Mary Poppins Returns

What happens when a nanny brings happiness to a gloomy situation. 

One of the most loved movies of its times Mary Poppins (1964) returns with a sequel after 54 years. This time too,it is set in London, during the era of the Great Depression in 1930's.

Jack(Lin Manuel Miranda) a street lamplighter rides around the city on his bike and sings  songs, the former apprentice of Bert the chimney sweeper of Mary Poppins (1964).

Michael Banks(Ben Whishaw) and his sister Jane Banks (Emily Mortimer), children from the previous movie are grown up staying together. Michael has three children and Jane helps in raising them after his wife's death.

Michael a bank teller by profession is working with Fidelity Fiduciary Bank. Michael receives a bank notice asking him to repay the loan,  failing which their family home would be repossessed by the bank. His only hope of repayment is the father's share certificates.

When all seems lost for the family Mary Poppins (Emily Blunt) surprises them with a pleasant return. She has come to take care of the three children. Will she be able to bring back joy and happiness to the Banks family? Will Michael eventually pay off the loan and get back the family home? 

The movie editing could have been better in some places especially the songs. Direction by Rob Marshall is good. Animation and visual effects too are good,though not extraordinary in the present era.

Emily Blunt is pitch perfect as the magical nanny in the titular role. Lin Manuel Miranda is wonderful to watch. Other actors of the movie including the children are good too. Dick Van Dyke is the only actor who was in Mary Poppins (1964) and repeats a similar role as the bank head and entertains the audience in a short appearance.
Music is good with songs like Trip A Little Light Fantastic, Can You Imagine That and Nowhere To Go But Up. The album however lacks the melody of its prequel.

Mary Poppins Returns brings in the nostalgia of its predecessor and is an enjoyable watch. Hope the Disney makers can live upto the audience expectations of carrying forward the legacy of  Mary Poppins in their upcoming sequels, a character we so much love.

***.5 stars