Why you can trust GamesRadar+ Our experts review games, movies and tech over countless hours, so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about our reviews policy.
“Everybody stop shouting!” screams Maggie Gyllenhaal’s stressed World War 2 mum at the start of this whimsical modern-day Mary Poppins. If only.
Her five precocious charges seem to operate only at ‘shrill’ in this all-star romp about a magical child-tamer, Nanny McPhee (Emma Thompson), who teaches niceness to warring cousins with parental anxieties.
Plus there’s plenty of sticky delights for the nippers with over-flowing treacle and poo jokes.
Thankfully, Gyllenhaal (sporting spot-on plummy twang) and Thompson offset moppet-overload with heartfelt performances that sneak up and sucker-punch adults, while Maggie Smith, Rhys Ifans and Bill Bailey have fun as OTT support.
Though cute, sweet and rammed with enchanted animals (the porcine synchronised-swimming is a highlight), McPhee falls a smidgeon short of the original’s charm with a plodding pace, and a final, frantic reel that outstays its welcome.
But like McPhee herself, it’s hard not to like this cinematic hug – warts and all.
Star Wars Outlaws, Hellblade 2, and Space Marine 2 are leading Xbox's Black Friday offerings so far
The Game Awards nominees prove that 2024 is the year of the JRPG, with Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth and Metaphor ReFantazio leading the field
Half-Life 2: Episode 3 never happened because Valve lead Gabe Newell thought just “pushing the story forward” wasn’t a good enough reason to make a game
