Just as most happy stories do, Nanny McPhee begins with a tragedy. Left widowed, Mr. Brown (Colin Firth) and his seven children are faced with an ultimatum: Mr. Brown must remarry within the month or lose financial support from evil old Aunt Adelaide (Angela Lansbury), which would split up the Brown brood between work houses and foster homes.
While Mr. Brown works hard at the village mortuary, his children spend their days driving away nannies and causing mischief. With only a ruddy-faced cook (Imelda Staunton) and the mild-mannered, romantic maid Evangeline (Kelly Macdonald) to look after the children, Mr. Brown is desperate for help. Enter the enchanted but homely Nanny McPhee (Emma Thompson), who will teach the children five lessons and then her work will be done, for she stays only as long as she is needed. Based on the series Nurse Matilda, Nanny McPhee is a children’s film that allows adults to enter a magical fantasy-world.
Not surprisingly, Thompson steals the show as the wise nanny who teaches the children much more than just five lessons. A Mary Poppins-esque figure, Nanny McPhee reminds the family what is most important and returns the Browns to the happiness of the days before tragedy. The adorable Brown children grow to love the once unappealing Nanny as their relationship literally changes face, and Nanny McPhee loses her warts and snaggle tooth as their fondness for her grows.
Thompson may be the scene-stealer, but the rest of the stellar cast leaves an equally indelible impression. Firth, as the charming Mr. Brown, learns what it means to listen to his children. Eldest son Simon is devious, but Thomas Sangster (Love Actually) lends maturity to the role. Angela Lansbury returns to the screen after a two decade absence as the crusty old aunt, sporting a beak-like prosthetic for added humor.
Nanny McPhee transports its audience to the Browns’ magical world with sparks of magic at every turn. An ordinary Victorian home is transformed into a fairytale set, full of vibrant colors and characters. McPhee comes complete with clever but naughty children, an evil stepmother, a loving widower and even a little romance. Thompson, in her first solo screenplay since 1995’s Oscar-winning Sense and Sensibility, has outdone herself with a story for all ages, complimented by enchanting visual festivities.
McPhee captivates adults and children alike. Its resemblance to Mary Poppins is luckily overcome by its novelty and charm. Nanny McPhee changes the nature of the fairytale and illustrates just how powerful the love for family — and even for nannies — is.
