umbrella, and the assistance of affable lamplighter Jack, played by Lin-Manuel Miranda, and Michael's optimistic sister Jane, played by Emily Mortimer, the Banks children can save their home, their broken father, and recapture a long-unseen whimsical lifestyle. 

A major theme of “Mary Poppins Returns” was fantasy versus reality. Because of the loss of their mother, their father’s high spirits, and possibly their home, the Banks children seemed to have forgotten the zest of everyday life. But through musical numbers by Mary Poppins and Jack, they were able to escape reality and feel reborn in colorful mirages.

From left to right: Joel Dawson, Emily Blunt, Pixie Davies, and Nathanael Saleh as Georgie Banks, Mary Poppins, Annabel Banks, and John Banks. Photo courtesy of imdb.com 

For example, when Mary Poppins sang “Can You Imagine That?”, the trio could be astounded by the sights of treasure hunts and synchronized-dancing dolphins. That scene reminded me of Pure Imagination by Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka, where you can be happy with your dreams instead of the tyranny of what’s “real”.

Next, when Jack sang “Trip a Little Light Fantastic”, they could momentarily forget their troubles and be brought to enlightenment. Secondary to that, when he sang “Underneath the Lovely London Sky” in the beginning. He was reminding audiences that even when your spirits are dampened by finances or loss of loved ones, staring at the beautifully-lit sky will move you to feel happier. I’ve never seen Miranda’s plays before, but I very much liked his performance, and I think he deserves his Golden Globe nomination.

Besides the musical numbers, the wonder in “Mary Poppins Returns” came from the performances by the rest of the cast, the brief animation moments, and the props. Mortimer and the children's actors showed tremendous heart in trying to save Michael. Whishaw's playing of Michael reminded me of Ewan McGregor as Christopher Robin, as both men lost their sense of ingenuity in favor of maturity. I'm glad that the love of his family eventually consoled Michael and he was able to get with the groove and be happy again.

The animated sequences during "The Royal Doulton Music Hall" looked as enthralling as Disney's Fantasia or the original "Mary Poppins" starring Julie Andrews. It was funny watching the chemistry between Mary Poppins, Jack, the children, and anthropomorphic dancing penguins.

Photo of Jack (Lin-Manuel Miranda) and Mary Poppins (Emily Blunt) in "The Royal Doulton Music Hall" scene. Photo courtesy of imdb.com 

I liked how director Rob Marshall used the kite, bowl, and magic umbrella props as symbols for significant events. Upon seeing the kite "mysteriously" move away from Georgie, I could sense that Mary Poppins was to return when it stopped. The crack in their mother's bowl was a representation of the Banks needing to work hard to keep the memory of their mother alive and keep the family together no matter the financial hardship. And it was surprising to witness Mary Poppins bring them into all these bright, magical dimensions with a touch of her umbrella.

To summarize, with an overall great ensemble cast, elegant costume designing, the usual strong scoring by visionary Marc Shaiman, and an engaging story, the wonderful film of Disney has succeeded at bringing wonder to me. It is similar to other films I've seen before, but it still gives me an increase in hopefulness against everyday struggle. You may have seen how well Emily Blunt and Lin-Manuel Miranda performed in the past, but you'll feel "supercalifragillisticexpialidocious" when you watch "Mary Poppins Returns".