It may be over 20 years old, but Nanny McPhee seems to have enduring appeal. Starring Emma Thompson in the titular role, the popular British family film is now trending on a UK streamer.
The 2005 film is based on the character of Nurse Matilda from author Christianna Brand, and sees Thompson's figure whisked into a family home as Cedric Brown (Colin Firth) requires his seven unruly children to be looked after.
Written by Thompson and directed by Kirk Jones, who recently garnered acclaim for I Swear, the family film is currently enjoying some success on Netflix, where it is ranked #6 in the streamer's UK film chart (via Flix Patrol).
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In addition to Thompson and Firth, the film boasts a stacked cast of British talent including Kelly Macdonald, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, Angela Lansbury, Imelda Staunton and Celia Imrie, with the latter playing the villainous Selma Quickly.
Upon its release, Nanny McPhee garnered a generally positive response from critics and fans alike, with Rotten Tomatoes currently reporting an approval rating of 74% from 134 reviews. On IMDb, it has an average user rating of 6.6/10 from 91,000 logs.
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"This is just a great movie that makes you smile from ear to ear and then some... What's great about this is that we have a bunch of great characters who all behave believably," wrote one user, who also called it "wonderful".
"This is a fun and inventive kids film that is guaranteed to make you smile," opined a second viewer. "Nanny McPhee emerges triumphant as one of the better kids movies in recent memory, mostly because the adults will love it too."
A third user praised the cast, noting: "Colin Firth marvellously befuddled, Angela Lansbury wonderfully austere, Emma Thompson gruesomely wise and endearing, and all of the children sweet and mischievous without being cloying and horrible."
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"Funny, heartwarming family comedy with a great performance by Emma Thompson," wrote a fourth as they echoed the sentiment. "The movie does a great job of helping you see why the kids are reacting the way that they are."
Luckily for some, viewers can have a double-bill of the iconic titular character on Netflix as the 2010 sequel, Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang, was added to the streamer earlier this month.
Both Nanny McPhee films are streaming now on Netflix.
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Reporter, Digital Spy George is a freelance writer who specialises in Movies and TV. After graduating with a degree in Film Studies and Journalism from De Montfort University, in which he analysed the early works of Richard Linklater for his dissertation, he wrote for several websites for GRV Media. His film tastes vary from blockbusters like Mission: Impossible and John Wick to international directors such as Paolo Sorrentino and Hirokazu Kore-eda, and has attended both the London and Berlin film festivals.
