Magical Subject, Lacks the Magic

Rating: 6/10 (3 August 2017)

(Flash Review)
Mary Poppins a movie I still have yet to see (!!!!) and this movie is about the creator of the Mary Poppins character, Mrs. Travers, as Walt Disney attempts to persuade her to give up animation rights so they can make the historic classic. As there is no surprise spoiler at the end, this film is about how they get the movie produced. Travers is portrayed as a stereotypical uptight and overly proper British lady, in contrast to Hanks, who plays Mr. Disney. There were some amusing moments and tidbits of musical numbers with Travers and Disney and his creative team on how they don't see eye to eye. But a big side story was Travers's backstory, told through many flashbacks, about her alcoholic father and him never being proud of her. This tale brought to focus Travers's buried emotional issues and how it interfered with the movie's production. Overall it was more drab emotions versus humor and not much was told about why Mary Poppins is so universally loved yet it was professionally scripted and produced without enough creativity or charm.