'Keeping Mum' (2005) – Niall Johnson.
'Keeping Mum' is a warmly ingratiating, consistently sweet natured, sprightly written ensemble comedy about the ever increasingly rumbustious shenanigans that unfold bemusingly to the inhabitants of postcard perfect, blissfully bucolic Little Wallop, both the sleepy little village, and the noisome Goodfellow clan will all soon undergo a powerful existential metamorphosis due to the barnstorming arrival of that vivid force of nature in the uncommonly spry manifestation of superhumanly wilful octogenarian housekeeper Grace (Maggie Smith). The gently nuanced performances herein are hugely endearing, with impeccable comedic timing from the mercurial Rowan Atkinson as the somewhat less than dynamic local vicar, a grounded, delightfully dotty turn from the vicar's frustrated wife (Kristin Scott-Thomas), and a bravura bit of self-lampooning buffoonery from 80s screen icon Patrick Swayze as Gloria Goodfellow's cocksure, demonstratively hands-on Golf coach, but Keeping Mum's most luminous facet is the inimitable Maggie Smith, gracefully putting in a spectacularly mischievous turn as preternaturally competent Housekeeper Grace, Part jocular Mrs Doubtfire, part mystical Mary Poppins meddler and not just little bit magnificently mad!!! Somewhat ironically, talented writer/director Niall Johnson's deliciously dark-centred comedy is one you can't keep quiet about!!!! More tea, Vicar???!!! Do you like my iced buns, Vicar? 'Not especially! Perhaps you should warm them up by the fire first, dear!!
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