The film opens with a flashback of 30-odd years in which a likable young woman, travelling on a train, is found to have a dead body in her travelling trunk, and it appears that she is the author of the deceased's demise. Moving to the present day, we meet Gloria, wife to rather dozy vicar Walter and mum to sensitive Petey and mildly slutty Holly. All three are something of a trial, and her general lack of satisfaction at life isn't helped by next door's yapping dog, problems with the pond, annoying parishioner Mrs Parker, randy golf pro Lance, etc. Into her life comes Grace Hawkins as a live-in help, and suddenly - almost miraculously - all the problems begin to disappear.You don't have to be a genius to work out what's afoot, but the joy of this film is in how it delivers what you expect in such unexpected ways, not to mention the lovely performances from all concerned.The location work in Cornwall and on the Isle of Man is very attractive.Yes, this is a black comedy, but it is also genuinely funny, and quite heartwarming.

As a young woman, Grace Hopkins was sent to prison for an indeterminate period of time after killing her husband and his lover and stuffing them in a trunk. Unfortunately, on a train trip, blood started leaking out of the trunk, and Grace was caught. Years later, Grace (now Maggie Smith) becomes the housekeeper for a minister's family. The minister, Walter (Rowan Atkinson) is a forgetful person, preoccupied with his work -- so preoccupied that he's stopped having sex with his wife Gloria (Kristen Scott Thomas) who is contemplating an affair with her golf pro Lance (Patrick Swayze). Walter's and Gloria's beautiful older daughter (Tamsin Egerton) is a nympho and knows her mom isn't getting any, and their son (Toby Parkes) is the object of bullying at school.Grace sets about making things right for the family, but sometimes her methods are a bit questionable."Keeping Mum" is a wonderful English comedy, and the performances are superb. Maggie Smith as a sweet-seeming but ruthless old woman is a riot. Kristen Scott Thomas does a fantastic job as Gloria, unhappy but unsure about having an affair with the randy Lance. Though it was sad to see Patrick Swayze and realize he's gone, he was perfect as the horny golf pro who gives the sexiest golf lessons around. Rowan Atkinson, as the dim minister, is marvelous, growing from a man lacking in self-confidence to taking on a new presence in his life and ministry.Highly recommended. I had the great privilege of seeing Maggie Smith on-stage in "Lettice and Lovage" and she was magnificent. I'm afraid that opportunity won't come again. What a joy to be able to see her in films.

With the average ratings this movie has, I expected little, but I found it delivering, and doing so very well. The family is really awkward to watch in the beginning, it is so totally dysfunctional, but its rebirth is convincing and moves us closer to the people - in most cases.I found the opening sequence particularly well done, where Rosie is presented with few words, more with gestures and pose, and what we see is a charming young woman with a dark secret in her trunk, and a strange attitude to it.Then this woman arrives to the dysfunctional family and saves it, in the most morbid way. The moral is hard to accept, which makes it good: Should the family just accept God's mysterious ways and take the good they get, despite knowing that much evil was done to give it to them.The weakest part of the movie is, in my opinion, the son. He is flat and simple, and the "solution" to his problems is also simplified. We never hear anyone trying to explain why four boys got their brakes sabotaged. He is never accused of it, and four boys were hurt, possibly rather badly.But that is a detail in the whole. Well shot, well played, mostly well written. It all sums up to a movie that grows increasingly beautiful, I moved from uncomfortable to entertained. It may not be for everybody, it is not a straight comedy but rather a morbid drama that will make us worried and insecure as much as laugh. You don't get Mr Bean-style slapstick from Atkinson (although I like that just as much) but much, much more subtle humor, which can be just as funny if you only notice them.

This was fun,the movie stands out distinctly amongst British comedies.I am very fond of comedy flicks especially British ones and i have to say that keeping mum was a great addition to my list of comedies so far.The subject touches the day to day lives of few people in a small village where the whole movie is based.The acting is superb and the story even better,British comedies show us how a film can be made to succeed with a simple background and no unusual stuff and so this film is all about that.I enjoyed watching this one & especially MAGGIE SMITH's performance which was top of the class.Never miss movies like this and so i recommend this one to all the fans..Real good stuff!!!