Based on the books by Christianna Brand
Starring Emma Thompson, Colin Firth, and Angela Lansbury
Directed by Kirk Jones
Produced by Lindsay Doran
Written by Emma Thompson
Running time: 99 minutes
Rated PG
I am so tired of stories concerning dead moms and the trying and tortured lives of their left-behind children. I lived it, and I was never a rotten little girl to anyone. Get some new material, Hollywood. That being said, I really dig this movie. However, I will openly own up to my gargantuan crush on Emma Thompson, which alleviates a little bit of the plot's predictability. I trust Emma. What I mean by this is that she consistently picks hearty roles, meaningful films, and respectable life projects. If you take a close look at her work history, you'll see she does a lot more than act. She's a (dare I use the term) well-rounded young lady with a pretty collection of little gold men and an interesting take on religion. Bravo, my beauty, for being all your own.
Nanny McPhee is the story of the Brown family, headed (kind of) by Colin Firth. He's got seven kids. If you've only got one kid, you can probably fathom the power of seven. There are a couple of sabotage scenes that are reminiscent of The Parent Trap (x 3.5). These munchkins eat nannies alive for funsies and are just generally despicable. Of course it's because they don't get enough attention from daddy, blah blah blah. And he doesn't have time for them because he only has one month to find a new wife, or he'll lose his inheritance from the rich, old (bitch) aunt (Lansbury). Whatever. Firth chats with his dead wife whilst lifting his teacup to her gaudy pink chair, so you can understand why he's not blazing up the dating circuit. But he is sexy, or there wouldn't be any love interest. Still...there's no way in hell one man could raise seven kids on an undertaker's salary, and that's why we've got a story to tell. Trust me, I get it. I'm just being cheeky.
The bit of this film that isn't predictable concerns the fantasy element. Nanny McPhee is no looker. (I'm trying not to judge here, so bear with me.) She's got over-sized moles, crazy teeth, a nose like an eggplant, frizzy hair, and an ass the size of Texas. I'll admit, her makeup is a little over the top, but so are these devil kids. As said monster minions absorb each of her magic lessons, she sheds a "negative" physical trait. So in the end, she looks more like Julie Andrews. (If you're a lover of Mary Poppins, this flick is the darker alternative, minus the singing. But I must warn, there's a bashful, snickering donkey in Sunday dress, for those of you who aren't into animated animaux.)
If my harsh treatment of the storyline hasn't hooked you yet, it's worth noting that the sets and costuming are phenomenal, like a mosaic. The manipulation of color in this film should have been billed as a character. It's all just...lovely. As the viewer, you're quickly tossed into a whole new world, rich with British Shabby Chic detail. (Yes, I conjured that term, but it fits.) The direction is spot on. Totally makes up for the donkey. All in all, Nanny McPhee is the sweet kind of movie you'll be itching for after watching like, oh say... Sid and Nancy. I prefer to call these "Dessert Flicks"--what you crave after chewing something heavier.
So, as it spins--
One spider for clever manipulation of light and shadow.
One spider for creative set and costume design.
One spider for Emma. She's a classy chick.
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