Mary Poppins Returns

THE GIST: Now grown-ups, Jane and Michael Banks deal with economic hardship, an imminent foreclosure, and a recent tragic loss, on top of having to raise Michael's children. A visit from their one-time nanny Mary Poppins seems just what is needed for them to rediscover the joys of living.

The original Mary Poppins, brought to life by the legendary Julie Andrews, is unarguably as sacred a cow as it gets, so I'm sure Disney's decision to produce a sequel wasn't taken lightly, given the potential for blowback.

Has the gamble paid off? It's hard to tell really. Mary Poppins Returns is certainly enjoyable, but hardly leaves the impression the original did.

Fortunately for Disney, they signed up the very talented Emily Blunt, who effortlessly dons the famous uniform, as well as Ben Whishaw and Emily Mortimer.

Blunt is also flanked by Lin-Manuel Miranda, he of the Hamilton smash-hit, but I wasn't particularly impressed by him. His musical tastes influenced the songs of the sequel and they're not really my cup of tea. I also didn't find him that good acting.

Meryl Streep, Julie Walters, Colin Firth, Dick Van Dyke, and Angela Lansbury are some of the bigger names playing smaller roles who are always a pleasure to watch.

THE BOTTOM LINE: The little ones might enjoy this musical more than the adults among us, but if you're a huge fan of the original you might come away thinking Mary Poppins should have been left alone.

Grade: 6