6/10
For a kids' film which is also a sequel, this is pretty damn good. England's answer to the godawful Mary Poppins strikes again.
Based on a series of children's books which I've never read, this is the second adventure featuring the childcare equivalent of Ghostbusters. Who ya gonna call? Nanny McPhee.
Emma Thompson, who also wrote and produced the film, stars as the motorbike-riding, no nonsense solution to the problems of a family living on a farm during WW2. Mother Maggie Gyllenhaal has enough difficulties already without being lumbered with a pair of stuck up kids (her nephew and niece) from the Big Smoke. There's the fact that her husband is away at war, her dodgy brother-in-law is trying to persuade her to sell the farm, and a complete absence of ready money. So when the woman with the snaggle tooth and the raven called Edelweiss comes knocking at the door, she is the answer to a mother's prayers.
As well as her impressive starring role, ET deserves a lot of credit for the script, which is the film's strong suit. Witty, sweet-natured without being sentimental, and often very funny, it's a model of how to create something entertaining and intelligent. Rhys Ifans and Bill Bailey are part of the supporting cast, and look out for cameos from Ralph Fiennes and Ewan McGregor. Perfect for the holidays.
