Nanny MCPhee
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Review #18 of 365
Film: Nanny McPhee [PG] 98 minutes
WIP: $9.00
When 1st Seen: 28 January 2006
Where Viewed: Loews Cineplex Factoria, Bellevue, WA
Time: 5:30 p.m.
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DVD | soundtrack |
Emma Thompson works her magic again. On the tails of finishing up her screenwriting efforts for Pride and Prejudice, she apparently sat down and wrote the screenplay for Nanny McPhee in which she also portrays the titular character. Billed as the next Mary Poppins, Nanny McPhee is based on the children’s book, Nurse Matilda: The Collected Tales by Christianna Brand. I would disagree. While there are some similarities, I doubt that Nanny McPhee has the long-lasting staying power of Ms Poppins. The reasons are that, quite simply, the children in this story are definitely not as likeable; and, no disrespect intended for Ms Thompson, neither is Nanny McPhee. Though, I must say, the make-up artists and Ms Thompson did an outstanding job with this character both in fully realizing her and in transforming the normally lovely woman in to the mole/wart covered nanny. The children start off as perfectly horrid little brats that have run off 17 previous nannies and transform, under the care of Nanny McPhee, into nicer and even more clever little children. I just wasn’t sure how complete was their transformation, and ultimately, I didn’t feel that much empathy for them or their less-than-effective, sappy, widower father, Cedric Brown, played somewhat ambivalently by Colin Firth. Even the normally adorable Angela Lansbury becomes annoying in her role as Great Aunt Adelaide. Overall, the story is somewhat predictable and somewhat derivative. The story and the film itself are simply not that magical. The worst, most trite trick in the film…turning the donkey into a dancing, grinning, show girl—yuck! Still, I did enjoy it to a degree, and I think kids will also enjoy it. Every so often I like to sit down with sort of medium expectations for a movie that turns out to be a bit better than that. I appreciate the attempt to make some good movies that are kid-friendly. Given Tony Blair’s recent statements on how his government intends to improve the general civility of England’s children, maybe, he can add showings of Nanny McPhee to the agenda for all British pupils. I wish him well on this goal in general.
Now Available for Purchase on DVD
Nanny McPhee (Widescreen Version) [DVD] (2005) DVD
Nanny McPhee [DVD] (2005) DVD
| Book | Soundtrack | DVD |
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