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.

What can I say about this film other than it is funny, witty, surprising, original and well performed. Maggie Smith is superb of course in this unusual role, as is Rowan Atkinson with his perfect comedic timing but I think that Kristen Scott Thomas was comedy gold as the wayward, bored housewife, Gloria, who's husband (the local vicar - Atkinson) had lost his way a little bit. Patrick Swayze was an amusing and odd casting choice as brash American Lothario golf pro who seduces Gloria but whilst he is something to distract her from the unfulfilled life of a country vicar's wife, she soon realises he's not all he's cracked up to be. Swayze is funny and doesn't take himself at all seriously and it's a brave man who will wear a thong like that on screen! All round entertaining, with heart and tenderness too... if you overlook the grisly bits. The family, the Vicar, Gloria, the daughter Holly and the young son, Petey, are dysfunctional, at each other's throats, unaware of each other's needs and generally not doing well until the new housekeeper joins their family and things start to improve - but all is not what it seems. Brilliantly simple, well scripted and for once a comedy not mocking of the church. Not seen Song of Solomon (Song of Songs) used in that fashion in a film before! Rather clever.

Although farce is a universal comedic language, it's fair to say that nobody does farce as well as the English. From Oscar Wilde to Richard Curtis, the English sense of humour is strongly based in misunderstanding, misdirection and classic class stereotypes and this movie is a revival of such long-standing traditions. It might not be a riotous laugh but like "Calendar Girls", this is a gentle and almost relaxing comedic plod through the English countryside and offers a modern and black interpretation of "Mary Poppins" that Disney would certainly not approve of! In the sleepy village of Little Wallop, Reverend Walter Goodfellow (Rowan Atkinson) is struggling with his parishioners as well as trying to write the opening speech for a forthcoming conference. But away from the pulpit, things are even worse for his family - not that Walter is noticing. His wife Gloria (Kristin Scott-Thomas) is considering an affair with slimy golf instructor Lance (Patrick Swayze), his daughter Holly (Tamsin Egerton) has a succession of unsuitable boyfriends and his son Petey (Toby Parkes) is being bullied at school. Enter their new housekeeper Grace (Maggie Smith) who slowly begins to work her magic on the family. But Grace has plenty of dark secrets of her own and soon, her unusual methods of keeping the peace create more problems for Gloria than they actually solve...There aren't many actors who are happy to play up to their usual characters but the cast of "Keeping Mum" all do a fantastic job, adding a worrying authenticity to proceedings but the star of the show is Smith who is simply wonderful as the naughty nanny with a mysterious trunk "full of memories". Swayze also does very well as the lecherous lover of Gloria, reminding you of what a fine actor he actually was. The story might not be the most disguised and you can't help but wonder how the truth was concealed to the characters for as long as it was. But it's a delightful pastiche of those English clichés of sleepy villages, nosey busy-bodies and murderous citizens reacting to the slightest provocation. It's like an extended episode of "Midsomer Murders" but with slightly more swearing and nudity - in fact, it sorta makes me feel that it's been produced more for a foreign market as opposed to a British one but it's not that's not a reason for me to dislike a film that generally is amusing, interesting and offers an antidote to overly sugary "nanny" films like "Mary Poppins" or "Nanny McPhee"."Keeping Mum" might not be everyone's cup of tea but it is a recommended comedy crime thriller that reminds us to be careful of exactly what we wish for. As a bonus, it is also beautifully shot - I cannot recall a film that showed how truly amazing the British countryside can look, a real picture-postcard filled with rolling hills, sweeping coastlines and cottages with smoke-billowing chimneys and stone walls. "Keeping Mum" does for England what "Lost In Translation" did for Japan or "Y Tu Mama Tambien" did for Mexico. In addition to its stunning cinematography, it's a funny yet grisly film that will amuse most people although anyone expecting gut-busting belly laughs might want to look elsewhere. Still, this is much funnier that a lot of comedies out there so give it a try and wallow in some good, old-fashioned farce.

I couldn't help but think one reason this film was not more popular may have been due to the clash of values: immoral behavior in an ostensibly Christian household. On the other hand, Christianity involves a clash of forces of good and evil, spiritually embodied in God and the Devil. It reminded me a little of the classic black comedy "Arsenic and Old Lace," originally a play that Frank Capra later made into a movie. At a deeper level, the film is a little bit like Bulgakov's novel (and TV miniseries,) "The Master and Margarita," in which the devil comes to town to do evil and inadvertently also does some good. However, it is less clear whether the deaths are the work of the devil or simply the course of fate, but in either case, humans are not in control of their destinies. In contrast, in "Keeping Mum," Rosie has no qualms about deciding the fate of others.(Don't read further if you haven't seen the film.) I found the ending disappointing because the water inspectors had really done nothing to deserve to die and seeing them at the bottom of the pond was neither surprising nor amusing. To not clean up a pond polluting the water of the town, knowingly poisoning innocents, was not the message of the story.