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When “Nanny McPhee Returns” premiered five months ago in the U.K., it was called “Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang,” referring to a somewhat explosive climax. It’s anyone’s guess why Universal changed the title for American release. Scary intimations of scientific intellectualism? Scary intimations of nannies being naughty in the boudoir?
At any rate, “Nanny McPhee Returns” invites us back to the franchise commanded by ever-clever Emma Thompson, who scripted, stars and executive-produces. One is always in good hands with Thompson, even in this kiddie franchise loosely adapted from Christianna Brand’s trilogy of “Nurse Matilda” novels. 2006’s “Nanny McPhee” corresponded in plot to the book “Nurse Matilda,” but the second film diverges from the path of the books to tell a new story with a new family.
On the other hand, the new story is a lot like the old story. Again, the bulbous-nosed, bucktoothed, portly, warty Nanny McPhee spirits into the life of a needy family. Again, she imparts five lessons to unruly English moppets, her superficially unattractive features fading away to reveal Thompson’s natural beauty. But this time McPhee visits the working-class Green family on their Deer Valley Farm: mother Isabel (Maggie Gyllenhaal) and kids Megsie (Lil Woods), Norman (Asa Butterfield) and Vincent (Oscar Steer). An unspecified war means that Mr. Green is away and in danger; thus, tensions are running high (the circumstances and style suggests the ’40s, but in a modernistic time warp).
Tensions run so high that the arrival of rich cousins Cyril (Eros Vlahos) and Celia (Rosie Taylor-Ritson) Gray, sent to the country to dodge a London blitz, triggers a civil war between the Green and the Gray. Thompson is after a lesson in harmony for adults and kids. Hence “Lesson One: To stop fighting.” Ironically, McPhee claims to be “an army nanny … I have been deployed.” With the loss of the farm a clear and present danger, the film touches on recession fears as well, but with faith and help from her magic walking stick, the sly governess contains the situation and helps the children to grow into themselves.
Thompson and director Susanna White appropriately conspire to keep McPhee somewhat in the background (she should leave us, like the kids, wanting more). Though she plays it close to the frock, Nanny McPhee has an emotional attentiveness to kids at their best and at their lowest. Thompson nicely underplays this sensitivity as well as the comedy. She also hauls in some top British talent for potent supporting roles and cameos: Maggie Smith, Rhys Ifans, Ralph Fiennes, Bill Bailey and Ewan McGregor.
For the kids, there are lots of pratfalls and fairy-tale magic, with a touch of “Babe”‘s farm charm (pigs that fly and do Busby Berkeley choreography). Like the kids, we’re left with the reminder that Nanny McPhee is a rolling stone with one overriding lesson: You can’t always get what you want, but if you try sometimes, you just might find you get what you need.
Rated PG for rude humor, language and thematic elements. 1 hour, 49 minutes.
By Peter Canavese
Rated PG for rude humor, language and thematic elements. 1 hour, 49 minutes.
By Peter Canavese
It is unforuntate that the Yee’s have to bulid houses on this property that will not be affordable to the average Joe. I guess they do not see the beauty in the hills and land on Foothill road. If I had their money and land I would build something for the community like a hiking and biking area. Keep the nature and beauty we do not need to become a concret Jungle..
If we make it difficult to build, they’ll just give the land away as a tax writeoff!
get back under your rock WALDO!
How come you can’t tolerate diverse opinion? hmmmmmmmmm…?
just sayin…
steve,
Where does it say the Yee family is in China? Perhaps they’re locals like you and me?
NatureArt2,
Didn’t EBRPD recently open up a lot of acreage (1100 acres)to go along with what’s already available (including Agustine Bernal Park) on the Pleasanton Ridge from Sunol to North Pleasanton?
http://www.pleasantonweekly.com/news/show_story.php?id=1048
Ridge Dweller,
Aren’t the lots on Foothill Blvd across from the high school and not up on the ridge?
The Yee property was approved for 16 homes back in the late 80’s. I don’t think many people are today aware of that approval. Unfortunately, the approval did not have a time limitation on it like is done today. The Yee’s recognized the aesthetic value of having fewer homes on it and came to the Planning Commision a year ago for a PUD modification to only have 6 homes and with stringent guidelines. Part of the modification was that the project needed to create a bike lane along Foothill for their property. Unfortunately this involved filling in a drainage ditch alongside the road. Various agencies said wait a minute. Long story short, they came back to the Planning Commission with a further modification limiting the PUD to just 4 homes but not putting in a section of bike lane along their property so that the trees along Foothill could be saved.
Something unique about this PUD is that the building pads aren’t going to be graded until someone buys a lot and designs a house to put within the building envelope and gets approval. So the house will fit the land.
The Yee’s live in a home on the land and have been long time residents. Bottom line, this is a far superior proposal to what is approved for the land.