EDGE San Francisco

Movie’s that are aimed at children will often have something within it that will please the parents who accompany the children into the theaters. When these same films are made over seas and then open Stateside, the humor involved is either dry or seemingly witty. In 2005 we were introduced to a magical nanny. And now once again Emma Thompson writes and stars in the film adaptation of the children’s’ books by Christianna Brand, following a very strict nanny who brings order to a household full of chaos. "Nanny McPhee Returns" is a delightful movie for both parents and children alike.


It’s the middle of the big war and England has sent it’s sons to fight the enemy while still at home the wife’s and children of these brave men must cope with keeping the home intact. One such home is the Green household. Mrs Green (Maggie Gyllenhaal) is having a tough time making ends meet. Her slick brother-in-law Phil (Rhys Ifans) is so much in debt that he has borrowed against the farm and is now trying to get Mrs. Green to sign over her portion of the farm. He needs this in order to get out from under the grip of two debt collectors, Miss Topsey (Sinead Matthews) and Miss Turvey (Katy Brand).


Mrs. Green has her share of trouble raising her three children: two boys Norman (Asa Butterfield) and Vincent (Oscar Steer) and one daughter Megsie (Lil Woods) when she takes in two other young children, Cyril (Eros Vlahos) and his sister Celia (Rosie Taylor-Ritson). The trouble around the farm gets even more out of hand with the disappearance of the prize pigs that were going to pay for the tractor that would gather the crops. Phil keeps making his presence felt and when the children work together to capture the pigs, this form of sportsmanship saves the day.


Mrs. Green works in a shop ran by a sweet older woman named Mrs. Docherty (Maggie Smith) and one afternoon while the family was out at a picnic Phil brings over a telegram from the war office, this news is enough to convince Mrs. Green to sell. The children see through this and decide to act. Norman and Cyril have Nanny Mcphee drive them into London to visit Cyril’s dad at the War Office. The boys return in time to stop the sale of the farm. Nanny Mcphee does her duty and at the end is no longer needed so this marks the end of her new job.


The setting of the film taking place during World War II at first seems a little odd for a kid’s movie but it fits and doesn’t add any seriousness to the films comedic side. Thanks to Emma Thompson’s involvement, the film boasts a impressive array of British talent including Maggie Smith, Ewan McGregor (Mr. Green) and Ralph Fiennes (Mr. Gray) as a senior WW2 army officer, and father to both Cyril and Celia. Gyllenhaal seems to easily convey a flawless British accent and her charm is evident throughout the film. With only a sly glance and a raise of the eyebrow Thompson makes her on-screen character work, even under several layers of prosthesis.


I give Nanny McPhee Returns a 2. This is a children film at it’s heart, it is written for children and talks to them not down at them. McPhee carries a tender message and it’s ending is one of happiness and joy. The farm is saved, the children learn to work together and to be brave during a crisis. Nanny McPhee can be an enduring franchise if the younger audience embrace it, this is a wonderful family film and most children who see it will be laughing in their seats.


Nanny McPhee Returns is rated PG for Rude Humor, Some Language and Mild Thematic Elements.
Running time is 1 Hr. 44 Mins.
Distributed by Universal Pictures