Secrets de famille

Gloria (Kristin Scott Thomas) is a woman with problems. Her clergyman husband seems not to notice that she's there, and she resents his job, her daughter is sex-mad and her son is being bullied, and she is deprived of sleep by the incessant yapping of the neighbour's dog. Then into her life walks an angel in the form of a new housekeeper, Grace.

Thomas does very well with the central role in the film, Rowan Atkinson is absolutely brilliant as the mild-mannered clergyman Walter, and Maggie Smith is amazing as always as Grace.

This is not a side-splitter comedy but it is certainly a comedy, as it deals with a number of serious issues of religion and morality with a light touch. Primary among these issues is the age old question of "whether tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings of arrows of outrageous fortune or to take arms against a sea of troubles and by opposing, end them." Gloria's approach to her "sea of troubles" is the approach of Job, and sure enough we hear echoes of this as Walter composes a sermon referring to the Book of Job. Grace has another approach.

Having a character who is a vicar enables the filmmakers to slip such Biblical references naturally into the script. It is a definite treat to hear Atkinson read the Bible (and in circumstances which make the viewer actually listen to what is being said!). Even with the Bible-reading, though, do not make the mistake of thinking that this is a film for young kiddies or prudes.

The film is so deftly made that there is always a lighthearted tone no matter how dark the subject matter, and the acting ranges from solid to exceptional. It's not the greatest film ever made but it is engaging and enjoyable.

I had to wait quite a while before I could show Keeping Mum at the Century Theatre in Coalville, Leicestershire. Being on the non-theatrical circuit, it's always a slow process obtaining films released by Entertainment Films. However, I had a feeling this British comedy would appeal to our mature audience (including myself!). I was right, a very popular choice...and it was worth the wait. To be honest, anything featuring Maggie Smith or Judi Dench can't fail at the Century and, as expected, Maggie steals the show as usual in this picture, with a very restrained but humorous portrayal of the mysterious new housekeeper to pastor Rowan Atkinson and his errant family. Atkinson also does well, underplaying nicely in his role, but typically funny in the village soccer match. Also, a very emotional scene when he delivers his speech at the conference. I certainly won't spoil it for anyone who hasn't seen this very dark comedy but I will say, don't miss the very start of the film, as this is obviously of great importance to what follows. Another Brit success!

I saw this film recently and I was pleasantly surprised. It reminded me of the old Ealing Comedies as it was charming but had a definite sense of delicious wickedness running through it. All of the main characters are funny in their own way particularly Rowan Atkinson and Maggie Smith. It reminded me so much of and Ealing Comedy that after a while I could only see Alec Guinness in drag when Maggie Smith was on screen. Kristin Scott Thomas started out as being being a bit of a female Hugh Grant in Four Weddings and a Funeral and showed that she can be quite funny but towards the end she gets a little unconvincing once some revelations unfold. All in all it has it's minor misgivings and gets a little too silly and unbelievable in places but I'd give it a go.

This great black comedy in the British tradition appeals to all generations. I went with my mother, wife and son and we all enjoyed it very much.

My 20-year-old son, who was not accustomed to this type of dark humour, was quite startled at how murder was portrayed in an off-hand, humorous way. I felt it was a revival of a genre going back to the "Wrong Box" [1966] and before. This film does not dwell on the violence, the gore, the sentiment or the psychological aspects of murder. It seems to be standard fare for most films but it didn't seem appropriate here.

As much I respect, Rowan Atkinson as a comedian, I was concerned that this film would be in the Mr Bean or Black Adder vein. In fact, I was pleasantly surprised to find that Rowan Atkinson is a very good actor. Most of the time, he played his role as an absent-minded vicar in an understated and sometimes quite touching way. Mr Bean fans will have their moments. There's also lots of innuendo combined with more subtle humour.

Maggie Smith is as ever excellent. The rest of the cast play their archetypal characters or in the case of Patrick Swayze's caricature well.

Though I was able to predict the overall plot, the story is entertaining and there is a gentle message about marital problems, the generation gap and hypocrisy. The scenery mainly in the Isle of Man and partly in Cornwall is stunning.

I recommend it highly.

This is an almost perfect "naughty" English comedy whose humour is too complicated to be described. Rowan Atkinson, Maggie Smith, and the rest of the cast are perfect. This is the most understated I have ever seen Atkinson, and marks an interesting evolution for him. Two young ladies in front of me were still giggling halfway through the closing credits, and the entire audience, judging from the laughter, had a great time. I chuckled all the way home - think I'll go see it again tonight, as I have an "Unlimited" card, so can see as many movies as I like for 11 pounds a month.

Seriously, this is not a "sweetness-and-light" comedy - it has a dark side, which is evident from the beginning, but that aspect drives the humour, because it touches feelings in us which we must restrain, but in watching the film we are allowed to indulge them. It also has a lot of very deep things to say about marriage and religion (Atkinson plays a shy, self- absorbed country vicar with a beautiful wife and daughter whom he neglects) without indulging in the usual superficial post-modern ironic attacks on either institution. In fact, it has some very intelligent things to say about both of them.

You really must see this movie - it is a gem - if you know people who don't normally go to the movies (like older in-laws) urge them to see this one, or at least rent the DVD.