| |

Nanny McPhee review

Check out our review of Nanny McPhee - an absolutely enchanting comedy with Emma Thompson and Colin Firth

Nanny McPhee poster

Nanny McPhee

Certificate: U

Starring: Emma Thompson, Colin Firth

Release date: 2005

4 out of 5

4

Parents tired of super-slick animated movies and family blockbusters that come with their own range of action toys/computer games/breakfast cereals should sit their offspring down to watch this adorably quirky and old-fashioned movie, based on a series of little-known children’s books (the Nurse Matilda stories by Christianna Brand).

Emma Thompson, who wrote the screenplay, stars as Nanny McPhee, the rather ugly and mysterious nanny who turns up on the doorstep of Mr Brown’s (Colin Firth) house to bring his seven unruly children into line.

Of course, there’s more to Nanny McPhee than meets the eye and Thompson has terrific fun as the anti-Mary Poppins (imagine Supernanny mixed with Anne Robinson and you’ll get an idea where Thompson is coming from), backed by an impressive child cast and British actors such as Celia Imrie, Imelda Staunton, Angela Lansbury and Kelly Macdonald. Absolutely enchanting for everyone.

Is Nanny McPhee suitable for kids? Here are our parents’ notes...

Nanny McPhee looks pretty severe when you first meet her (check out those warts!) which may startle very young viewers.

Otherwise, any violence is mostly the children playing pranks rather than being in jeopardy themselves.

If you like this, why not try: Nanny McPhee And The Big Bang, Mary Poppins, Bedknobs And Broomsticks, Five Children And It, Matilda,