Naughty children learn valuable life lessons in this lively family fantasy written by and starring Emma Thompson. Adapted from Christianna Brand's Nurse Matilda books, it's the story of seven Victorian youngsters whose behaviour is so beastly that they've driven away 17 nannies. Their conduct worsens when they learn that their widowed father (Colin Firth) is planning to remarry, however salvation is at hand in the form of stern and comically ugly Nanny McPhee (Thompson). Armed with a magic stick, mysterious McPhee is like an updated Mary Poppins, turning her charges' antics against them in a series of darkly amusing sequences. Though the over-tens might find the feature a tad twee, younger viewers will love its imaginative mayhem and mischievous dialogue. Stylistically, too, the movie is delightful, with an exaggerated fairy-tale look that complements the deliberately pantomimic performances. Ultimately, the conclusion may seem mawkish and predictable, but they're forgivable flaws in an otherwise well-pitched production.

Widower Cedric Brown hires Nanny McPhee to care for his seven rambunctious children, who have chased away all previous nannies. Taunted by Simon and his siblings, Nanny McPhee uses mystical powers to instill discipline. And when the children's great-aunt and benefactor, Lady Adelaide Stitch, threatens to separate the kids, the family pulls together under the guidance of Nanny McPhee.