Nanny McPhee DVD > Reviews > A Modern Day Mary Poppins

Author's product rating:   

Did you enjoy it?	Liked it
Story	Good
Characters / Performances	Good
Special Effects	Good
How does it compare to similar films?	Not applicable

Advantages:	Good family film
Disadvantages:	None

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

Nanny McPhee was one of my buys so I did not have to watch the football when it was on. I was quite impressed with the film.

Emma Thompson plays the part of Nanny McPhee who magically turns up at the house of Mr Brown.

Mr Brown has been recently widowed and he has been left looking after his 7, yes 7, children. The children's behaviour is awful and they have managed to scare off their 17 previous Nanny's. When Mr Brown goes to the agency to get another new nanny he is told that they have none left and as he leaves the office he hears a magical voice telling him that the answer to his problems lies with Nanny McPhee. He has no idea how to find her and later sees an article in his newspaper advertising her services but when he opens the paper he sees the children have cut out the details.

As if by magic Nanny McPhee arrives at the door and she soon starts work on the children. Her appearance is very strange, with a large bottom and warts on her face. She also walks with the aid of a stick. The stick as we soon learn is how she does her magic. The children think that they will be able to scare her off easily enough but it does not take them long to learn she is there to stay.

Nanny McPhee tells the father that all the children need to learn is 5 lessons and as she goes about teaching them magical things happen to her. Also during this time the children's father has to find himself a new bride or he will loose the monthly allowance he receives from his aunt. He finds it very hard to start looking and thinks he is betraying the memory of his recently dead wife.

Will Mr Brown realise that love might be closer than he thinks and marry and keep his allowance and will Nanny McPhee finally be able to sort the children out and what is happening to the way she looks?

I thoroughly enjoyed this film even though from the very beginning I could not help but think it was a modern day Mary Poppins. Emma Thompson plays that part of McPhee very well and she looks so different in her costume.

The 7 children are all very good budding actors and actresses and worked very well on screen together and I think there are a few stars in the making as they did so well for children of such a young age.

The story was very good and as a fairytale it was believable. I don't think I would encourage my young children to watch it as I don't want them picking up any tricks from the children when they are seeing the Nanny's off!

The DVD has several bonus features which include:-

Casting the children
Village Life
Nanny McPhee makeover
Deleted scenes
Gag reel
How Nanny McPhee came to be
Plus 2 audio commentaries

I have purposely not watched the extras as I believe they will destroy some of the magic of the film. If I am bored one day and get to watch them then I will update this for you.

The DVD has a guidance rating of U, which is suitable for all and it runs for 1 hour and 34 minutes with the extras running for 44 minutes.

The film was produced by Lindsay Doran, Tim Doran and Eric Felliner and was Directed by Kirk Jones.

I paid 99p for my copy of eBay so do shop around and pick yourself up a bargain.

I recommend this film as a fun and magical family favourite.