If you enjoyed the ubiquitous “Downton Abbey,” a sweeping period drama that showed on television from 2011 to 2017, the third (yes, third!) movie installment is precisely your cup of very sweet, very comforting tea.
Simon Curtis returns as director, steering the grand HMS Nostalgia into calm, predictable waters. As the familiar strains of music swell, the movie envelops you like a cozy blanket.
Set in 1930s Britain as empires are fading, the characters talk a lot about change. “Downtown Abbey: The Grand Finale,” however, remains unchanged.
Fans will know every theme and storyline: a fresh wave of economic uncertainty imperils the noble Crawley family’s hold on their beloved estate. Below stairs, the servants remain dutiful, devoted, and loyal, content in their service to the family’s traditional way of life.
Archaic gender roles limit women’s lives, with Lady Mary’s divorce scandalizing polite society and threatening her ability to lead the estate. The butler, Carson, is retiring — again, it seems, since he also retired in the final episode of the series eight years ago.
And yes, all of your favorite characters are back, except for the peerless Dame Maggie Smith, who died in 2024. The ghost of her character, the Dowager Countess, is nonetheless a constant presence here, represented by a giant portrait looming large.
As with the series, the film contains grand set pieces, stuffing three into its 2 hour and 3-minute running time: a resplendent and redemptive dinner, replete with guest Noel Coward singing to Lady Mary; a climactic scene at Ascot, where the Marchioness of Hexham (aka Edith’s) newfound power is on display; and a bucolic country fair, which benefits from daring to include ideas from the servant class in its execution.
The screenplay contains no suspense. At all. But it does have witty banter, as well as the delightful bon mots you’ve come to expect from “Downton Abbey.” An apartment building — an edifice never imagined by Lord Grantham — is described as a “layer cake of strangers.” The film also recycles one of the Dowager Countess’ most famous lines, a new take on, ”What is a weekend?”
The film is gorgeously shot, with warm, rich colors throughout. The costumes, as always, are extraordinary, with a reported $1.4 million worth of antique jewels bedecking the female characters.
“Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale” is a soothing balm in trying times and will be enjoyable escapism for many. So, the question, of course, is: should you see it? If you loved the series, it’s a must. If you didn’t, well, this is likely not your cup of tea. “Downton Abbey” is playing this weekend at Park City Film.
