Nanny McPhee
Reviewed by Sarah Downing

After being suddenly widowed, Mr Brown (Colin Firth) finds himself battling to care for his seven unruly children without much success. In fact, they are so frightful that even well trained nannies are unable to cope with them.

So, after the seventeenth highly qualified nanny resigns, Mr Brown begins to admit defeat, believing that there really is no one who can cope with such mischief. That is until Nanny McPhee (Emma Thompson) presents herself to his family.

This nanny soon makes it clear that she is unlike anyone Mr Brown has employed before. Clearly a magical character, she appears to have mysterious yet enchanting ways of keeping the children under control, much to their annoyance.

She quickly makes it known to them that she will always stay while she is needed and not wanted but that she will have to leave as soon as she is wanted and not needed. Will the children ever really grow to want her or will she too be defeated?

This movie, based on the Nurse Matilda books by Christianna Brand, is the second screenplay written by actress Emma Thompson. After winning an Academy Award for her previous efforts, she really has high standards to live up to with this family film.

Although not quite Oscar material, Nanny McPhee is a witty and charming movie that is bound to be a success with a young audience. Thompson herself is fantastic in the lead role and succeeds in gradually encouraging the audience to warm to her character, just like the children in the movie.

Although probably not as appealing to an older audience, this film achieves its main aim by being a good heart warming movie, and one which is almost certain to keep young viewers entertained throughout.