 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Nanny McPhee
- Review Date: May 7, 2006
- PG
- Genre: Family and Kids
- 2006
Common Sense Media says
Charming adaption of kids' books. Good family fun.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this movie opens on a family of seven children who take pride in harassing and scaring nannies hired by their father. The kids are abusive in Home Alone-ish ways, pulling violent and sometimes disgusting pranks on adults who are supposed to look after them. Their efforts to thwart their father's marriage to a tarty (and cleavage-revealing) widow include the use of reptiles, insects, and slimy substances. The instructive nanny looks like a traditional witch, arrives on a stormy night, and uses a magical cane. Some kids may be disturbed by the death of the children's mother (not shown). The father works in a mortuary, and we see shots of dead bodies.
What's the story?
Widowed father Mr. Brown (Colin Firth) is at his wits' end as NANNY MCPHEE begins, as his seven kids have just run off their 17th nanny. Just in time, warty, snaggle-toothed, bulbous-nosed Nanny McPhee (Emma Thompson) arrives on a dark night and promises to set the household aright. She expects the children, especially chief schemer Simon (Thomas Sangster), to live up to her expectations: They can be kids -- rambunctious, energetic, and silly -- but they must also respect others, including adults. Or, at least, those adults who don't appear foolish outright, like garish local widow Selma Quickly (Celia Imrie). When Mr. Brown's Great Aunt Adelaide (Angela Lansbury) insists that he marry by the end of the month or lose her monthly checks, the children plot to chase off the widow, not thinking through the long-term effects. Nanny McPhee lets them and their father learn lessons the hard way, allowing Mr. Brown to figure out how he feels about his pretty housemaid, Evangeline (Kelly Macdonald), on his own.
Is it any good?
Thompson, who adapted Sense and Sensibility for the screen in 1995, has devised a wonderful script based on Christianna Brand's Nurse Matilda books, wherein kids and nanny face off without condescending to one another. If some of the movie's effects are distractingly shoddy (see: the unconvincing dancing donkey), the kids (especially Sangster) are first-rate, and Thompson rather divine.
Nanny McPhee tells Mr. Brown that she can manage the kids while maintaining her independence and dignity: "When you need me, but do not want me, I will stay," she says, "When you want me but do not need me, I will go." Nanny's lessons -- instilled through judicious use of a magic cane and wry common sense -- include respect, loyalty, and generosity.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about the children's evolving attitude toward their father: How do they come to see themselves supporting him rather than challenging all adults all the time?
How does Nanny McPhee's specific sort of magic allow her subjects to
figure out their own problems?And how does the father's bumbling lead
to the children's taking more responsibility, for each other and him?
- Show:
- All members
- Parents
- Teens & kids
Kid, 12 years old
July 22, 2010
AGE
Good movie. A little funny too.
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AGE
Cute story with a positive message
I found this to be a very entertaining film with a good message. I wasn't sure about it when I first was preparing to watch it, but I really enjoyed the story and the action. A bit silly at times, but overall quite appealing. Kind of an updated Mary Poppins story.
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AGE
Fun Movie with Good Ending and Message!
I love this movie. It has a really good ending and the message is awesome. The only concern is a few occasional curses, but only few throughout the whole movie. Really cool!
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AGE
Nanny McPhee is a good rolemodel.
Not only is this movie funny, but it's also very good because they learn their important lessons. Great for any age, even adults.
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AGE
Super fun naughty family movie
This is a really fun and playful and naughty movie.
It is unfairly compared to Mary Poppins. The only similarity is that a nanny comes to help restore peace and balance in a household of unruly kids.
The kids in Nanny McPhee are very naughty. They torture their nannies and are very spoiled as well. They are clever and work together to get rid of nannies so that their father will spend more time with them. They are afraid he will marry again and that their step-mother will be evil; just like all of the fairy tale step-mothers.
There are some ridiculous monty-phython style characters, including an overly horrible aunt. The sounds effects create a scary feeling at times, but the movie is fun and my 6 and 9 year olds (who are both sensitive to violence and meanness) laughed out loud.
I enjoyed the movie as much as my kids.
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AGE
awesome - just 1 scene that's scary
Great movie for EVERYONE above the age of 6. The only reason I put too violent or scary is because near the beginning there are shots of lots of dead bodies, and when I first watched it I found it very disturbing. Your kids might be too frightened with that. Other than that certain scene, everything is great! Nanny McPhee is a great role model and the kids learn lessons about respect.
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Kid, 12 years old
September 3, 2010
AGE
Role Models
When the little boy asks for some "secret toast and secret jam" the maid will not give it to him because she knows he got sent to bed without dinner
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AGE
love the movie. wants to see the next one too.
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| Topics: | book characters |
| Studio: | Universal Pictures |
| Director: | Kirk Jones |
| Cast: | Colin Firth, Emma Thompson, Thomas Sangster |
| Genre: | Family and Kids |
| Run time: | 97 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | January 27, 2006 |
| DVD release date: | May 9, 2006 |
| MPAA rating: | PG |
| MPAA explanation: | mild thematic elements, some rude humor and brief language |
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