Nanny McPhee [DVD]

I am now going to wax lyrical about this film. I loved it, I thought that it might be too girlie for my very boyish boys (aged 4 and 5) and my hubbie, but I made them watch it, and they loved it as much as I did but for very different reasons.

I loved the fairytale romance of poor girl falling in love with "rich" man (not)and the nastyness that is Ceilia Emry (who was excellent!)playing Colin Firths love interest. The ending brought a tear to my eyes, but the bit before then end also brought tears to my eyes but through laughter. It was magical, just like reading the ladybird book of Cinderella!!

The men in my life loved the naughtyness of the story, the comedy and the sheer fun. A truly wonderful peice of screenplay by Emma Thompson and a wonderful actress, who appeared to enjoy playing Nanny McPhee as we did watching.

The Donkey of course was wonderful as well (so as not to forget him!!)

Great film, one for keeps, from little girls and boys to the big grown up versions, a must. Rush and order it now!!!

You can tell I loved it!!!!

Oh ho. Your initial reaction would be - whats a 24 year old liking a film like this for? It's a kids film, and its not right for a twentysomething young adult male to like this sort of thing. Well, I say sod you then. For I loved Nanny McPhee, hands down. I thought the story, the acting, the comedy, the music, it was all spot on and it takes its place rightly up there with my most favourite films. Sorry.
Let us start on the plot. Okay, so it seems from a distance to be a rip off of Mary Poppins. Its not at all like the it, though. Don't let anyone suggest it. Yes, its about a Nanny, and yes, it's a family film that pushes all the right buttons, but no, its not the same thing. Good, that's that over with. It's a fantastically traditional fairy tale with all the right ingredients - wicked stepmother, kids, handsome prince and absolutely stunning princess. Only they're not prince and princess, they're adoring father and cuddle-able scullery maid.
Colin Firth exudes so much charm that I challenge the most hardened cynic not to smile at his fumbling persona and...niceness. Kelly MacDonald is superb as the maid who adores the kids and thinks that the poor father simply doesn't notice her (which is obviously not true). In fact, let me stand up for myself a little. Accuse me of being an old romantic because this film makes me cry - but in defence of my masculinity, I think Evangeline is quite simply stunning, gorgeous, beautiful, hot, fantastic...I could list every word in the thesaurus, but I shall not.
Guest appearances from Derek Jacobi, Imelda Staunton and even Angela Lansbury simply pepper the supporting ensemble with brilliance. But I'm now going to wax lyrical about the simply divine Emma Thompson. Starting off in the film as a witchy nanny with warts, a big nose and a rather rotund behind, she loses her ugliness as the film progresses in accordance with the movement of the plot, and as she does so starts to display that wonderfulness that you come to expect from her. Her performance is a classic - up there with Julie Andrews in Mary Poppins, Maggie Smith in Hook, the Pigeon Lady from Home Alone 2; those women that you remember from your childhood film watching and smile and feel that warm buzzy feeling. I only hope that some kids of this generation remember Emma's wonderful character.
Nanny McPhee, in my eyes, is one of those very rare things. A modern classic. I cannot praise it more. It's a whole five stars. Ten out of ten. I can't fault it. Not even for a second.
I've seen it several times. I've cried in happiness, every single time. Call me pathetic, but...sometimes a good old fairy tale with a happy ending is exactly what we need.

Nanny McPhee Calling...

Now listen to me children, young and old, whoever you are and wherever you live. This is Nanny McPhee calling to you to teach you the five lessons you need to learn to be very, very good children.

Number 1. Always watch my film with an open mind. You have no idea what you might learn. If you are an adult, you can learn how to listen to your children. Listening is such an under rated skill. You can learn that as you make mistakes, you can also learn from them; a lesson every adult needs to learn. That is what all the Brown children learn in my film. You can learn to understand each other better as well.

Number 2. Always watch my film as a whole family. Whether young or old, there is a message contained within. For adults, there are lessons in understanding your children. For children, there are ways of helping you to understand your parents, as strange as they may seem at times. Be prepared to try new things together for out of newness comes life.

Number 3. Always learn from my film how not to treat each other, whether you are young or old. There is nothing so nasty as a child who does not treat their parent with respect and love and a parent who fails to love and nurture their child. All this and more you will learn just from watching my little film.

Number 4. Always listen and watch how good children behave as you watch my film. Parents especially can learn how to encourage a well behaved child as much as a badly behaved one. And children, always try to show your parents the right way to behave, just as Simon Brown does with his father. It takes him some time, but he shows him the way to be happy.

Number 5 is my favourite. Always do as my film instructs you to do. That much is vital if you are all going to be happy as a family. I can assure you that if you watch my film, your little family will be as happy as the Browns are by the end.

They learnt all of the five Nanny McPhee lessons for them. Perhaps you can learn your five lessons too.

Happy watching, but remember, when you need me but don't want me, I will always be there...

Nanny McPhee