Nanny Mcphee

Rating: G
3.5 stars out of 5
By Shanzi Chen Translated by Cara Steenstra Photos by UIP

The seven little rascals of the Brown family are worried that their widower father will remarry, so they do everything they can to scare away their nannies--all 17 of them. However, these children never imagine that the ugly, witch-like Nanny McPhee (Emma Thompson), who arrives uninvited, will tame them with her magic. Just when Mr. Brown (Colin Firth) thinks things have settled down, along comes their nosy benefactor, Aunt Adelaide, who insists that Mr. Brown should remarry as soon as possible; otherwise she will separate the children and put them up for adoption. This means that the children must cooperate with Nanny McPhee to fight against their aunt.

This film's theme--naughty kids battling adults--is nothing new, but magical children's tales are always somewhat appealing. The production crew and cast are almost entirely British. Therefore, British-style humour and subtleties are evident throughout the film. Although this is a children's movie, the film also pokes fun at English stuffiness.

Apart from all the special magical effects, the main attraction is Thompson's rather terrifying appearance as the magical nanny and her superb acting skills while portraying this interesting character from a children's story. The rest of the British cast performs superbly, too, making this children's film well worth watching. Whether you're a big kid or a little kid, you'll find this film most enjoyable as you discover your inner child again.