Mary Poppins

I dare you to watch this movie, after having seen the Simpsons episode that parodies it, and try to not laugh your ass off. It’s basically impossible. Having said that, the question is, how good is this film on its own merits? The answer is more complicated than you might expect from a movie that is so well known, if not an outright classic. Truth is, there’s a lot of weirdness in this flick: many of the scenes that blur live action and animation have an almost hallucinogenic quality to them (especially visually); the direction is kind of schizophrenic—in some parts the story plays it straight, in others it plays fast and loose with its narrative structure (literally, as when Dick Van Dyke's character breaks the fourth wall, the only character who does so); and the dance sequences either work well, or drag on too long. So where’s the appeal? Mostly in Julie Andrews’ terrific performance; when her Mary does something magical, you believe she’s really capable of it, and her vocal performances are peerless. It’s really her show, and her and some good touches of humor—intended, not secondary laughs—make this one still worth watching, if not exactly worth cherishing. A spoonful of perspective helps an earnest but flawed effort go down well enough.