1st watched 5/6/2006 - 7 out of 10(Dir-Kirk Jones): Funny, heartwarming family comedy with a great performance by Emma Thompson and awesome makeup to make this natural beauty look extremely ugly with warts and all. The story is about a father, who's wife dies and leaves him with seven kids that he can't handle on his own, and is in search for a nanny that the kids won't run off. The problem is that they've successfully done this 17 times in a row!! They really don't want a nanny and would rather have their mother back, or at least someone else to replace her and more attention from their busy, heartbroken father. He still talks to his wife next to the fireplace into her empty chair as if she still is there for him. But of course, she's not returning; but instead steps in magical Nanny McPhee as the 18th applicant, supposedly working for the government. She is a basically a witch. She looks like one, has the powers of one, but has the heart of an angel and sees straight into the hearts of the family and their needs. Early in the movie, some of the kids pranks are rather gruesome which gives the movie a slow start. One particularly eye-opening stint where they pretend to have cooked and eaten their youngest runs off an applicant very quickly. But after this, the movie does a great job of helping you see why the kids are reacting the way that they are, which is a big step above most movies of this type. Thompson actually wrote the screenplay to the film and is also the executive producer as well, I believe. She put a lot of herself into this movie but it has sadly not gotten the recognition it deserves. The set has a Harry-Potter-like feel to it, being British and dark but ends in a very light-hearted note which it very well should have. There isn't much else I can say about this movie except buy the DVD!! It's great entertainment with an awesome family-oriented message with a great ending!!
Review of Nanny McPhee
