The tiny British hamlet of Little Wallop is forever changed, and bodies start turning up when Grace Hawkins comes to town to work for the Goodfellow family. Keeping mum becomes not an option, but a necessity.

Adapted from a Richard Russo script, Niall Johnson wrote and directed the British comedy, "Keeping Mum." The Rev. Walter Goodfellow (played with unexpected subtlety by the rubber-faced Rowan Atkinson of "Mr. Bean" fame) is a bland and passionless vicar, who saves his energies for the pulpit.

Wife Gloria (Kristin Scott Thomas) is having trouble coping with sexual frustration and boredom, and her problem children are making her crazy. Holly (Tamsin Egerton), their 17-year old daughter is sexually promiscuous and has a different boyfriend at every turn, while wimpy son, Petey (Toby Parkes), is the constant victim of the local bullies.

Enter Grace Hawkins, played by two-time Oscar winner Maggie Smith. Grace, unbeknownst to Walter and Gloria, has just come from a mental institution where she has spent the last 42 years for killing and dismembering her husband and his mistress.

The family is delighted with their new housekeeper, who can cook, clean, and help with problems: she feeds Walter tasteful religious jokes that enliven his sermons, and distracts Holly from her multiple boyfriends.

But soon Grace's skill at solving family problems becomes an issue when the homicidal Mrs. Doubtfire takes matters into her own hands. From the neighbor's annoying barking dog, to the local bullies, Grace handles it. She discovers that Gloria is playing "a round" with her cheesy golf instructor, Lance (former dirty dancer, Patrick Swayze). Grace handles him, too.

Adrian Hennigan in the bbc.co.uk film reviews says, "Mainstream British comedies are notoriously difficult to get right -- too often they're simply poor copies of Hollywood pap -- which is why 'Keeping Mum' really is something to shout about."

"Keeping Mum" is rated R for sexual situations and some strong language. It runs one hour and 43 minutes. The film shows Thursday, Oct. 26, through Wednesday, Nov. 1; Monday through Friday, at 7:30 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday at 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

The tickets are $7 for adults ($6-matinee). The movies are commercial free. Beer, wine, bottled water, sodas, candy, nuts and popcorn with real butter are available.

The Sunrise Theater is located on 250 SW Broad Street in Southern Pines. For more information, call 910-692-3611 or visit www.sunrisetheater.com.