This is probably the most touching film about homicidal old ladies I have ever seen. Grace (Maggie Smith) is not your ordinary homicidal grandmother she has a heart of gold. When she comes into the life of the Reverend of Little Wallop (Rowan Atkinson) she immediately takes a proprietorial interest in his family's wellbeing. Before long Grace is proactively sorting out a lot of family problems the son's bullies, the daughter's awful boyfriends, the Reverend's lack of confidence and his wife's marital woes. At the same time, a number of people and animals that get in the way of Grace's plans start disappearing. She is so charmingly innocent and so completely well-intentioned that it is hard to hold her methods against her. In fact, I spent most of the film cheering for her. Grace is a very rare character indeed (the closest approximate I can think of is Angela from "Sleepaway Camp II & III" possibly a younger variation of the same creature) and we need more like her.The film is undoubtedly aided by an excellent cast. The central character, the reverend's frustrated wife Gloria, is played by the very convincing (not to mention attractive) Kristin Scott Thomas who effectively carries most of the film. Maggie Smith is adorable as the innocently-menacing Grace. Patrick Swayze is perfect as the hunky lothario/sleazoid pursuing both Gloria and her daughter. Jeez, he aged well, and I think he was perfect for this part (which is sort of a compliment). Given first billing despite performing in what was essentially a supporting role,is Rowan Atkinson in probably his most subdued role ever as the Reverend of Little Wallop. Don't let that deter you if you're a fan. He still manages to be hilarious without having to lift a finger and when he does go into full comedy mode he is marvellous. However, it is his performance as the absent-minded workaholic vicar who seems helpless in the face of his unravelling marriage that is both touching and believable and demonstrates acting capabilities I would not have expected of him.
In short, this is a very funny and sweet film that should not be missed.
What they got was Grace.
When Grace (Maggie Smith) arrives, she finds Gloria (Scott Thomas) somewhere between an affair and going crazy. Golf Pro Lance (Swayze) is encouraging her to swing more than a club. Clarence, the little dog next door has been yelling nonstop for days and the deaf old man who owns him, can't hear and doesn't seem to care. Walter (Atkinson) her vicar husband, has forgotten there's romance in the "Bible" and he's so lost in his tending his congregation, he's even lost his sense of humor. Teenaged Polly (Egerton) is experimenting with sex--and not for the first time. Peter (Parkes) is getting beaten up by the school bullies.
Grace quickly sets to work setting things to rights. On the surface, she's quite an endearing old lady who soothes with a cup of tea and a magic word, but her methods run far deeper than that--just don't look in the nearby pond!
If you love British comedy, particularly the darker varieties thereof, you're going to enjoy "Keeping Mum." There's more than one surprise twist. Of particular interest is a golf lesson between Lance and Gloria just filled with double entendre.This is a delicious twist on Mary Poppins with Maggie Smith playing the
"trunk killer"...that is she was sent to an institution because she was traveling with a trunk that carried the cut up remains of her philandering husband and his mistress.
Now she's back and doing housework for a minister's family in a small English town. Her approach to problems is to eliminate them...literally.
How can you suspect such a charming, smiling, old lady?
As for the minister, our Maggie Smith has some suggestions...lighten up your sermons with religious jokes and spice up your personal life with a little sex. I loved the "reading" of the Song of Solomon in the movie...one of the best readings of King James selections that was moving and erotic.
This is good fun and a must for Maggie Smith fans.
Read Best Reviews of Keeping Mum Here
I absolutely adored this rather understated and very engaging British film. Everything was just so fun considering it's about a sweet little elderly lady who applies a slightly twisted sense of morality to help a family with domestic problems. The family is a bit of a mess. Kristin Scott Thomas is the backbone of the story. She's frustrated with her life, her daughter is a bit of wayward teenager, her son is being bullied and her husband played by Rowan Atkinson is a little boring and a little self-absorbed. In comes Maggie Smith who plays Grace Hawkins a grandmotherly type who exudes understanding and warmth with her own special brand of helpfulness. But then again, the way she deals with life's problems is questionable although effective "You can't just kill people because you disapprove of them" to which Grace replies, "That's what my doctors kept saying. It was the one thing we could never agree on."Everything from the dream cast to the clever writing to the charming music sets an overall tone of gentleness with a hint of the sinister. I particularly enjoyed the music and the locations. The music is soft and tender but at times, it also has an edge exactly like the story. The film is beautifully shot with locations in Cornwall and the Isle of Man. I really liked the village its normal and sweet setting is a perfect backdrop to Grace's not normal but still sweet mentality.
Black comedy is a tricky genre of film and the British do it well. If it's handled with too heavy a hand it can teeter between the uncomfortable and the painful. Here, the director, writers and actors handled it with just enough of a touch that this film is brilliantly endearing and you just can't help laughing at something you really shouldn't be laughing at. I have been waiting for another British comedy to come out all year. KEEPING MUM fits that bill. It is funny, I mean very funny. The cast is outstanding. Rowan Atkinson and Maggie Smith are hilarious but the whole cast really delivers some of their best work in this film. The location photography is beautiful. The English countryside really sets the stage for this nice little film where the characters all come together and their personalities, strengths and weaknesses lead them to realizations about the true aspirations of their lives.
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