downton abbey 2019 movie review

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The star rating at the top of this review is not for people who don't like "Downton Abbey," have never seen it, or grew tired of watching it long before it finished its six-season run. Those viewers will consider this a two-star or one-star or no star movie. The rating is for die-hards who will comprise the majority of viewers for this big-screen wrap-up of the Julian Fellowes drama about nobles and servants in an early-20th century English manor. The rating is also for fans of a certain sub-genre of film and TV: lavishly produced costume dramas about repressed people who might cut loose with a bitchy remark now and again, but only if they're pushed to decorum's edge—or if, like Violet the Dowager Countess ( Maggie Smith ), they're too old, tough, and set in their ways to care what anybody else thinks of them. 

Finally, the rating is for the kinds of viewers who will, I suspect, turn this movie into an unexpected smash: those who might not feel obligated to leave their homes to watch blockbusters featuring dinosaurs, robots, superheroes, or Jedi knights, but will travel some distance to see a film in which well-dressed, reasonably thoughtful adults do and say grownup things. Said adults inhabit a tale set in something resembling reality, with banquets, dances, familial intrigue, gown fittings, chaste flirtations, declarations of love, and expertly timed reaction shots of characters silently disapproving of other characters. But the movie omits the Method masochism and "eat this bowl of chaff, it's good for you" bombast that has increasingly become synonymous with Hollywood's Oscar bait.

In "Downton Abbey" the movie, roughly four dozen major and minor characters, constituting both nobility and servants, bustle about the screen for two hours, planning and executing grand schemes and dropping juicy bits of gossip, but mostly taking care of the little details: arranging plates, utensils and stemware; fixing a damaged boiler; completely altering a dress in a few hours. In the the middle of the night, they go out in pouring rain to arrange metal chairs for townspeople who are supposed to gather the following morning to watch the arrival of King George V and Queen Mary, who are scheduled to dine at Downton.

This is far from a perfect film—it feels a bit rushed and thin, and a couple of big moments are tossed off. As in the recent "Deadwood" wrap-up feature, there's enough story for another season of the series, most of it articulated in quite brief scenes (some lasting as little as 15 seconds). The approach is reminiscent of a light comedy from old Hollywood. The viewer barely gets to dip a pinky toe into situations that an hour-long drama would soak in. Still, it works. It really works. It's goodhearted and clever, and it knows when to end.

What do you need to know beyond that? Lady Mary ( Michelle Dockery ) is still worried that Downton can't sustain itself in a more frugal time that frowns on grand displays of wealth. (There's a reference to the General Strike of 1926, but only in terms of the inconvenience and crankiness it caused.) A contrivance forces the former butler Carson ( Jim Carter ) out of retirement to take charge of the estate ahead of the royal visit. There's a subplot about the tension between imperial England and the Northern Irish, represented by Allen Leach's Tom Branson, the former chauffeur, current estate manager, and staunch Irish socialist; and another focusing on Thomas Barrow (Robert James-Collier), the repressed gay first footman who later became head valet, under-butler, and finally butler (replacing Carson). 

There's also an inheritance plotline that's mainly an excuse to pit Maggie Smith against another great English character actress, Imelda Staunton . The latter plays Lady Maud Bagshaw, a baroness whose father was the great uncle of Robert Crawley (Hugh Bonneville). Maud inherited the "Granby Estate", once belonging to the Crawleys, and is thinking about leaving it to her servant, Lucy Smith ( Tuppence Middleton ). Scandalous! 

Much has been written about the original TV series—and now its big-screen continuation—asserting that the main appeals are nostalgia for monarchy, rigid class hierarchy, and gross colonial expropriation of resources and wealth. That's correct, insofar as it goes. The Public Broadcasting System made "Downton Abbey" a hit in the United States. That network wouldn't exist without Anglophilia. There is something a tad unsettling (though understandable, in a Freudian way) about the continuing wish to fetishize a onetime mother country that the rebel child rejected 250 years earlier. The entitlement here isn't unexamined, but the storytellers don't exactly turn over rocks to see what bugs might be lurking. Like most stories set among the wealthy in another time, there's a "have it both ways" aspect. The script is thick with criticisms of the rich and the social system that enables them, but if that was what people really wanted to see, they'd be at home watching a film by Mike Leigh or Ken Loach . A movie like this is more about the coaches, the footmen, the waistcoats and bowler hats, and the gleam of silver bells.  

But I'd suggest that there's something else besides wealth porn happening whenever an audience embraces this kind of film in 2019, a year defined by "Avengers: Endgame," "Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker," " Toy Story 4 ," " Joker ," "Fast and the Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw," and their ilk. Movies like "Downton Abbey" are a different kind of franchise product. And they deliver another definition of action cinema, one that is increasingly ill-served by theatrical films: the opportunity to watch people who are very good at ordinary, non-lethal tasks do those things with skill and imagination, even when they don't feel like it. 

The opening credits sequence of this movie—which was written by Fellowes, and unfussily directed by Michael Engler (an American, dear heaven!)—tells you what sort of experience you're in for. It tracks the delivery of a letter announcing the royal couple's visit. The envelope crosses the countryside by train, then mail truck, then motorcycle, eventually finding its way into the hands of the staffer authorized to open and read it. The messenger’s ringing of the bell results in a familiar closeup of the wall of bells in the kitchen that we saw so many times throughout the show. Every element you expect to see, you see. The movie knows what it is and is on top of its game. Everything is just so. 

I'm not persuaded that this kind of film is inherently less populist than any of the others types I've mentioned, or inherently less "authentic" or appealing, or somehow worse for you, or more false in the pleasures it promises and delivers. In fact, I admit that perhaps I'm rating this film a bit too highly because it gave me nostalgic flashbacks to domestic comedy-dramas like " Moonstruck " and " Once Around " and " The Wedding Banquet ," which knew how to get laughs from a brief reaction shot of somebody raising an eyebrow or looking confused; and Merchant-Ivory adaptations like " Howards End " and "A Room with a View," which were thoughtfully written, directed, and performed, but weren't striving to reinvent any wheels. 

The latter became synonymous with posh piffle, and for a long time it was uncool to admit enjoying them. But what they delivered were stories about plausible human beings whose relationships were often marked by the decision  not to say something. This, too, is a valid form of commercial cinema. It might not be the worst thing to remind the entertainment industry that it can be popular, too.

Matt Zoller Seitz

Matt Zoller Seitz is the Editor at Large of RogerEbert.com, TV critic for New York Magazine and Vulture.com, and a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in criticism.

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Downton Abbey (2019)

Rated PG for thematic elements, some suggestive material, and language.

122 minutes

Hugh Bonneville as Robert Crawley

Maggie Smith as Violet Crawley

Michelle Dockery as Mary Crawley

Jim Carter as Mr. Carson

Laura Carmichael as Edith Crawley

Elizabeth McGovern as Cora Crawley

Phyllis Logan as Mrs. Hughes

Penelope Wilton as Isobel Merton

Brendan Coyle as John Bates

Joanne Froggatt as Anna Bates

Geraldine James as Queen Mary

Simon Jones as King George V

David Haig as Mr. Wilson

Tuppence Middleton as Lucy Smith

Matthew Goode as Henry Talbot

• Michael Engler

Writer (characters)

• Julian Fellowes

Cinematographer

• Ben Smithard

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Downton Abbey review – ridiculous, vanilla-flavoured fun

Imelda Staunton joins Maggie Smith and co in this standalone film that feels like an intensely glucose Christmas special

T here are some films that you really have to see on the big screen. Not this one, though. To get the full, authentic experience, you’ll need to see it on the small screen, on 27 December, with quart of eggnog inside you and enough Quality Street to trigger a diabetic coma. It is at all times ridiculous – but, I have to admit, quite enjoyable.

This standalone movie special is based on the smash-hit telenovela of picturesque Brit poshness, Downton Abbey – all about the interwar aristos with problems that go well beyond as anything as déclassé as “first world” – and this film is like the most intensely glucose and sometimes baffling Christmas special. It is structured like any TV episode around a set of concurrent subplots, delivered in a series of little bite-size scenes, played in and out with strident little orchestral stings on the soundtrack. Every so often you can feel the rhythmic thud of where the ad break would normally go – where it will go, in fact, when this goes to TV.

The screenwriter is Julian Fellowes, who of course created the all-star country-house murder mystery Gosford Park in 2001, which won him the Oscar for best original screenplay and whose aristocratic setting he cleverly converted into the global TV phenomenon of Downton. With Robert Altman’s shrewd directorial flair for ensemble playing, Gosford Park was a witty, spiky, subversive tale of violence and snobbery. Downton Abbey on TV was much more lightweight, and this is a bit exposed in the cinema. It’s actually possible to imagine a new TV series spun off in turn from this movie, which is even more vanilla, and then a new film, and so on, until we have incrementally blanded down to something like My Little Pony.

The Downton Abbey movie is not as spectacularly star-studded as Gosford Park, but it’s got its share of A-list talent, however: Maggie Smith, of course, as the dowager Countess of Grantham, Hugh Bonneville as Lord Grantham (absent-mindedly fondling his retriever at breakfast) – there’s also Imelda Staunton in a new role and Jim Carter as the beetle-browed former butler Mr Carson. All are very underused.

The setting now is 1927, and lawks-a-mercy, the grand house of Downton is all of a flutter and a fluster upstairs and down with news that King George V (Simon Jones) and Queen Mary (Geraldine James) will be coming to stay the night and make a military inspection of local troops: “There’s to be a parade of hussars in the village!” yelps someone excitedly. But oh dear, the downstairs staff are enraged when the monarch brings in his own royal servants who pull rank on them, while the formidable Countess of Grantham (Smith) is nettled to see that the Queen has brought her lady-in-waiting Lady Bagshaw (Staunton), a distant cousin with whom she has a serious beef. Also, some little silver knick-knacks around the house are going missing, and there’s a mysterious military fellow who seems to have taken a room in a pub with a view overlooking where His Majesty will be standing on the village green.

Exasperatingly, many of the plotlines – the central royal drama and the confrontation between Lady Grantham and Lady Bagshaw – are accelerated and resolved with almost surreal speed. But one which is emphasised is a new development in the life of the Downton franchise’s gay character, Barrow, the footman-turned-butler played by Robert James-Collier, whose sexuality is acknowledged and even celebrated. However, I do have to point out that his new trance of love means that he simply isn’t very good at his job and Mr Carson has to be brought out of retirement for butlering duties on the night of royal specialness. Meanwhile, Barrow disports himself at the kind of secret establishment which Mr Fellowes imagines existing in Yorkshire in the 1920s.

Basically, the plots are rickety and the characterisation has the depth of a Franklin Mint plate, but there are some funny moments and Kevin Doyle, playing the overexcitable servant Molesley, pretty much steals the entire film with his embarrassing outburst of royalist love and Downton pride over dinner. When the grand patrician company falls into a deathly hush and director Michael Engler goes in for a closeup on Molesley’s aghast face, you’d need a heart of stone not to laugh. Otherwise, there are sad and sombre moments, closing on a rousingly reactionary and entertainingly preposterous big-up for the country house culture: a note of finality to signal that this really is it now. Or is the franchise just beginning? You’ve heard of Fast and Furious. We could be in for The Languid and Lugubrious: Downton 2.

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Movie Reviews

Review: is 'downton abbey,' the movie, worth the wait.

NPR's David Greene talks to Kenneth Turan, film critic for Morning Edition and the Los Angeles Times , about the new movie based on the popular TV series: Downton Abbey . The film opens Friday.

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

When we last saw the Crawley family of "Downton Abbey," there was a wedding at their English estate, there was a retirement, new beginnings. And a bit of modernity was slipping in as the Edwardian era was slipping away. "Downton Abbey" was the most popular drama in the history of PBS. And now...

(SOUNDBITE OF JOHN LUNN'S "DOWNTON ABBEY")

GREENE: ...It is back. The Crawleys and their servants are preparing for a visit from the king and the queen - their big close-up. "Downton Abbey" the movie opens today, and MORNING EDITION and Los Angeles Times film critic Kenneth Turan joins me to talk about it.

Hi there, Kenny.

KENNETH TURAN, BYLINE: Hey, David.

GREENE: So how is everyone holding up in Downton? And did they hold up well going from the television screen to the movie screen?

TURAN: Well, they surprisingly did. You know, these things are never a sure thing. But I think they got 20 members from the TV cast switched over to the theatrical film. That's a lot of people...

GREENE: Yeah.

TURAN: ...To make room for, but they all fit very nicely.

GREENE: And, Kenny, the house, the estate, I felt like it came alive on the big screen in a way that it didn't really on TV.

TURAN: I mean, well, first of all, it's a real place. It's called Highclere. So when it's blown up to the big screen, it's not like a set that looks chintzy and you can see the seams. This is a real dining room, a real library. And you see some of the grounds. The grounds, it turns out - I didn't know this - were landscaped by a man with one of my favorite names, Capability Brown.

GREENE: (Laughter) Love that.

TURAN: He's a famous landscape architect. And he did the original Highclere grounds. And they look great.

GREENE: I was amazed, watching it, at how many plotlines they were able to squeeze in. I left, like, counting them.

TURAN: (Laughter).

GREENE: Did that work for you?

TURAN: Yeah. I mean, because it's similar to what the TV show does. They tease some things. Some things get a few seconds. Some things are the main themes. And I felt that they really focused on two main lines here. I think, for me, they were the two main themes of this one. One is that downstairs, it turns out that the royals come with their own servants. And their own servants are very snooty. They're snootier than the king and queen....

TURAN: ...As it turns out. And upstairs, the Dowager countess, Maggie Smith - no one else - is dealing with succession issues and who's going to run things in the future. And that also becomes an interesting plot. So those are the two main ones for me. But there's all kinds of other ones that are kind of peeking in around the edges.

GREENE: I didn't think Maggie Smith could shine any more than she does in the television series, but she really did.

TURAN: I mean, Maggie Smith is a great actress. She's had an astonishing career. And she just nails this part. Julian Fellowes, who created the show and writes almost all the episodes and wrote this, he knows how to write that character. She knows how to play it. She stole everything she was in on the TV series. And she steals the movie.

GREENE: So the show "Downton Abbey" was this period piece, but it was never, like, encased in amber. Time definitely moves on. Does the present make itself felt in this world of aristocrats and servants in this film, do you feel like?

TURAN: I think only around the edges. I mean, Lady Mary has a very severe, very 1920s hairdo, which makes you think, boy, this is not the old days.

TURAN: And, you know, they worry about the future of Downton Abbey as a place - can it keep going? But that's really in the background. You know, I think the great thing about this show is that they have a lot of problems, but these are soluble problems. We feel that they're going to come to a resolution.

In real life, when you face things like Brexit, it almost doesn't seem like there is a solution. So we want to go back to this world where no matter how difficult the problems seem when they're presented, they get worked out. That's a wonderful thing.

GREENE: MORNING EDITION and LA Times film critic Kenneth Turan talking about "Downton Abbey" the movie, which opens today. Thanks, Kenny.

TURAN: Thank you, David.

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Downton Abbey Review

The big screen continuation of the beloved tv series makes for a lavish affair..

Best Reviewed Movies of 2019

Downton Abbey’s journey to the big screen serves as a fitting end to one of TV’s most iconic families (if this is indeed the end). It’s been four long years since series creator Jullian Fellowes said goodbye to the Crawleys on TV, but it’s safe to say that he hasn’t missed a beat since then, bringing all of our favorite characters back to life for a royal dinner to remember. While Fellowes’ script does veer towards too much fan service near the finale, it’s easy to forgive since the script gives every character their moment to shine.

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Downton Abbey Cordially Invites You to Fall in Love With It Again

Downton Abbey , the movie version, is a very good season premiere and season finale of Downton Abbey rolled into one, multiplex-accessible-only, two-hour package. If this sounds like an insult it’s not meant to be. The ideal case scenario for this addendum to the enormously popular period piece, which ended its six-season stateside run on PBS in 2016, is a supersized episode of Downton Abbey that is enjoyable and substantial enough to justify its existence. The film, written by series creator Julian Fellowes and directed by Michael Engler, who directed multiple episodes of the TV original, is exactly that.

If you were a regular Downton Abbey viewer, you’ll likely feel satisfied by this motion picture experience, which brings back nearly all of the show’s key characters, bumps up the production value a few notches for the big screen, and structures its one-off story around a special visit from King George V (Simon Jones) and Queen Mary (Geraldine James).  If you weren’t a regular Downton Abbey viewer, honestly, I can’t imagine you’re going to go see this movie.

The filmmakers can’t imagine it either, which is why Downtown resumes its British aristocratic action in the fall of 1927, just shy of two years after the events of the series finale, and makes no attempt to provide exposition or background to anyone who may be unfamiliar with the members of the Crawley family or the staff who serves them. It’s a smart, efficient move, and appropriate for a work so fixated on politeness and protocol. Downton Abbey assumes you already know the rules of this society and therefore doesn’t need to bother explaining them.

The movie opens with the arrival of a fateful letter from Buckingham Palace announcing that the royals will visit Downton, an occasion that will involve a parade and a dinner. (When you’re the King and Queen of England, I guess it’s completely fine to invite yourself over to other people’s houses?) This news causes much excitement and stress among the downstairs staff, all of whom must determine how to feed and attend to the monarchs. That includes good ‘ol Mrs. Patmore (Lesley Nicol), still in charge of the kitchen and working alongside the pleasantly contrary Daisy (Sophie McShera); ultra-practical head housekeeper Mrs. Carson (Phyllis Logan), formerly known as Mrs. Hughes; and Thomas Barrow (Rob James-Collier), who has taken over as butler in the wake of Carson’s retirement. In a way, Thomas has also retired in that he’s (mostly) stopped being an asshole.

Of course when Lady Mary (Michelle Dockery) perceives that Thomas may be slightly jittery about the high-stakes royal social call, she goes to see Carson and pulls him out of retirement to temporarily take over butler duties. (Remember how Carson retired because he was suffering from palsy? Literally no one mentions that this happened or that it could be an issue if he returns to work.) But any bad feelings between Carson and Thomas are immediately overshadowed by the conflict between the royal staff, overseen by a snobby and rude head butler, or Page of the Backstairs as he prefers to be called, played by David Haig. When the Downton regulars are told that their services won’t be needed once the servants of the king and queen are on the premises, a tug-of-war for power — power, in this case, being the permission to carry trays of food to the uppermost members of Britain’s privileged class — ensues.

But there’s more, and by more, I mean all of the things you’ve been conditioned to expect from Downton Abbey : close-ups of wine being poured through cloths; Carson saying things like, “There must be no tomfoolery” and “This is most inappropriate”; concerns (still!) about whether Tom Branson (Allen Leech), former Irish revolutionary and loyal member of the Crawley family, will be able to control his political impulses; close-ups of clocks being wound; Thomas wrestling with his homosexuality; a subplot about items that have gone missing from the Downton household; conversations about whether a traditional estate like Downton can still exist in a changing England; concerns about an inheritance (Imelda Staunton plays Lady Maud Bagshaw, a cousin of Hugh Bonneville’s Lord Robert Grantham who is his closest blood relation but does not plan to make him her heir); and an overenthusiastic Molesley (Kevin Doyle), who rejoins the Downton staff to help with royal preparations, completely mucking up in the most embarrassing way possible. Oh, and yes, before you ask: Dame Maggie Smith is very present as the Dowager Countess, who is not happy about that whole inheritance situation involving her son and plans to make an issue of it. Also, yes, she and her bestie Isobel (Penelope Wilton) are still constantly snipping at each other and, yes again, Granny still is not shy about sharing her opinions. (“Machiavelli is underrated,” she says at one point. She does not seem to be joking.)

Story-wise, Downton Abbey reinvents no wheels, but that’s just fine. There is a comfort and a pleasure in simply being with these characters again and marinating in their lives, where everything seems very high-stakes but, for the most part, isn’t really. Plus, everything looks even more beautiful than it did on television. There are more wide shots of autumnal leaves falling on the lush green of the Crawleys’ estate and extra magic in the magic-hour shots captured beautifully by cinematographer Ben Smitherd. Even the costumes, designed by Anna Robbins, who made the clothes such a signature of the series, pop off the screen with more texture and beading that sparkles a bit more brightly.

Because the cast is so large and there is a fair amount of story to cover, Downton Abbey bounces around quite quickly from moment to moment, giving some characters shorter shrift than others (sorry, fans of Mr. Bates) and dropping some pretty major plotlines, including an assassination attempt, rather swiftly to move on to other things. But the show always operated this way, too, and regulars will reacclimate pretty quickly to its rhythms. There are a couple of bombshells — one minor, one major — that get dropped that make it clear that Fellowes is still genuinely interested in creating new stories about these beloved characters as opposed to purely going for a recent-TV nostalgia play. There’s a scene between Smith and Dockery late in the film, in particular, that aims straight at the tear ducts and hits a bull’s eye.

Downton Abbey , the series, has only been gone for a little more than three years. But that’s just enough time to make its return very welcome, and to make this feel like  the right moment to usher it back into the zeitgeist again. How nice to spend a couple of hours in a world where manners matter and the nastiest word anyone says is “bloody.” How lovely to immerse oneself in an England where Boris Johnson is not an authority figure and where the crassest American is Elizabeth McGovern in a tiara. How pleasurable to once again escape to this thoroughly ridiculous, richly rendered place and live there, if only for a couple of hours until the credits roll.

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Film Review: ‘Downton Abbey’

Years after the serialized drama whose story it continues left the air, “Downton Abbey” is doubly nostalgic.

By Daniel D'Addario

Daniel D'Addario

Chief TV Critic

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This new feature film about the lives of a family scrapping to preserve their fortune, and those of the servants attending them, is explicitly designed as a balm for the aching hearts of those who loved watching the TV version. (Stateside, that program aired as part of PBS’s “Masterpiece” franchise from 2011 to 2016.) And, just like that series, the “Downton” film looks back even further than the early-to-mid-2010s, recalling a time of innocence and of understated glamour. That the film opens with the revelation that King George V and Queen Mary are to visit the estate and tracks the visit to its conclusion provides, among other things, an opportunity for the cast to dress in decadent, richly jewel-toned formalwear.

Not that they need a reason. The Crawley family, inhabitants of the massive estate that gives the film its name, dress for dinner nightly. But a big, multistage party in honor of the royals gives “ Downton Abbey ” something at its center with high enough stakes and the requisite amount of retro luxury. It also provides an opportunity for writer Julian Fellowes to stage the conversation he seemed, throughout the series’s run, to prefer having, an emphasis on the value of tradition that comes on so strong as to arrive at a stifling sort of social conservatism. “Downton Abbey” has always been, above all, about the value of preserving tradition; stripping away its muscularly written soap plotlines in favor of a thin picaresque tale of a royal visit reveals just how much of the show’s appeal is ideological.

After all, the story here is so slight that even several characters seem not to notice it’s happening. The Crawleys’ reaction to the royal visit is a certain arch bemusement; Mary (Michelle Dockery) seems put out that she’ll have to organize tasks for the servants to do in order to prepare. (As a character, Mary remains the show’s single most original, subversive idea: A sympathetic protagonist who’s less an antiheroine than an unapologetic brat.) She is eventually witness to an attempted act of grave violence and then moves on, as does the movie; she has a momentary crisis and decides she should sell the house, but is convinced by her maid (Joanne Froggatt) that the house is too important for the people who work there — not merely as a place of employment but as the center of their emotional lives. Mary moves on. 

Similarly blithe-spirited are the lord and lady of the house (Hugh Bonneville and Elizabeth McGovern), who make expressions of vague concern while remaining basically assured that the situation will sort itself out. And the Dowager Countess ( Maggie Smith ), more than ever a one-liner machine deployed to pick up the energy level regardless of whether her utterances track with the situation, is consumed by a feud with the Queen’s lady-in-waiting (Imelda Staunton), who just happens to be a Crawley cousin. The family is as benignly far from dazzled by the power of the throne as the servant class is in awe of it, and the below-stairs plotlines through the film tend to focus on how unfair it is that the servants are to be deprived the opportunity to wait on royalty (the King and Queen, you see, travel with their own cooks and footmen). 

This injustice finds itself resolved through a heist-like scheme that feels strangely unworthy of a franchise whose past deviations from credibility tended to move in the direction of soapy dramatics and not loopy comedy. But it is, at least, a throughline. Juggling many characters, all of whom have been through many years of melodrama, director Michael Engler — who previously helmed episodes of the series — won’t or can’t invest real time into any one. As such, we glide over the surface of, say, Edith (Laura Carmichael), who on television had been a slow-burning surprise, the unlucky Crawley sister who discovered independence before love. Here, her storyline is that she has a disagreement with her husband that they work to figure out. The servants almost to a one share the story of trying to meet the queen; an exception is the ever-thwarted gay servant Thomas Barrow (Rob James-Collier), who gets a romance that’s both warming and so unstintingly syrupy a plotline for one of the show’s most cynical characters that it’s hard to take seriously.

As a series, “Downton Abbey” sprawled, giving viewers the drama and chaos they wanted before a season-ending resolution of conflicts. Here, there’s only time for the resolutions, even before the drama happens. So much of this film’s diffuse plot works this way, explicitly granting characters whatever had been their wish with only the most perfunctory of obstacles in their paths, that the greatest impression is left by the battle that’s hardest-won, on the part of the servants to help the royals. The undistinguished direction has the ironic effect of bringing the royals down to earth — little about their visit seems special or unique — but the script pushes back, hard. 

The inhabitants of Downton Abbey have no real take on the monarchy other than that it is exciting and fun, just as they tend to think of their employers in glowingly positive terms. The Crawley’s Irish son-in-law (Allen Leech), a former family employee who believes in the Republican cause, remains silent on the matter out of respect for the family, while a ditzy scullery maid (Sophie McShera) makes anti-monarchist noises before abandoning the cause, as if to prove the case that dubiousness about the nation’s unelected ruling class, rather than dignified silence, is strictly for dilletantes. For their parts, the King and Queen are pleasantly empty, with the dramatic heavy lifting going to their daughter Princess Mary (Kate Phillips), who at one point tells her parents that she values the crown more than her own happiness. The dutifulness, from those who putatively serve the nation and those who literally serve them, is so thick in the air that it grows hard to make out a single free-willed character — which stops the drama dead in its tracks. 

“Downton Abbey” makes an interesting comparison piece not merely with its source TV show — which, though every bit as uncritical in its depiction of a historical moment, was vastly richer on a character and plot level and a bit less conservatively shot, too — but with “Gosford Park.” That 2001 film was also written by Fellowes, the Cambridge-educated son of a diplomat, but, whether thanks to the input of director Robert Altman or Fellowes’s ability to surf the tides of culture as it changed, was vastly more ironic and cynical about the vapidity of the elite. 

In both films, Maggie Smith plays a basically idle woman dependent on inheritances and allowances to stay afloat; in only one of them is her situation portrayed as outright heroic rather than somewhat pathetic, and is she given an eleventh-hour speech to the effect that cultural evolution is to be expected, but family continuity remains an important core value. Elsewhere in “Downton Abbey,” her feud with her cousin reaches rancorous heights due to that cousin’s decision to leave her fortune to her maid rather than her distant Crawley relations. The question of why the Crawleys would be entitled to an estranged relative’s money rather than lucky and grateful to get it is evidently beneath the film.

A film based on a show as beloved as “Downton Abbey” would have to do a lot wrong to alienate its core fans. While this attempt cannot juggle all its characters and isn’t nimble enough to find a new way to make its story work, this feature does not err quite that much. It’s reminiscent in this way of the 2008 film “Sex and the City,” which was strangely, lumpily paced and told a basically unnecessary story, but which was still true enough to its characters that it was embraced by fans. Those who love the Crawleys will find things to love here, from Mary’s insouciance, unchanged by the years, to the pleasant coziness of moments in the village surrounding Downton Abbey. But for some viewers who watched the show with an increasing sense of its fundamental coolness towards the idea of progress, its creepy-Crawley sense that to hope for or work for a more equitable world was not to know one’s role, this journey to the past may end up feeling ultimately less nostalgic than backward-looking.

Reviewed at Digital Arts Screening Room, New York, Aug. 28, 2019. MPAA Rating: PG. Running time: 122 MIN.

• Production: A Focus Features release and presentation, in association with Perfect World pictures of a Carnival Films production. Producers: Gareth Neame, Julian Fellowes, Liz Trubridge. Executive producers: Nigel Marchant, Brian Percival. Co-producer: Mark Hubbard.
• Crew: Director: Michael Engler. Screenplay: Julian Fellowes, based on the television series created by Julian Fellowes and produced by Carnival Films. Camera (color): Ben Smithard. Editor: Mark Day. Music: John Lunn.
• With: Hugh Bonneville, Jim Carter, Michelle Dockery, Elizabeth McGovern, Maggie Smith, Imelda Staunton, Penelope Wilton, Laura Carmichael, Joanne Froggatt.

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‘downton abbey’: film review.

THR review: In the 'Downton Abbey' movie, the toffs upstairs and the servants below must pull together in Yorkshire's most famous fictional stately home when royals visit.

By Leslie Felperin

Leslie Felperin

Contributing Film Critic

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The French poet Paul Valery once wrote that a work of art is never finished, merely abandoned. But in this era of perpetually churning reboots, remakes and spinoffs, nothing successful is ever left for long. Every story spawns its own multiverse that can be re-entered at will, providing there’s enough juice from those twin fuels for narrative time travel: financing and social media interest.

So the next foray into the Downton Abbey Universe (DAU) is Downton Abbey , a feature-length theatrical spinoff from the PBS series of the same name, which picks up the saga of the high-born British Crawley family and their (mostly) loyal servants in the year 1927 — about 15 years on from when the story started with the 1912 sinking of the Titanic.

Release date: Sep 20, 2019

Thanks to an infusion of financing, not unlike the way Cora’s dowry saved the family fortunes way back when, Downton 2.0 is literally bigger, broader, more gem-encrusted, punctuated with more drone shots and monarchist pomp, and has all the major castmembers back in place. Even those who made grumbling noises in the press about having had enough (*cough* Maggie Smith *cough*) when the sixth and supposedly final season wrapped have sucked it up and donned the corsets and waistcoats. Sadly, Dan Stevens’ much loved character Matthew Crawley, despite internet rumors, is still dead (although I for one am holding out hope there will be a Downton – Legion crossover someday).

That mashup may be many years off yet, but don’t be surprised if there are more films to come, especially since this satisfyingly dense deep dive into Downton-land is clearly getting the infrastructure ready to keep the story going. Sure, a few of the series’ regulars probably won’t come back, but without spoiling anything we can reveal that the last scenes are all about the old passing on the house keys of power to a younger generation.

Indeed, there are even enough shots and mentions by name of the children being raised by assorted nannies seemingly in the library to suggest that creator-screenwriter Julian Fellowes and producers Gareth Neame and Liz Trubridge are laying down track for storylines deep in the future. Maybe someday we will catch up with then elderly Sybbie, George and Marigold as they face brutal choices in the 1990s about whether to sign over Downton to the National Trust and live in the servants’ quarters while busloads of tourists troop through the Great Hall every day, or sell the whole gaff to a Russian oligarch, all the while coping with trust-fund-spoiled progeny addicted to drugs and with little to no interest in farming.

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These crises and ones yet to be unconceived may lay ahead, but back in 1927 Downton Abbey the movie catches up with the household and its satellites at an exciting moment. A letter arrives from Buckingham Palace announcing that King George V (Simon Jones) and Queen Mary (Geraldine James) will be coming to stay for a night on a tour of Yorkshire, before they visit their daughter Princess Mary (Kate Phillips) and her husband Lord Lascelles (Andrew Havill) at nearby Harewood House. There will also be a parade through the town and display of equestrian skill at the village green (a rather charmingly all-pageantry-no-plot sequence featuring real members of the current day’s King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery in full ceremonial dress).

The spreading of the news deftly allows for an introductory montage as each character is called by name and indirectly introduced so that total newcomers to the DAU can get a rough grip on who’s who. This entails a certain amount of stiffness as explicatory tidbits get dispensed, but for the most part the conversation feels fairly organic and there’s hardly any “remember that time a Turkish diplomat died in your bed, Lady Mary?” sort of explication.

As the silver gets polished and the carpets are beaten, several major subplots emerge. It’s a sufficiently knotty tangle of storylines that the film risks playing like a very fancy, extra-long stand-alone episode rather than a coherent, self-contained feature. The aforementioned Lady Mary ( Michelle Dockery ), a woman ahead of her time and true heir apparent, is co-running the household and estate in partnership with her widowed brother-in-law Tom Branson (Allen Leech), while Mary’s somewhat gormless parents Robert ( Hugh Bonneville ) and Cora ( Elizabeth McGovern ) smile munificently from the sidelines. Seeing that Barrow the butler (Robert James-Collier), once the series heavy, now-redeemed, is struggling with the scale of the preparations, Mary makes an executive decision to bring back Carson (Jim Carter) from retirement, rather to Barrow’s chagrin.

However, the Downton staff have their own noses put out of joint when an advance posse of royal servants arrive and start issuing orders like they own the place. Worst of all, it appears that the royal staff will be the ones to serve the formal dinner when the King and Queen eat with the Crawleys. Even Mrs. Patmore (Lesley Nicol), Downton’s formidable cook, is to be knocked aside so that a French chef (Phillippe Spall) can take over the range.

Off to the side, representing the feelings of grumpy republicans everywhere, smarter-than-she-looks Daisy the kitchen maid (Sophie McShera) tuts over the absurdity of all this royal bootlicking and expresses generally anti-monarchist sentiments, perhaps auguring a future career as a union organizer.

Happy-at-last ladies’ maid Anna (Joanne Froggatt), meanwhile, should perhaps consider, especially given her experience with the justice system in the past, a future as an Agatha Christie-style roving detective considering how quickly she spots that someone in the royal entourage is stealing valuable Downton tchotchkes.

Upstairs, there’s just as much trouble and politicking afoot, only the suits are more expensive and the hats are far, far fancier. Shout out, by the way, to costume milliner Sean Barrett for devising perfectly character-reflecting headgear particularly to the grande dames of the ensemble, working in concert with the film and series’ most gifted offscreen artist, costume designer Anna Robbins. The frocks and finery department knock it out of the park here, exploiting the big screen’s ability to show even finer detail than could be seen on even the biggest home viewing system.

'Downton Abbey' Team Hopeful for Big-Screen Sequel "If There Is an Appetite"

Near the top of the social order, the dowager Countess Violet (Smith) has a bee in her late-Victorian-style bonnet about the fact that distant relative Maud Bagshaw ( Imelda Staunton ), one of the queen’s ladies in waiting who will be visiting, has no obvious heir and therefore should be leaving her wealth to Violet’s son, Robert. But Maud seems to favor her own maid, Lucy (Tuppence Middleton), who strikes up a friendship with Tom Branson — who, thanks to his past Irish republican sympathies, is himself drawn into the shadows by the mysterious Major Chetwode (Stephen Campbell Moore).

And all of the above doesn’t even manage to touch the sides of the other shenanigans afoot, which include Barrow’s introduction to a secret gay club in the middle of York (who knew?) and a major crisis over Lady Edith’s gown not arriving in time for the final ball at Harewood.

That last big scene is staged with proper finesse, as DP Ben Smithard’s cameras swoop and whirl among the golden lamplight, clearly bending a knee in homage to Luchino Visconti’s The Leopard . As the sleek, jazz age gowns glide by, pretty much all the plot’s loose ends are tidied up, particularly via a showdown with Violet, Maud and Violet’s always eminently sensible matriarchal foil, Isobel ( Penelope Wilton ).

The homestretch gives Dame Maggie in particular a chance to pull some of her most beloved haughty expressions of indignation and bemusement, making this a swan song farewell for a character who probably won’t be back for the next visit to the DAU. Although, you never know — she might grace us with her presence once more, to dispense tart one-liners dripping with disdain, adding the much-needed acidity that balances the fruity and tannic notes that make any good, claret-y glass of Downton like this go down well.

Production companies: Focus Features, Perfect World Pictures, Carnival Film & Television Distribution: Focus Features Cast: Maggie Smith, Penelope Wilton, Hugh Bonneville, Elizabeth McGovern, Michelle Dockery, Laura Carmichael, Robert James-Collier, Joanne Froggatt, Sophie McShera, Phyllis Logan, Jim Carter, Brendan Coyle, Stephen Campbell Moore, Simon Jones, Lesley Nicol, Kevin Doyle, Harry Hadden-Paton, Matthew Goode , Tuppence Middleton, Allen Leech, Kate Phillips, Raquel Cassidy, Geraldine James, Michael Fox, Andrew Havill, James Cartwright, Douglas Reith, Oliver Barker, Mark Addy, David Haig, Susan Lynch, Phillipe Spall, Max Brown, Imelda Staunton, Perry Fitzpatrick Director: Michael Engler Screenwriter: Julian Fellowes, based on the television series created by Julian Fellowes Producers: Gareth Neame, Julian Fellowes, Liz Trubridge Executive producers: Nigel Marchant, Brian Percival Co-producer: Mark Hubbard Director of photography: Ben Smithard Production designer: Donal Woods Costume designer: Anna Robbins Editor: Mark Day Music: John Lunn Casting: Jill Trevellick

Rated PG, 122 minutes

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Downton Abbey (2019)

• User Reviews
• There are significant plot holes. How can the Royal Butler (sorry: Page of the Backstairs) and Chef be sequestrated a whole night without consequences? And the entire Royal Staff lured away without investigation? Which mother would keep her own child as a servant for years without telling her the truth, and then continue doing so? Which determined killer would blunder away his scheme to a complete stranger just because he is Irish? Why doesn't Tom warn the police instead of risking the King's live in a ridiculous rescue? How can Andy destroy the boiler and hence ruin the house's reputation just out of misplaced jealousy? How can the Royal dressmaker steal so frequently without ever triggering suspicion? What evidence does Anna display to confound her? None, so blackmailing her makes no sense.
• There is nothing new about the usual characters. Everybody is sympathetic as always and reacts as expected: it is like seeing old friends. Of course, there are a few new characters but apart from Lady Bagshaw (played by the great Idelma Staunton), none is interesting. Some are a pure caricature, for instance the harsh Lascelles.
• Situations and emotions are shallow. The relationship between Daisy and Andy is laughable: "You destroyed the boiler... then I love you!" The love between Lucy and Tom develops too quickly and superficially, only consisting of a few puerile dialogues, cheap smiles and silly gazes. The bickering between Downton servants and Royal servants is overacted, notably Elsie with the Dresser. The "drama" of Edith potentially giving birth while her husband would be away takes gigantic proportions before deflating in a snap. The message from Tom to Princess Mary is utterly futile ("Try your best to make it work"), yet the Princess is moved and follows his advice by trying to convince her stiff husband during the final dance, of all moments. The King's compliment to Tom that he has "more than one thing to thank him for" is supposed to impress, but does not. Generally speaking, many dialogues and gazes are too conspicuous. The announcement of Violet's fatal illness vainly tries to compensate for the overall merry-go-round.
• As the series, the movie mostly shows early 20th century as good old times and aristocracy as a benevolent power. Servants seem to have a relatively enjoyable life. We do not see poverty, inequalities, hardship, even in the village. There is just one comment from the Royal dressmaker about inequalities, but the character is so unfriendly that it is meant to be rejected as indecent. We do see homosexuality repressed, but Thomas escapes unharmed. What happens to the other gay persons arrested? We will never know, they do not seem to matter. We are in an enchanted bubble. Oh no, actually aristocrats do manage to complain about trivial matters, for instance receptions, the poor creatures.
• The love between Lucy and Tom as well as Violet's illness ensure the studio can produce a sequel, conveniently renewing the series concept on large screen. Let's squeeze as much cash as possible out of the franchise.

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Downton Abbey Reviews

The Downton Abbey movie is just a longer episode of the tv series. As a longtime Downton fan myself, I left the theater entertained, but disappointed.

Full Review | Original Score: 6.5/10 | Jan 17, 2023

Creator Julian Fellowes seamlessly moved his elegant television serial to the big screen without missing a beat.

Full Review | Dec 7, 2022

Loved visiting this world of Downton Abbey as they face a royal visit. A must watch.

Full Review | Original Score: 4.5/5 | Jul 2, 2022

...a well-upholstered, well-cast and reasonably mild way to spend an afternoon in the cinema with elderly relatives...

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Apr 20, 2022

Downton Abbey is cinematic confectionery: sweet and satisfying in the moment but with no long-term benefit. Made not for awards but for sentiment, the millions who tuned in on Sunday nights for a bit of interwar glamour will leave satisfied.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Feb 21, 2022

As with the TV series, the two Toms are the most interesting characters and get the best storylines. Probably the film's most moving subplot is in giving the necessarily-closeted gay butler, Thomas, a first requited moment of affection with another man.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Feb 19, 2022

More of a historical wink than a true political position. [Full review in Spanish]

Full Review | Original Score: 5/10 | Jan 20, 2022

Fans who have watched and rewatched the series will be delighted to see all these characters yet again, while non-fans and newcomers will be baffled, bored or both.

Full Review | Original Score: C | Aug 12, 2021

I honestly didn't see the reason for a movie of Downton Abbey to exist, but now I get it.

Full Review | Feb 6, 2021

While it doesn't offer much for those not familiar with the show, seeing the characters again feels like greeting old friends for those who watched all six seasons.

Full Review | Original Score: 8/10 | Feb 1, 2021

Revelations are made, storylines from the TV show are closed and, as always, life goes on at Downton. It all feels very familiar but like a comforting cup of tea, very welcome.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Jan 31, 2021

Requiring a great deal of foreknowledge of the Downton Abbey history, this cinematic continuation of the superb British television series will please only its greatest fans.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/4 | Dec 17, 2020

Even if you don't know anything about Downton Abbey (I didn't) it's an enjoyable little film.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/5 | Sep 16, 2020

For all but the most devout royalists, this is more than a little too much. It's 50% movie, 50% commemorative tea towel.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Aug 16, 2020

A reunion in the best sense: Nearly two dozen characters...each get a welcome moment in the spotlight; some to say apparent goodbyes, others to leave tantalizing hints of yet another return as the clouds of...War gather on the Hampshire horizon.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Jul 25, 2020

Established fans will have their joy solidified even further, and first-time viewers may be persuaded to go back and watch the show from the beginning. That's a win for everyone.

Full Review | Original Score: B | Jul 8, 2020

Downton Abbey is an utter delight.

Full Review | Jun 27, 2020

It's a pleasure to watch. It's just lovely.

Full Review | May 28, 2020

Director Michael Engler (with screenwriter Julian Fellowes) smooths the way with a stellar Anglo-American cast.

Full Review | May 27, 2020

The TV show was much better.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Mar 17, 2020

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Movie Review: Downton Abbey (2019)

• Dan Gunderman
• Movie Reviews
• --> September 25, 2019

In 2019’s Downton Abbey , creator Julian Fellowes succinctly blends the bold episodic wit of the “Downton Abbey” television series with charm and grandeur — the latter playing wonderfully on the silver screen. A mix of fan service and carefully scripted royal drama, the film is an exquisite homage to the six-season British TV mainstay. Playing well to longtime fans and the respective strengths of the ensemble, the movie is well worth a watch, immediately dropping viewers into the upstairs-downstairs drama of the world’s most recognizable stately home.

Set approximately one year after the events of Season 6, the film embraces the ITV/Masterpiece formula, with colorful palettes, sprawling tracking shots and the inevitable wrangling between a British peer and his political enemies. Perhaps the biggest takeaway of the film is its director, Michael Engler, long a staple of scripted TV dramas and the stage. Engler brings a steady, almost calming effect to the bedlam that is the Crawley household. He does so with impressive attention to detail — especially with his “upstairs” cast, ever the victims of changing times.

Engler’s direction syncs nicely with Fellowes’ guiding hand/screenplay, crafting one of the more memorable adaptations of interwar England. The aristocratic Crawleys continue their mostly conspicuous tenure in their Yorkshire community, but in a tolerant way that opens it to culture and technology. Never is this more apparent than in the arc for Tom Branson (Allen Leech, “ Bohemian Rhapsody ”), whose Irish Republican views are accepted by the Crawleys and whose work selling vehicles is not considered far beneath his station. Branson and his sister-in-law Mary Crawley (Michelle Dockery, “ Non-Stop ”), the posh and headstrong aristocrat, are forced to adapt to changing times by closely overseeing their tenant farms and revenue streams.

More specifically, this film picks up in 1927, when Robert, the Earl of Grantham (Hugh Bonneville, “ The Monuments Men ”), receives a letter from Buckingham Palace indicating that King George V and Queen Mary intend to stop at Downton on their tour of the Yorkshire countryside. Rising to the occasion, the Downton staff begins to plan for the royal visit. Much to their dismay, the royal household staff soon arrives — including the Royal Page of the Backstairs, plus the royal dressers and chef. Mary, believing butler Thomas Barrow (Robert James-Collier, “ The Ritual ”) to be ill fit to see the visit through, considers bringing back Mr. Carson (Jim Carter, “ My Week with Marilyn ”), the retired butler. Meanwhile, Anna and John Bates (Joanne Froggatt, “ Filth ” and Brendan Coyle, “ Mary Queen of Scots ,” respectively) hatch a plot to give the Downton staff the glory it deserves for such an occasion.

Upstairs, Violet Crawley, the Dowager Countess of Grantham (Maggie Smith, “ The Lady in the Van ”), is upset that the queen’s lady-in-waiting, Maud Bagshaw (Imelda Staunton, “ Maleficent ”), will accompany the royals, due to an inheritance dispute. Bagshaw, who does not have a direct heir, is Robert’s first cousin once removed and the closest relative, though she’s yet to name Robert her successor.

Cora Crawley, the Countess of Grantham (Elizabeth McGovern, “ The Commuter ”), however, remains indifferent — fixed instead on the reunion of her daughters at Downton. Cora awaits the arrival of Edith Pelham (Laura Carmichael, “ Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy ”), with son-in-law Bertie Pelham, the Marquess of Hexham (Harry Hadden-Paton, “ The Deep Blue Sea ”), who retains a strong position under George’s reign.

With everyone under the Downton roof, the Crawleys are fixed on providing the royals a memorable stay, while solidifying the Grantham name. But political upheaval, family drama and the strict social-class system all seem to foil the plan.

Fellowes has a keen sense of making his characters essential to the plot. Not only was that present in the TV series — between the Crawleys, Lady Rose MacClare (Lily James, now of immense Hollywood fame), Mr. Carson, Thomas Barrow and more — but it carries over to the big-screen version, with similar tactics and sturdy new personalities.

As a film, however, Downton Abbey is not perfect, as it caves to the more subdued and lighter storytelling methods of primetime TV. Yet it functions especially well as a turn-of-the-century historical drama incorporating true events/scandals and likable (and off-putting) characters. Where Fellowes, and in this case Engler, succeed, is in the minutiae — so, characters at the periphery, scenery, the political backdrop and depth of character.

Downton Abbey the movie may be the drama you revisit more than once – as a way to ground yourself a century in the past, in a world that seems both so distant and yet so timely.

Tagged: England , politics , royalty , television show adaptation , wealth

Dan is an author, film critic and media professional. He is a former staff writer for the N.Y. Daily News, where he served as a film/TV reviewer with a "Top Critic" designation on Rotten Tomatoes. His debut historical fiction novel, "Synod," was published by an independent press in Jan. 2018, receiving praise among indie book reviewers. His research interests include English, military and political history.

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‘Downton Abbey’ Review: Just Plain Satisfying

Fans of the consistently pleasant PBS series will be delighted to see the Crawleys and their staff on the big screen.

I remain amazed that Downton Abbey became such a massive hit at a time when income inequality became a major issue. Perhaps it’s because Downton Abbey is, and has always been, a comforting fairy tale of a benevolent aristocracy that cares about the lives of their servants and the servants who are happy to serve the aristocracy. In place of nuance and critique, creator and writer Julian Fellowes approached his characters and story with slight melodrama and a large dose of kindness. Downton Abbey succeeds because it’s largely about good people trying to help each other within the confines of a social system that seems to work well enough for all involved (a far more cutting critique of the intersection between the “upstairs” and “downstairs” was explored in the masterful Gosford Park , which Fellowes also wrote). Now, four years after wrapping its sixth and final season, Downton Abbey returns as a motion picture that’s just as charming as its small-screen iteration. While the film has a bit of a tough time servicing its large ensemble, Fellowes plays to the strengths of his world and cast while director Michael Engler takes advantage of the higher production values afforded him. Fans of the series should feel right at home, and newcomers will probably be spurred to finally check out the series.

Picking up in 1927, two years after the events of the series concluded, Lord Grantham ( Hugh Bonneville ) receives the news that the King and Queen of England are coming to visit Downton during their tour of the country. Although everyone is initially excited at the prospect, the royal staff presumes to relegate the Downton staff to doing next to nothing, much to their consternation. Meanwhile, a controversy is brewing upstairs with the return of Lord Grantham’s estranged cousin Maud Bagshaw ( Imelda Staunton ), who is threatening to give her inheritance to her servant, which upsets her aunt Lady Violet ( Maggie Smith ). Additionally, Lady Mary ( Michelle Dockery ) is worried that her brother-in-law Tom ( Allen Leech ) will revert to his anti-imperialist ways when faced with the King and Queen.

These are some of the biggest storylines in the movie, and if they don’t seem like much, you’re right. Fellowes has opted not to blow up Downton Abbey but instead simply broaden its scope a bit. The kind of melodrama the show could really sink its teeth into like an illicit affair or a secret pregnancy doesn’t work within the confines of a two-hour movie, so instead Fellowes opts for a kind of cursory overview of what we enjoy about the series. There’s sweeping views of the English countryside, loving panoramas of Highclere Castle (which continues to serve as the filming location), Violet and Isobel ( Penelope Wilton ) trading zingers, fancy costumes, and people being nice to each other.

The downside to this cursory approach is that no story or character feels like it’s getting enough attention. For example, Mary’s “arc” in the film is whether or not she can continue to run Downton. It’s an arc that consists of two scenes—one where Mary wonders about if she can run Downton, and a second scene where she resolves to run Downton. And that’s more than some characters get with Lord Grantham and Lady Grantham ( Elizabeth McGovern ) relegated to background players. Mr. Bates ( Brendan Coyle ) and Anna ( Joanne Froggart ), who spend the series having the world’s worst luck, have almost nothing to do, which I suppose is a nice change of pace from being constantly implicated in murders (although I kept waiting for Sergeant Willis to show up to ask a few more questions).

And yet Engler and Fellowes keep the film feeling light, airy, and cozy. It’s not the series and it’s not really intended to be. Instead, Downton Abbey is more of a way to reconnect with characters you love in a setting you enjoy. No one here is interested in challenging the premise of the series or why it worked so well. Instead, they choose to lean into those pleasantries in the time they’ve allotted, and thanks to Engler’s skilled direction and Ben Smithard ’s lush cinematography, the movie feels like a movie rather than a two-hour episode they shoved into theaters. Downton Abbey was always a handsome show, but like the fancy silver being polished for the royal family’s arrival, the movie provides an extra buffing to make everything sparkle.

Downton Abbey is perfectly pleasant for what it is—a chance to reconnect with some favorite characters in a world benefitting from slightly higher production values. Although part of me wonders what would this movie would like if Fellowes turned the story inward rather than having the characters face a bunch of external forces (for example, what does this movie look like if it’s about everyone dealing with the death of Lord Grantham instead of squaring off against Buckingham Palace’s servants), perhaps such a dramatic turn would be against the comforting ethos of the show. Downton Abbey was always able to handle its dramatic turns with a light touch, and the movie is no different. For fans like myself, it makes for an immensely satisfying reunion with the Crawley family and their staff.

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• DVD & Streaming

Downton Abbey

• Drama , Romance

Content Caution

In Theaters

• September 20, 2019
• Michelle Dockery as Lady Mary Talbot; Allen Leech as Tom Branson; Joanne Froggatt as Anna Bates; Phyllis Logan as Mrs. Hughes; Jim Carter as Mr. Carson; Maggie Smith as Violet Crawley; Penelope Wilton as Isobel Merton; Elizabeth McGovern as Cora Crawley; Hugh Bonneville as Robert Crawley; Laura Carmichael as Lady Edith; Robert James-Collier as Thomas Barrow; Sophie McShera as Daisy Mason; Lesley Nicol as Mrs. Patmore; Brendan Coyle as Mr. Bates; Imelda Staunton as Maud Bagshaw; Tuppence Middleton as Lucy Smith

Home Release Date

• November 26, 2019
• Michael Engler

Distributor

• Focus Features

Movie Review

It’s been four years since Downton Abbey last graced our small screens, chronicling the charming, privileged lives of the Crawley family and their many, many servants. The movie, much like the TV series, takes us back to a time before televisions and smartphones, a time when the class system ruled and voting was still considered a privilege, not a right.

But Downton Abbey has adapted with the changing times. After all, “It’s 1927. We’re modern folk,” one resident opines.

Indeed, candles have been replaced with light bulbs. Horses are used for sport now, not transportation. Telegrams are a thing of the past. And the idea of carrying hot water up dozens of stairs just to wash your face? Well, the servants of Downton aren’t sure how they ever managed it before the boiler was installed.

Yes, things are changing around Downton—and not just the technology. Between the salaries of the servants and the upkeep required for the old castle, Lady Mary is at her wits’ (and budget’s) end. She manages the estate alongside her father, Lord Grantham, and her brother-in-law, Tom Branson. But cutting back expenses isn’t an easy task for the three, especially with the just-announced visit of none other than the King and Queen of England.

Everyone is in a tizzy. Silver must be polished. Beds must be made. And every surface must “gleam and sparkle” for the royal visit. Not to mention the estate’s takeover by Mr. Wilson, the royal butler—sorry, I mean the “King’s Page of the Back Stairs.” With the success of the visit riding on her shoulders, it’s no wonder Mary asks her own trusty former butler, Mr. Carson, to help with the preparations.

However, even with the extra help, Mary and the other residents of Downton can’t escape the building pressure. Despite their best efforts to keep the estate going, the old class system is failing, and the extra expenditures are increasingly viewed as little more than a waste of money —a sentiment echoed by members of both the upper and lower classes.

It all leaves Mary wondering if keeping up Downton Abbey is really worth the struggle.

Positive Elements

As the distinctions between the classes fade, many people treat their servants more as peers than hired labor. The Crawleys have always been progressive in this mindset, adopting Tom (their former chauffeur) as a son after the death of their daughter and his wife, Sybil. Mary tells Anna, her lady’s maid and constant encourager, that Anna has been a good friend to her over the years. Maud Bagshaw, the queen’s lady in waiting, treats her own lady’s maid, Lucy, as more of a companion than a servant. In fact, rumors are flying that Lady Bagshaw intends to make Lucy her heir!

Tom, who has always struggled to balance his old life as a servant with his new life as a member of the gentry, demonstrates to everyone that “ you can love people you disagree with .” The native Irishman hasn’t always agreed with the snooty lifestyle of the Crawleys—in fact, he’s often rebelled against it and the entire British monarchy. But he recognizes that the Crawleys were there for him and his daughter when his wife passed away and that they love him, so he chooses to be loyal to them. And loyal to the Crown as well.

Violet Crawley, the Dowager Countess of Grantham and Lord Grantham’s mother, is perpetually the “frightening old lady.” Her sharp tongue has often left her family begging her not to make things so awkward; but deep down, we once again see that she (mostly) has their best interests at heart. More than once we catch her arguing with Isobel Merton, Mary’s mother-in-law; more often than not, however, the two women come to an understanding if not an agreement.

A woman contemplates divorce, but eventually tells her husband that she wants them both to change and become friends in order to save their marriage. A man turns down a job opportunity in order to be with his wife during her pregnancy. A woman has a healthy attitude towards death, saying that it isn’t sad because she’s lived a privileged and interesting life and it’s just her time to go. Two women settle a years-long disagreement after discovering a secret truth behind a dispute.

Spiritual Elements

When Lord Grantham and a few others volunteer to set up parade chairs in the middle of a rainstorm, he asks his mother, Violet, to pray for them. Violet responds, “I’ll put in a word.” Later, Mary boldly states her belief that God will stop the rain in time for the royal visit and parade the next day. When the weather is in fact fair, she says that God must be “a monarchist.” A few other passing references to God are heard as well.

Sexual Content

Thomas Barrow, the current butler of Downton, is a gay man (as ardent viewers of the show will already know). He befriends one of the royal valets that visit Downton and is invited to have drinks with the man. While waiting for his new friend to arrive at the pub, Thomas is approached by a stranger and invited to an underground gay pub (since homosexuality was a criminal offense at the time). Upon entering, he is both shocked and pleased to see men kissing and dancing with other men (we also see a man sitting on the lap of another in the background). Thomas dances with the stranger who brought him there until police officers break up the gathering and arrest everyone present, including Thomas.

Thomas is later bailed out by his valet friend, who tells the police that Thomas only went as a joke to mess with the “queers.” Outside, when Thomas tries to talk to him, he holds a finger to his lips and then moves it to Thomas’ lips, indicating that they should both be quiet until they can find somewhere to speak without being overheard. Thomas later expresses relief at having a gay friend who he can talk to, and his friend says he would like to be more. He kisses Thomas goodbye and hopes that they’ll meet again.

A woman explains that after her husband passed away, she became romantically involved with another man and had an illegitimate daughter (whose parentage was kept secret). She goes on to say that although they were in love, she wasn’t brave enough to marry him because he was of a lower class than her. She shows remorse not because of the moral implications, but because she truly loved him and wished she had married him.

A few brief kisses are shared between heterosexual couples. Lady Edith is seen in her undergarments (a camisole and shorts over stockings) as she changes into and out of a dress, and some cleavage is visible.

Violent Content

A man hides a gun in his jacket pocket and later aims it at the king. The would-be assassin is tackled to the ground before he can pull the trigger, then disarmed and arrested.

When Thomas and his companions are arrested, the police push and shove them roughly, knocking Thomas to the ground at one point.

A man uses a shovel to smash and break the boiler at Downton. He later confesses to his fiancé that he did it out of jealousy when another man flirted with her. Rather than chastise him, she is happy to see that he isn’t as complacent as she feared and that he is willing to fight for what he wants.

Crude or Profane Language

Back when Downton Abbey was still a TV show, Violet once chastised her granddaughter for cursing, saying, “ Vulgarity is no substitute for wit .” This holds true for the movie. God’s name is, unfortunately, taken in vain three times, but other than that, the worst offense is the British expletive “bloody,” which is used twice (one of which, the user is immediately scolded for the profanity). “Blimey,” “heavens,” and “golly” are all also used a handful of times. There is one mention of “dirty perverts.”

Drug and Alcohol Content

Adults drink a variety of wine, champagne, and beer at parties and pubs throughout the film. Mr. Carson is seen hand-picking the wine to be served during the royal visit, and Mr. Wilson is later seen decanting the wine.

Other Negative Elements

When the royal servants rudely take over Downton Abbey, the estate’s servants quietly and deviously revolt (a secret mutiny that’s played for humor). They slip a sleeping draft into the royal chef’s tea, lock the royal butler in his room, and arrange for the royal footmen and maids to be out of the house during the visit so that they can serve the king and queen themselves. Mr. Carson calls this “treason” at one point, but later admits that the royal servants had it coming with their entitled attitudes. While this aspect of the plot is certainly entertaining, the characters choices are nonetheless mean-spirited and dishonest. When the royal servants say as much, the Downton servants essentially blackmail them into staying silent.

Anna discovers that one of the queen’s servants has been stealing small items from various rooms in the house. When she confronts the thief, the woman shows no remorse, claiming that she only takes things that won’t be missed. The woman rationalizes that she deserves what she takes, since she is underpaid. Anna agrees not to tell, but only if she returns the stolen items and does a personal favor for Lady Edith in preparation for the ball.

A man becomes angry when his children’s nanny breaks their usual routine and allows them into a part of the manor at a time when they’re usually forbidden from being there. Violet suggests that manipulating a “corrupt” judge is OK if it accomplishes her means. She also implies that Maud should be locked up in an insane asylum for considering making Lucy her heir. After a man describes the royal visit as the peak of his career, Daisy and Mrs. Patmore (the Downton cooks), lie to him about the nature of the visit in order to spare his feelings.

Propriety has always been paramount at Downton. However, as the rules of propriety have changed, so has Downton Abbey. Oh, its residents remain polite and keep their language at bay. The clothing is still modest and limits the amount of skin we see.

But at times, bad behavior is rationalized and rewarded if it’s for a good reason. And scheming and blackmailing are also acceptable as long as the person on the receiving end seemingly deserves it.

“A hundred years from now, Downton will still be standing,” says Mr. Carson to Lady Mary near the end of the film. And while the butler was trying to encourage his employer that it’s acceptable to adapt with the times, whether or not such change is always positive is an open question.

Fans of the show will likely delight in this big-screen adaptation, as it offers one last chance to rub cinematic shoulders with Downton Abbey’s beloved ensemble of memorable characters. But as was true on the show as well, not all of the increasingly modern values that these characters embrace—including the movie’s advocacy and embrace of homosexuality—will be equally welcomed by those who don’t completely share the film’s worldview.

Lady Mary faced growing pressure to keep Downton Abbey running while expenses grew. And while that may had been the way it was always done, everyone began to question if that was still the right way. It is a good practice to ask questions. Families may want to think through how they are called to steward their own “castle” and finances. For some ideas, check out these offerings from Focus on the Family.

Parents Disagree About Offering Financial Assistance to Grown Child

Do Your Adult Kids Really Need Your Money ?

Equipping Your Kids to Handle Money with Dave Ramsey (Part 1 of 2)

Give Them Wings

Emily Tsiao

Emily studied film and writing when she was in college. And when she isn’t being way too competitive while playing board games, she enjoys food, sleep, and geeking out with her husband indulging in their “nerdoms,” which is the collective fan cultures of everything they love, such as Star Wars, Star Trek, Stargate and Lord of the Rings.

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Downton Abbey (2019) Review

A LAVISHING CINEMATIC ENDEAVOR

For the first half of the 2010s, the television show Downton Abbey served as a hallmark achievement in dramatic TV series that gain popularity and acclaim from both critics and viewers. Created by Julian Fellowes, the series, set in the fictional Yorkshire country estate of Downtown Abbey between 1912 to 1926, depicts the lives of the aristocratic Crawley family and their domestic servants in the post-Edwardian era, with the great events in history having an effect on their lives and on the British social hierarchy. As mentioned, Downton Abbey , which ran for six seasons (2010-2015), received universal acclaim from TV critics and won numerous accolades within its fanbase as well as awards, including a Golden Globe for Best Mini-series or Television Film and a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Mini-series or Movie. In addition, the show went on to win several other milestone achievements, including Guinness World Records recognizing the shows as the “most critically acclaimed English-language television series of 2011”, earned the most nominations of any international television series in the history of Primetime Emmy Awards, and was the most watched television series on both ITV and PBS; becoming the most successful British costume drama series since the 1981 television series Brideshead Revisited . Now, four years after the end of final episode of TV series, it’s time to return to the Crawley Family (and those who work for them) as Focus Features (as well as Carnival / Perfect World Pictures) and director Michael Engler proudly present the follow-up continuation movie titled Downton Abbey . Is this long-awaited movie to the popular period piece drama worth a look or does the movie squander its chance for viewer with drawn-out narrative?

It’s 1927 and Downton Abbey has just received word that King George (Simon Jones) and Queen Mary (Geraldine James) are planning to come to the Crawley family estate for an overnight visit while on a cross-country tour. While the royal visit creates a natural “buzz” in the community, the Downton Abbey staff excites and panics, forcing Mary (Michelle Dockery) to cut retirement short for former head butler Carson (Jim Carter), replacing current head butler Barrow (Rob James-Collier) while the demands of the royal staff are sorted out. Realizing that the royal staff has no intention of using the Downton Abbey employees, workers, such as Mr. Bates (Brendan Coyle), Mrs. Hughes (Phyllis Logan), Mrs. Patmore (Lesley Nicol), and Anna (Joanne Froggatt), hatch a plan to reclaim the glory for the estate. Coming along with the royal entourage is Lady Maud Bagshaw (Imelda Staunton), the Queen’s lady-in-waiting, joined by her maid Lucy (Tuppence Middleton), and while’s a cousin to Robert (Hugh Bonneville), her choice to keep her fortune away from the Crawleys raises ire from matriarch Violet (Maggie Smith). While plans commence for the King and Queen’s visit, Tom (Allen Leech) is put in a difficult position when his patriotism is called into question a mysterious man named Major Chetwode (Stephen Campbell Moore), leaving the Irishman uneasy about the important royal visit.

THE GOOD / THE BAD

Yes, I’ll the first to admit it…. I do love Downton Abbey TV series (and proud of it). What can I say…. I’m a sucker for costume period pieces (be it television shows or theatrical features films) and Downton Abbey is probably the best example of a costume period piece. Of course, I wasn’t immediately hooked on the show as I think I started watching it when the third season was being released that year, so I quickly got caught up the two previous seasons and instantly fell in love with the show. Yes, it’s not exactly the most “riveting” or original story to follow in television history, but Downton Abbey provides plenty of dramatic nuances within its characters as the show is rooted within its various multitude of characters and how their daily lives play a part with the “big house” of Downton….whether that’s upstairs of people of note and of titles are pampered and deal with upper class issues or downstairs where maids and grooms scuttle about in the humdrum of life. Personally, with the show running six seasons, I think the success of Downton Abbey is captured beautiful not only within its cast of well-talented actors and actress, but also in creator Julian Fellowes, who helms project and gives us such rich character development from start to finish. As you can imagine, I was upset that the show ended, but really satisfied with its conclusion; ending Downton Abbey on a high-note and closure for this crowd-pleasing drama TV series.

Of course, this brings me back to talking about Downtown Abbey , the 2019 movie that acts as a continuation to the popular television series. Like I said, I was happily satisfied with the conclusion to the Downton Abbey TV series, but always secretly hoped that a theatrical movie would materialize in the same fashion as the two Sex and the City films and Entourage movie. You can imagine I was completely thrilled to learn that a Downton Abbey movie was gonna happen and that it was gonna be theatrical released in theaters, with almost all of the principal cast returning to reprise their roles. So, when the film’s various marketing promos started to appear (movie trailers, magazines, and overall internet “buzz”, etc.), I was definitely hyped to see this movie. To be honest, I actually saw it during its opening weekend, but kept on delaying on getting my review for Downton Abbey as fell a little bit behind on my reviews (because you know…. life happens). Now, I finally have the time to share my thoughts on this movie. What did I think of it? Well, I actually loved it. Despite a few minor nitpicks, Downton Abbey is a charming and lavishing follow-up movie to series of the same name. This movie doesn’t reinvent the wheel or pushes the main story into a whole new territory, but it’s just a lavishing familiarity with the Downton Abbey characters that makes the film work so well, especially if you’re fan of the TV series.

Downton Abbey is directed by Michael Engler, whose previous directorial works consist of several television series such as Sex and the City , Six Feet Under , and 30 Rock as well as a few episodes of Downton Abbey . Thus, given his familiarity with the Downton Abbey TV series (i.e. characters, setting, story, pacing, etc.), Engler seemed like a suitable choice to helm a project like this. To his credit, succeeds on this front Engler by directing this particular movie in way that feels similar to the TV show’s presentation and storytelling, but also feels slightly more cinematic than what’s been done in the past. Of course, the source material from the show is there, so Engler doesn’t have to recreate the wheel in translating Downton Abbey from an episodic television drama to a feature length film. Thus, Engler “romances” a lot of the material; feeling like a genuine continuation of the narrative thread of the TV series and able to sort of “hit the ground running” immediately from the feature’s opening shot. Of course, with a production like this, the movie, which again is a continuation of a television series, definitely caters to its fans, with Engler making sure that this Downton Abbey movie won’t alienate the show’s fanbase of which he doesn’t; offering up a two hour feature film that falls directly “in-line” with the popular show and harmonizes with what’s come before.

With Engler in the director’s chair and making sure the film “harmonizes” with TV series, the Downton Abbey movie also finds success within its script, which Julian Fellows penning the feature’s story. Like Engler, Fellowes doesn’t “shake up” British aristocratic formula that made the show successful and, while some might be a little disappointed, the setting and story feels very much an extension of the television series. Thus, the idea of having England’s royalty coming to visit the Crawley family at Downton Abbey isn’t completely out of the realm of possibilities, but still offers up a chance for a lot of “pomp” and grandeur narration befitting a feature film. Additionally, Fellowes certainly knows the various characters that have populated the TV series and makes the film’s screenplay work in delving back into the bustling lives of these individuals; allowing us (the viewers) to easily fall right back into inhabitants of Downton Abbey and exploring (once again) their personal troubles and triumphs all over again. Of course, the idea of a “royal visit” from Britain’s sovereignty acts as the main catalyst for the feature, with Fellowes creating internal chaos within all the major players of the show and certainly makes for some “Downton Abbey” drama throughout the feature.

Of a technical presentation, Downton Abbey is absolutely beautiful and a stunning piece befitting a British costume period endeavor. Naturally, the TV series already a somewhat lavishing and cinematic feel to it, so it already looked and felt beautiful as the camera followed the Crawley family (and their staff) throughout the opulent rooms and back hall corridors of mansion estate. Of course, being a movie in all, Engler is able to achieve a little more cinematic nuances with the show than what the show was able to produce. This means that the movie offers a few new locations within Downton Abbey itself as well as in the surrounding area, with Engler and his team achieving more technical nuances to polish up the Downton Abbey experience for a theatrical release. This includes more wide-angle shots, more heavenly lightning in certain outdoor exteriors and gorgeous interior shots to fill up the room with characters in lavishing gowns. Thus, the film’s background / technical team, including Donal Woods (production designs), Anna Robbins (costume designs), Mark Day (film editing), and Ben Smithhard (cinematography) offer up an exquisite cinematic feature from start to finish; something worthy of epitome of a costume period piece. Also , Downton Abbey series composer John Lunn returns to the project in composing the films score for the feature and definitely brings his “A” game, with the main theme being played beautifully as well as some sweeping orchestra composition as well.

There are a few minor criticisms that I do have Downton Abbey that I feel I can’t overlook or might be a little “off-putting” for some out there. Of course, the easiest criticism to point out is on whom the movie is gear towards…. its fans. Like other similar ideas of movies being a continuation / follow-up to popular TV shows (i.e. Sex and the City , Entourage , Deadwood , etc.), Downton Abbey is purely made for fans of the series and not so much with the causal moviegoers. Of course, the movie is quite easy to digest and is somewhat simplistic to figure out (i.e. no head scratchers or sudden unexplained twists), but Engler jumps immediately into the movie’s plot within the first five minutes with Fellowes following suit by quick reintroducing the story’s characters with no additional prolongment of bring viewers up to speed on the events of the shows, with the exception of a few minor callbacks within dialogue scenes between characters. Thus, the appeal of the Downton Abbey movie is more limited to people who’ve seeing the TV series and not much the people who walk into the film with little to no prior knowledge of the show. To me, it didn’t bother me, but (as I said), Downton Abbey is mostly for the fans of the series; acting more as a companion feature to its television predecessor rather than a standalone endeavor.

Another point of criticism that I had with the movie is fact that movie is being theatrical release. Of course, I get the idea behind it and do like the opportunity to see the Downton Abbey in theaters, but, for better or worse, the movie itself just seems like a larger extended episode of the show; something akin to the series’ famous Christmas Special episodes (an elongated episode that appears at the end of each season that dealt with a bit larger story / plot). I’m not saying that the story in this movie is bad or anything, but it just feels like the production could’ve been released on TV as Christmas special movie rather than being theatrical released. Coinciding with that notion, Fellowes (as mentioned above) keeps the Downton Abbey formula on a steady course and doesn’t really color outside the lines within the foundation he’s built. While that might not be a bad thing, it does mean that Fellowes doesn’t take creative risk within this theatrical motion picture opportunity for his popular period piece drama. Again, this makes the idea of a Downton Abbey movie more relevant to a TV movie. There’s more grandeur bigness to the film, but not so much in taking Fellowes’s vision of the show in a bold and new direction. Additionally, the movie does feel a bit long in several ways, with Engler and Fellowes making sure to give each respective main character (supporting ones as well) their moment to shine and to give them a conclusion their arcs in the movie. Thus, the movie’s ending seems to an end at one point, but then continues for another ten minutes or so. Again, it’s not a bad idea, but just a little bit of finesse in the film’s editing department could’ve been better handled for a tighter feature.

What definitely made the show was sprawling various characters that populate Downton Abbey, with all the acting talents playing those respective characters in fun and multi-façade way. So, as one could except, the Downton Abbey movie excels in this department with most of the actors and actresses from the series returning to reprise their roles once again (after a four-year hiatus) and it truly feels like they never left their Downton Abbey personas. With so many characters in large ensemble, it’s hard to pick out the main characters of the movie. So, one just has to look at the main players from the show of which Engler and Fellowes hone in on for the movie’s two-hour runtime, which consists of Lady Mary Talbot, her younger sister Edith Pelham, their brother in-law Tom Branson, and head butler Thomas Barrow and are played by actress Michelle Dockery ( Non-Stop and Good Behavior ), actress Laura Carmichael ( Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and Madame Bovary ), actor Allen Leech ( Bohemian Rhapsody and Rome ), and actor Robert James-Collier ( The Ritual and Down to Earth ) respectfully. Of course, the struggles and triumphs of Mary and Edith Crawley have always been the focal point of the Downton Abbey series and continues to do so, with Mary concern herself with the royal visit to their home (as well as the future of Downton), while Edith worries over her condition of her new lifestyle (Lady of Hexham) and a sudden surprise that she must tell her husband about.

Likewise, the character of Tom Branson has been another main focal point of the TV series and continues to be so in this movie, with the character facing several challenges. Plus, it also helps that Leech has a likeable personality (clearly shows in his performance), while the character of Tom has shown the most growth of all the Downton Abbey characters and gets more to do in the film than in the last season of the show. Finally, James-Collier’s Thomas Barrow has always been painted as the conniving individual character, who hates pretty much everyone. However, I do like how the movie portrays the Barrow in the movie; casting him in a less hostile / sympathetic light, especially since most of the “downstairs” staff are paired up together. Plus, James-Collier does an excellent job in the movie, so it’s nice to see him playing Barrow in a different light (sort of speak).

Of course, fan favorites are still present in the Downton Abbey movie, especially the character of Violet Crawley, the Dowager Countess of Grantham, who is once again skillfully played by actress Dame Maggie Smith. Known for her roles in Gosford Park , Ladies in Lavender , and The Secret Garden, Smith has always been a terrific “old school” British actress as seeing in all of her previous works, including her performance as Violet. Her tactful wit, sharp tongue, and memorable one-liners are once again a pleasure to hear as Smith continues to excel in the role, which definitely could’ve been played in a different way (thankfully it wasn’t). Likewise, her conversation along with cousin Isobel Crawley (now Isobel Merton), who is played by actress Penelope Wilton ( The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel and Five Days ) are just as wonderful and cheeky as they were in the show.

Also, I can’t forget the other two fan-favorites, with the characters of Mr. Carson (the former head butler of Downton Abbey) and Mrs. Hughes, the head household maid at Downton Abbey, returning for another round of fan-service. Of course, both actor Jim Carter ( Shakespeare in Love and King Lear ) and actress Phyllis Logan ( Secrets & Lies and Another Time, Another Place ) are terrific together and definitely seem like a tried and true “old married couple”. With the movie focusing a lot on these characters above (and a few new characters added for the movie), the characters of Lord and Lady Grantham (Robert and Cora Crawley), Mr. Bates, and his wife Anna get more reduced to secondary supporting roles. Of course, the acting talents behind them, including actor Hugh Bonneville ( Paddington and Notting Hill ), actress Elizabeth McGovern ( The Wife and Woman in Gold ), actor Brendan Coyle ( Me Before You and North & South ), and actress Joanne Froggatt ( Liar and Bob the Builder ), are all there and do certainly bringing their “quality” to their respective characters, but the movie pushes, more or less, these individuals to the side. However, most of the character growth and been on display in the TV series, so it didn’t bother me as much.

The rest of the Downton Abbey characters, including actor Matthew Goode ( The Imitation Game and Watchmen ) as Mary’s husband Henry Talbot, actor Harry Hadden-Paton ( The Crown and Versailles ) as Edith’s husband Bertie Pelham, Marquess of Hexham, actor Douglas Reith ( The Queen and Dumbo ) as Isobel’s husband Lord Merton, actress Sophie McShera ( Cinderella and Galavant ) as Daisy Mason, actress Lesley Nicol ( Beecham House and Sarah & Duck) as Mrs. Patmore, actress Raquel Cassidy ( Lead Balloons and The Worst Witch ) as Miss Baxter, actor Michael Fox ( Dunkirk and Family Affairs ) as Andy, and actor Kevin Doyle ( The Tudors and Happy Valley ) as Mr. Molesley, are dedicated to rounding out the supporting veteran players of the feature. Of course, there parts might be a bit smaller than in the series, but all of them quickly capture their respective roles (quirks and personas) immediately and become memorable in the scenes that they are in.

Of the new players in the movie, the character of Maud, Lady Bagshaw / the Queen’s lady-in-waiting stands out as the most memorable. Played by actress Imelda Staunton ( Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and Nanny McPhee ), the character of Lady Bagshaw is indeed a welcomed addition to the whole Downton Abbey cast, with Staunton playing the part with effortless glee and theatrical poise (befitting her acting talent), especially when she paired up against Maggie Smith’s Violet Crawley. There scenes spark some terrific one-liners. Additionally, the movie also shines a focus on Maud’s servant companion Lucy Smith, who is played by actress Tuppence Middleton ( The Imitation Game and Jupiter Ascending) and plays an interesting side-story arc in the movie. Behind those two characters, the character of Richard Ellis, the King’s Royal Dresser, is another welcomed addition to the cast, with actor Max Brown ( The Tudors and The Royals ) making Ellis with enough suave and charm to certainly make him dashingly likeable. Likewise, actress Kate Phillips ( Peaky Blinders and Wolf Hall ) provides a certain type of youthful warmth within the character of Princess Mary, Viscountess Lascelles. Additionally, actor Simon Jones ( Brideshead Revisited and The Price ) and actress Geraldine James (Sherlock Holmes and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) are solid in the roles as King George V and Queen Mary. They are exactly how I pictured and handled their lofty royalty personas well. Kind of wished that their characters were in the movie more.

Rounding out the new characters cast is actor Mark Addy ( Game of Thrones and A Knight’s Tale ) as Mr. Bakewell, actor Andrew Havill ( The King’s Speech and Les Miserable ) as Henry, Viscount of Lascelles, actress Richenda Carey ( Monarch of the Glen and The Prince and the Pauper ) as the Royal Housemaid Mrs. Webb, actor Phillipe Spall ( Final Portrait and Allied ) as the Royal Chef Monsieur Courbet, actor Stephen Campbell Moore ( Goodbye Christopher Robin and The Bank Job ) as Major Chetwode, and actor David Haig ( My Boy Jack and Florence Foster Jenkins ) as the Royal Page of the Backstairs Mr. Wilson. Despite of limited screen-time in amongst the large sprawling regular cast, these acting talents are solid and favorable and definitely lend credence to their characters involvement in Downton Abbey’s story, with most having their one “moment in the spotlight” in their minor supporting capacities.

FINAL THOUGHTS

It’s time to return to “the big house” and reacquaint yourself with the Crawley Family as they (and their staff) prepare for a royal visit in the movie Downton Abbey . Director Michael Engler’s latest film returns to the popular TV show and continues the lives of those who live (and work) at the opulent English estate; providing a motion picture that works as a perfect companion to the show. While movie fumbles in a few minor areas (i.e an elongated ending and cramming too much characters into a feature length runtime), the film finds its grace and grandeur within its polished production and presentations as well as in Engler’s direction, Fellowes’s script, and its sprawling cast of acting talents. Personally, I loved this movie. It was great, lavishing, entertaining, and just downright fun to return the whole Downton Abbey world once again. Thus, you can by glowing review for this movie that my recommendation for it is a definite “highly recommended”, especially for the fans of the TV series out there. While the idea of a possible sequel leaves the door open for more cinematic endeavors within the Crawley Family’s lives is there, it still remains a mystery if one would materialize in the near future. TO me, I welcome the idea. Even if it doesn’t, 2019’s Downton Abbey is prime example of how to do a feature film continuation from a popular TV series; producing a lavishing cinematic experience on the finest level.

Also, a personal side note, Downton Abbey is my 475th movie review since I’ve started blogging. I wanted give a special thank you to all my readers, followers, and fellow bloggers for reading my movie reviews and giving me this platform to share (with you guys) my views on cinematic tales.

4.4 Out of 5 (Highly Recommended)

Released on: september 20th, 2019, reviewed on: november 20th, 2019.

Downton Abbey   is 122 minutes long and is rated PG for thematic elements, some suggestive material, and language

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I really liked this too, but I saw an SNL skit where they said the movie was basically about housework, and it’s not not true!

Never caught that skit. But yes…I did love this movie.

That lack of pace in the end foxed me; I thought it was over, and then they all go off to the ball and I was left looking at my watch! Good detailed review, never had you down as a Downtown fan!

Yeah, I agree with you about the ending. It felt like it was gonna end at one point and kept going for another ten or fifteen minutes. Still…love it. Yes, I’m a Downton fan!!!

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Geek Culture | Movies, TV, Comic Books & Video Games

Movie Review – Downton Abbey (2019)

September 20, 2019 by Robert Kojder

Downton Abbey , 2019.

Directed by Michael Engler. Starring Hugh Bonneville, Maggie Smith, Michelle Dockery, Jim Carter, Laura Carmichael, Elizabeth McGovern, Phyllis Logan, Penelope Wilton, Brendan Coyle, Joanne Froggatt, Robert James-Collier, Lesley Nicol, Sophie McShera, Raquel Cassidy, Allen Leech, Imelda Staunton, Geraldine James, Simon Jones, David Haig, Tuppence Middleton, Stephen Campbell Moore, Kevin Doyle, Douglas Reith, Fifi Hart, James Cartwright, Alice McCarthy, Kate Phillips, Michael Fox, Susan Lynch, Mark Addy, Philippe Spall, Richenda Carey, and Matthew Goode.

The continuing story of the Crawley family, wealthy owners of a large estate in the English countryside in the early 20th century.

Now for something different; a review of Downton Abbey from a film critic going in blind having never witnessed a single second of the critically acclaimed and popular television series. Directed by Michael Engler (who has directed multiple episodes of the show) and written by Juliane Fellowes (not only the creator of the sprawling cast of characters, but an Oscar-winning writer in his own right for Gosford Park ), it’s clear that reopening the castle doors for a narrative continuation following the series finale (and judging from the ending here, there could be even more to come for dedicated fans) is in suited filmmaking hands.

From an outsider’s perspective, there is little doubt that loyal followers of the show are in for somewhat of a treat, it always is when one gets to spend more time with characters they have spent years watching develop as people. However, Downton Abbey exists in a sphere where there are too many characters for any random moviegoer to sit down and enjoy the movie as a standalone experience (this is not something I’m going to knock points off for), but too little plot complexity. It’s not that I didn’t understand or was unable to follow Downton Abbey , more so the beats and smaller stories it goes for with all of its subplots feel basic and don’t land with much emotional impact.

And there is a lot going on here, ranging from illegitimate children to secretive homosexual interactions to theft to attempted assassinations and more, that are all typically resolved soon after the occurring incident. The nature of the narrative actually felt so episodic and simplified, that it’s questionable if going the cinematic big event route was the right move for reviving the franchise. Ideally, if those in charge here had opted to just go forward with another season, there would assuredly be a lot more room for quite literally everything here to breath and be handled with more depth. Then again, maybe it will resonate more for those attached to these characters.

Was I happy when the gay couple got the opportunity to share a private dance? Sure, it’s a touching moment, but I can’t say anything in the movie made me truly care about their plight. And if there’s one thing I have been mentored on regarding film criticism, there’s no need to watch a TV show or play a game to simply enjoy a movie, even if it is an expansion of a story within one of those alternate mediums. A smarter approach would be to not fill this thing with as many low-key supporting character roles and brief cameos, honing in on something more selective that is capable of universally engaging an audience.

With that in mind, a good portion of Downton Abbey does involve some slight class warfare. The king and queen are making a tour through the land and crossing into the countryside of Yorkshire, all set to say in the luxurious mansion of the Crawley family. And if there’s one thing the many scenes featuring far too many characters blabbing on and on simultaneously about the royal visit does do right, it’s making clear the divide between everyone’s reactions. The cooking staff and butlers are insulted they must be replaced by special royalty servants, some have scores to settle, jealousy emerges, and the heir of the building is at stake. Again, it’s far too much material for one two-hour movie, but there is a wonderful moment where the royal family gets their comeuppance for demanding their own services and essentially looking down on arguably the most vital elements of the castle. It’s a joy to watch and is a welcome reprieve from jingoistic nausea.

Obviously, I can’t speak for whether or not the series finale provided satisfying closure, and while aspects of the future are teased, Downton Abbey does provide finality and some late moments that are sure to get the longtime viewers teary-eyed. Even I found myself invested by the last 25 minutes, which is more of an epilogue rather than a climax. It also needs to be stated that Maggie Smith is a national treasure, with her commanding blunt wit able to elicit consistent laughs. Downton Abbey won’t convert anyone into a fan of the series eager to check out what they’re missing, but I would be lying if I said I hated the film. Even those that despise the movie have to come away admiring the historically accurate period piece fashion and the detailed massive interior decoration.

Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★

Robert Kojder is a member of the Chicago Film Critics Association and the Flickering Myth Reviews Editor. Check  here  for new reviews, friend me on Facebook, follow my  Twitter  or  Letterboxd , check out my personal non-Flickering Myth affiliated  Patreon , or email me at [email protected]

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Downton Abbey will get a third and 'final' film, according to Imelda Staunton

Cue the theme song...

Maureen Lee Lenker is a senior writer at Entertainment Weekly with over seven years of experience in the entertainment industry. An award-winning journalist, she's written for Turner Classic Movies, Ms. Magazine , The Hollywood Reporter , and more. She's worked at EW for six years covering film, TV, theater, music, and books. The author of EW's quarterly romance review column, "Hot Stuff," Maureen holds Master's degrees from both the University of Southern California and the University of Oxford. Her debut novel, It Happened One Fight , is now available. Follow her for all things related to classic Hollywood, musicals, the romance genre, and Bruce Springsteen.

Call the butler and get out the fine china because Downton Abbey is coming back.

Imelda Staunton, who appeared in the first two films as Queen Mary's lady-in-waiting Maud Bagshaw, told BBC Radio 2 that the cast is returning for a third movie.

"There will be the final film - there you go," Staunton told the radio host, Zoe Ball, who responded, "Wow, that’s pretty huge. I hope we haven’t got you in trouble."

"I don't care," Staunton replied.

Rumors of a third film have swirled since the release of the second movie, Downton Abbey: A New Era, in 2022. Producer Gareth Neame said at the time that the team would happily continue making them if there remained an appetite for more. We can go on with these people as long as the audience wants to go on seeing them and as long as they enjoy them," he said while  appearing on a new episode of  Variety 's  Strictly Business  podcast .

Focus Features / Courtesy Everett 

Creator Julian Fellowes also echoed this notion, telling Radio Times, " You never know if more is going to be wanted," he said in 2022. "After every series, after the first film, and now after the second, each time I have said a heart-wrenching goodbye to these people... and then here we are back again."

"I invented them all, I'm their father, and I do feel a kind of obligation towards them, and I'm fond of them," he continued. "It sounds rather romantic to say that, but also you do want to give a really good evening to the people who've been faithful to us for so many years. People talk about stage plays and further movies, but I think it will be made clear to me if there's a strong demand, and if that's what people want, then I won't fight it."

In addition to two feature films, one in 2019 and the other in 2022, Downton ran for six seasons from 2010 through 2016 on PBS.

Reports suggest a third film will begin production this summer, though neither Focus Features, which has distributed both previous  Downton Abbey  films, nor a representative for Neame responded to EW's request for confirmation.

Presumably, a third film would pick up somewhere after where A New Era left off in the late 1920s.

Related content:

• All of Maggie Smith's best moments in  Downton Abbey
• A  Downton Abbey  Cinematic Universe? Julian Fellowes says it's possible
• Michelle Dockery on filming THAT emotional scene with Maggie Smith in  Downton Abbey: A New Era

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A Third ‘Downton Abbey’ Movie Is Coming, One of Its Stars Says

Imelda Staunton, who played Queen Mary’s lady-in-waiting in the first two films, told the BBC that the next movie would be the “final” installment in the long-running franchise.

By Remy Tumin

The Crawleys have endured heartbreak, abandonment at the altar and a burst ulcer . They have celebrated the births of heirs, inter-class marriages and (eventually) a child born out of wedlock. They even hesitantly embraced the advent of new technology like the telephone and moving pictures.

After six seasons on television and two movies, it seems they’re not done yet.

The Crawleys will return for a third — and possibly final — “Downton Abbey” film, one of its stars told BBC Radio 2.

“There will be the final film,” Imelda Staunton, who played Queen Mary’s lady-in-waiting in the first two movies, told the host Zoe Ball on Wednesday , taking long breaths between each word. “There you go.”

Ball said she hoped she hadn’t gotten Staunton in trouble for speaking out of turn.

“I don’t care,” Staunton said.

Focus Features, which distributed the past two films, did not respond to a request for comment. But rumors are already swirling about the plot and potential additions to the cast.

Across six seasons on ITV in Britain and PBS in the United States, Julian Fellowes , who wrote all 52 episodes, swept the tensions of the upstairs-downstairs class struggles into an idyllic escape for viewers. Gossipy zingers. Quiet class warfare. Socialism. Empire waists and beaded dresses. Dame Maggie Smith .

From 2010 to 2015, the “Downton” characters had gone through it all. Or so fans thought. But Fellowes wasn’t done and brought “Downton” to the big screen in 2019, much to the delight of fans.

Set in 1927, the first “Downton” movie followed a royal visit to the Grantham estate. But as Downton’s staff is pitted against the royal attendants, an assassin attempts to kill King George V. Meanwhile, Staunton’s character, Lady Maud Bagshaw, is at the center of an inheritance dispute.

A second movie, “ Downton Abbey: New Era ” (2022), followed the Crawleys as they welcomed a crew to Downton for the filming of a silent movie. Other members of the family went to the South of France to uncover a mystery.

In a red carpet interview before the “New Era” premiere, Fellowes said that his goal with the first film was to see if there was an appetite for more “Downton” antics, “and I think we established that there was if we could get it right.”

With the second film, as well as with the entire series, his goal was “people to have a good time,” Fellowes said. “I don’t see anything wrong in giving them a nice night out.”

An earlier version of this article misidentified the target of an assassination attempt in the first “Downton Abbey” film. It was King George V, not Queen Mary.

How we handle corrections

Remy Tumin is a reporter for The Times covering breaking news and other topics. More about Remy Tumin

Downton Abbey Alum Dan Stevens Reacts To Third Movie While Sharing Thoughts On Why The Franchise Is So Popular

Downton Abbey may have ended as a TV show back in 2015, but this fictional world has lived on through the silver screen. The world has reunited with the Crawley family and their staff in two movies respectively released in 2019 and 2022, and earlier this month, Imelda Staunton, who played Lady Maud Bagshaw in both those features, revealed that Downton Abbey 3 is in the works . Keep in mind, this has yet to be officially confirmed, but Dan Stevens, one of the show’s original actors, has reacted to the news of the threequel, as well as shared his thoughts on why the franchise is so popular.

Stevens starred as Matthew Crawley in Downton Abbey ’s first three seasons, with the character dying in a car crash at the end of “A Journey to the Highlands,” the 2012 Christmas special. More than a decade after his departure, Matthew remains one of Stevens’ most well-known roles, and while speaking with ET at the Los Angeles red carpet premiere for Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire , the 2024 movie release that sees him joining the MonsterVerse, the actor said the following about Downton Abbey 3 and this franchise’s enduring appeal:

Like with any show where you're in people's living rooms on a Sunday evening, you know, people take a special kind of ownership of that. They become a part of your family in a way. You sit down, you watch it with your mom, your grandma. So many people I know have seen that show, and it's really brought families together. We laugh, we cry, but, you know, it's one of those shows where it means a lot to a lot of people. So I'm excited for another movie.

Premiering in 2010 on ITV in the United Kingdom and as part of PBS’ Masterpiece Classic anthology in the United States, Downton Abbey quickly became a worldwide sensation. By the end of its six-season run, it’d won 15 Emmys and collected the most nominations of any international TV series in the award show’s history. But even setting aside all its accolades, as Dan Stevens explained Downton Abbey has built a dedicated fanbase over nearly a decade and a half, to the point that, as is the case with many shows, these viewers have a established a personal connection with these characters, as well as helped them grow closer to people in their actual lives.

So even though Stevens won’t reprise Matthew Crawley in Downton Abbey 3 , he’s clearly on board for another movie if is is indeed on the way. And since the cast of Downton Abbey: A New Era shared their ideas for what the third movie could be about back in 2022, they’re clearly game to reprise their characters. According to Staunton, Downton Abbey 3 will be the “final film,” meaning fans will want to brace themselves for finally saying goodbye to the Crawleys and those in their orbit… for real this time… probably.

On the other hand, it was rumored in February that filming had secretly begun on Downton Abbey Season 7, with the likes of Hugh Bonneville, Michelle Dockery, Elizabeth McGovern and Joanne Froggat set to reprise their roles. Allegedly this new season is expected to air by the end of the year, and if I had to guess, Dan Stevens would probably set some time aside to watch some, if not all of the episodes. Still, fingers crossed that the existence of either project is confirmed or debunked sooner rather than later, as many Downton Abbey fans would surely like the record set straight.

If you’re in the mood to stream the Downton Abbey saga, the series can be accessed with a Peacock subscription , Netflix subscribers can check out the first movie, and A New Era is over on Starz. Catch Dan Stevens playing Trapper in Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire starting this Friday, March 29.

Screen Rant

Downton abbey 3 confirmed as "final" movie by star, filming timeline reportedly revealed.

Downton Abbey 3 has been confirmed as the "final" movie in the franchise by its star, with a filming timeline also reportedly revealed.

• Imelda Staunton confirms Downton Abbey 3 is happening and will be the final film in the series.
• Filming for Downton Abbey 3 is set to start in May and end in July.
• The historical drama began as a TV series but has continued through movies.

Downton Abbey 3 has been confirmed by one of the previous movie's stars, while a filming timeline has also reportedly been revealed. The historical drama follows the lives of the Crawley family in the early 20th century, showcasing their lives as aristocrats on the estate. Beginning as a TV series, the story has since continued in two sequel films, the newest of which, Downton Abbey: A New Era, was released in 2022.

Now, on Zoe Ball's BBC Radio 2 show (via Radio Times ), Imelda Staunton, who portrays Lady Maud Bagshaw in the films, has confirmed Downton Abbey 3 is happening , and will be " the final film " in the series. The confirmation comes with news (via Collider ) that filming for the movie will begin in May , and is expected to end in July. This means it may not be long until the entire series definitively comes to a close.

The Downton Abbey TV show ended with Series 6 in 2015, but has since continued as an ongoing movie series.

What To Expect From Downton Abbey 3

Given Staunton was the one to confirm the film's existence, it seems this final installment will keep pushing the Downton Abbey timeline forward. This means it will tie up any loose ends to the Crawley family following A New Era , giving the series and its characters a more definitive conclusion. Given this will be the final movie, it could also mean the franchise as a whole is coming to a close. There have been rumors of a seventh season being in the works, but one last movie seems more likely.

Since this film will be a sequel to the 2022 installment, it's reasonable to assume many cast members from A New Era will be coming back. Beyond Staunton's Maud, there will likely be appearances by Hugh Bonneville's Robert, Elizabeth McGovern's Cora, Michelle Dockery's Mary, and Allen Leech's Tom, among other returnees. Other characters who have been appearing regularly since the start of the series will also no doubt be featured in the film.

While no information on the story has been revealed yet, A New Era set the stage for the next film to honor Violet's legacy following her death in the previous movie . This allows for one last storyline within the Yorkshire estate that brings the entire story full circle. With more about Downton Abbey 3 likely to be revealed later this year, it may not be long until the final movie arrives in theaters.

Source: BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show (via Radio Times ), Collider

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Downton Abbey is getting a “final” chapter, according to Imelda Staunton .

The actress, who played Queen Mary’s lady-in-waiting Lady Maud Bagshaw in the first two films, has confirmed reports that a third movie is in the works.

Asked about Downton Abbey rumors by BBC Radio 2 breakfast show host Zoe Ball, Staunton said: “There will be the final film – there you go.”

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Staunton’s comments followed a report in The Sun on Wednesday, which claimed that the third movie will film at Highclere Castle over the summer and premiere next year.

The Sun also reported that The Holdovers star Paul Giamatti could reprise his role as Harold Levinson, the brother of the Countess of Grantham, after he appeared in the 2013 Christmas special.

Speaking ahead of the release of Downton Abbey: A New Era in 2022, Fellowes said cast and crew have struggled to let go of the franchise.

“They say goodbye, everyone cries, and two years later we’re back at it,” he told the Radio Times. “I think each time it’s goodbye, but whether it is or not, who knows?”

Carnival Films and NBCUniversal have been contacted for comment.

Downton Abbey: A New Era  grossed nearly $93M worldwide, while the first movie made $195M in 2019, according to Box Office Mojo.

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