Keeping Mum

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One of the local theatres was showing this, and I decided to watch it based purely on the fact that Rowan Atkinson was in it. This may seem a bit brash, but with shows like Blackadder and Mr Bean, I will always take a chance with Mr Atkinson. As it turns out, the rest of the cast was very good as well. Kristin Scott Thomas plays the wife of the local vicar (supurbly played by Rowan Atkinson) – she looked very familiar, and her resume shows her in many films where I might have seen her (including Mission Impossible, which is very different to this film). Maggie Smith plays the lady who starts up as the housekeeper for the vicar’s family (and unless you live under a broken bus somewhere, you will find her very familiar. Harry Potter anybody?).

The storyline is hard to describe without turning the review into a big fat spoiler. Basically, the vicar (who is apparently the most boring man in the most boring village in the world) and his depressed wife hire a housekeeper, who changes their life for the better in many wonderful ways. Along the way a lot of curious incidents happen, leading to many humerous incidents and a humerous ending.

If you love watching British television (such as Four Weddings and a Funeral, for example, or anything else with Hugh Grant) then you will love Keeping Mum. It is a bit of a black comedy (there are several murders in the film) and the characters live in a somewhat dystopian representation of what most people think of old blighty. The seventeen year old daughter is sleeping with as many men as she can get her hands on, the younger son is being given a hard time by bullies, nobody can sleep because of a barking terrier across the road, and the Vicar is aweful at being a goalie.

Much like Whale Rider (my review here), the film was shot in a location to lend authenticity to things. As is typical in this part of the world, there is never sunshine (I have never been there, but you rarely see sunshine in anything shot in that part of the world. If everything was sunny I would be suspicious). The old lady across the road is nosy, the old man next to her cannot hear, and it all brings a picture of the old days to mind. I sets the stage beautifully for a great comedy, because along with this old Harry-Potter-esque landscape you have people swearing in a positively modern way, Lexus SUVs and cellphones as well. The juxtaposition of old and new in Europe is always interesting to watch for me, but then again I have always lived in the New World.

Overall, it is a great film. It is well staged, well filmed, well written and very funny to boot. Rowan Atkinson plays a role which looks a lot less formularic than some others I have seen – there is always the temptation to make him Blackadder or Bean in films, and when they try to do that it does not come out very well at all. You don’t get the sense that the role was written for him, basically, which ironically enough makes it more fun to watch. Maggie Smith is a great surprise too – she plays her role very well, and it is an interesting role to play. She is obviously very accomplished as an actress and shows that in this film.

The only problem with this film, I fear, is finding a cinema to watch it in. It seems to have the feel of something that major theatres will only carry if they see an award for it or something. Which would be a grand pity – this deserves to run with the big boys. Try to look out for this if a local theatre carries it.

Whale Rider

IMDB

My wife rented this one, and I decided to watch it since I had heard good things about it, and I never saw a film about Maori culture that I did not like. As it turns out, a lot of the cast of Once Were Warriors and What Becomes of the Broken Hearted turn up (six from the first page of IMDB, as far as I could count). Unfortunately, Temuera Morrison does not make an appearance. But I suppose we cannot expect the man to be in every Maori film ever made.

The story is about a young Maori girl, Pai,  who is the twin sister of the first born child of the first born son of the chief (did you get that). Her twin brother died at birth, leaving the family without the first born son to replace the chief. She is raised by her grandfather, who loves her but still wants a grandson to carry on the traditions of his people. However, Pai wants to follow in her grandfather’s footsteps and stubbornly tries to learn the ways of being a chief.

The film is very well made. I appreciate the fact that the people were obviously Maori and from New Zealand (being from Australia I know the accent well), although ironically the protagonist is played by a girl born in Australia. The landscape and the people feel very authentic, and there is none of the overdone shtick that you see in so many Hollywood productions. The slang and language used helps create an immersive atmosphere for the story. The landscapes are also very beautiful – this is not the kind of film that you could fake in Vancouver and I am glad that they did not try.

Another thing that made the film interesting to watch is that the characters are developed in a deep way that makes you care about them. The simple concept of a granddaughter loving her grandfather unconditionally frames the story in a simple way that requires no explanation. I won’t spoil the ending, but suffice to say that the story lacks predictability, because the authenticity makes you doubt that some Deux ex machina will come and make everything all right.

The story is not all tears and hugs – there are some quaint funny moments that make it fun to watch. The interaction between Pai and her uncle is always fun to watch, and the banter between the small players on the screen is amusing to those from that part of the world. I think that some characters could have done with some more development, such as Pai’s father or the friends of her uncle, but I do understand that these things have to be weighed with the importance of making a film that can be absorbed in one sitting.

Overall, this is a fine film and I wish that I had seen it sooner. Especially recommended for those from the southern hemisphere.