Downton Abbey
Starring Dame Maggie Smith, Michelle Dockery and Hugh Bonneville
Rated PG
A continuation of the acclaimed TV series, Downton Abbey is a charming and well-acted historical drama, but it’s light on the drama.
In 1927, a planned royal visit sends the residents and staff of Downton Abbey into a whirlwind of preparation and power struggles.
Downton Abbey has a fun atmosphere of ceremony and bluster, the opulent setting is beautiful and the costuming and period detail feel completely authentic.
The film also has a surprisingly egalitarian tone: the narrative has several heartening moments of respect and collaboration between master and servant, and the Downton servants stage a clever coup to reclaim their responsibilities and dignity from the invasive royal servants.
While the prestigious cast delivers universally strong performances, their characters are thinly-written, making them hard to distinguish or keep track of (exacerbated by some very abrupt editing), and the conflicts feel somewhat toothless and easily-resolved.
The plot shows its cards about a shady agent character far too early, disarming the attempted plot-twist, then clumsily explains the resolution later.
There is a genuinely poignant subplot involving two noblewomen clashing over the inheritance of their family estate and a scandalous secret, but a later revelation robs this issue of all impact.
Downton Abbey is a stylish, pleasant film that will no doubt delight fans of the show, but the characters and conflicts end up rather flat.
– Seth Lukas Hynes
