Film Review: Downton Abbey: A New Era

The sprawling cast of "Downton Abbey" goes to France and gets into the movie business in this new sequel.By Christopher James

Martin Scorsese described Marvel movies as theme park rides, not films. As derisive as that is, there’s some truth to it. What are theme park rides other than rushes and thrills, zooming through a theme or story with the sole purpose of making you react and cheer? If Marvel movies are a roller coaster, Downton Abbey: A New Era is an ornate, hundred year old Merry-Go-Round. It’s a theme park ride in that it exists solely to take fans through the hallowed halls of Downton, rather than to make a grand cinematic statement. That’s what makes this installment much better than the previous film. It cycles through the greatest hits with tremendous efficiency and spirit. The large ensemble is all smiles as they sip tea and gossip. Penelope Wilton and Maggie Smith land every sassy remark with a knowing grin. Girls just want to have fun, and my is Downton Abbey: A New Era low thrills fun!

Like a schoolyard dodgeball game, Downton Abbey: A New Era sets up two sides and divides its characters up between the two plots hastily. No sooner does the wedding between Tom (Allen Leech) and Lucy (Tuppence Middleton) end before Violet Crawley, the Dowager Countess of Grantham (Maggie Smith) decides to upstage them with her own revelation.... 

When given the choice between Southern France and staying home, most of the younger Crawley generation opt for a glamorous vacation.She announces to her son and grandchildren that an old deceased beau has left her a villa in the South of France. Bewildered and confused, her Son Robert Crawley, the Earl of Grantham (Hugh Bonneville) decides to travel to the villa and investigate what secrets in Violet’s past led to this endowment. Most of the family, plus trusty butler Charlie Carson (Jim Carter), follows Robert in search of a glamorous vacation more so than the truth.

Those who stay at Downton aren’t exactly getting the short end of the stick. A moving pictures director (yes, they say moving pictures a lot), Jack Barber (Hugh Dancy), wishes to film a gambling romance at Downton. While the idea horrifies Robert, his daughter Lady Mary (Michelle Dockery) decides to take Jack up on his offer, as the fees will help restore Downton’s roof. Both the upstairs and downstairs crew at Downton are starstruck by the arrival of the movie’s stars - the dashing Guy Dexter (Dominic West) and the glamorous Myrna Dalgleish (Laura Haddock). Just as production gets underway, the talkie revolution hits England and Barber is forced to rethink the entire production. While the charming Guy Dexter is well versed in elocution, his obnoxious co-star Myrna is giving Jean Hagen a run for her money for most grating speaking voice. It’s up to Lady Mary to save the project, lending her voice to Myrna’s character. 

Suffice it to say I squealed when I realized this subplot was basically an upper crust Singin’ in the Rain remake.

In just over two hours, Downton Abbey: A New Era celebrates marriages, proposals, big moves and more landmark moments, all without ever having its pulse race. It’s tremendously low-key fun. However, one shouldn’t mistake it for easy. The film manages to give its cast of over thirty characters moments to shine, with many of the smaller characters getting fun storylines they carry aplomb. From the downstairs crew, it’s terrific fun to watch Anna Bates (Joanne Froggatt) and Daisy (Sophie McShera) obsess about their love for Myrna. Over in France, Elizabeth McGovern gives a terrific, restrained performance as Robert’s wife Cora, who harbors a secret she carries in silence. There are plenty of other subplots small and large, yet the film never feels overstuffed. The film is a zippy delight, with most scenes lasting nary a minute before we jet to the next colorful side character.

I must confess to being a Downton agnostic. For Emmys coverage, I’ve seen a number of episodes and tried multiple times to get into the series. The setup of a rich family grappling with the loss of lives after the sinking of the Titanic proved for a rich start. However, as someone who has never come close to touching a BritBox subscription, the pace of the series never kept me coming back. Perhaps that made this new film such a delight. It wasn’t just that the two storylines were delightfully frothy and low stakes enough for a casual fan to get into. One can’t help but get swept up in the lore when watching with fans. Even at this critics screening, cheers and tears alike echoed from the room for much of the movie. Hushed conversations behind a bush in the South of France might not be as grand as Captain America grabbing hold of Thor’s hammer. However, the Downton fandom is just as contagious.

It's hard not to fall in love with these two gossiping.

The trailer for Downton Abbey: A New Era tells you everything you need to know about the film. Do the upstairs downstairs exploits of this 1930s manor interest you? Does going on a pleasant trip to the South of France where a secret or two lie sound like a great escape? Would you let Dominic West wink at you with a Douglas Fairbanks-esque mustache? Do you like it when Maggie Smith delivers a perfectly timed put down? If the answer to those questions are yes, then run (at whatever pace you can) to the opening weekend of Downton Abbey: A New Era. B

Are you excited for Downton Abbey: A New Era? Let us know in the comments

Comments

[lemonzestysour1]

I thought it was pure wish fulfilment fantasy entertainment for those who loved the series - a love letter for fans and a love letter to Maggie Smith as well who as usual was a star (although - did anyone else find her accent becoming more common the further into the film we got?).

Best moment was the servants becoming involved in the filming - you'll know the scene - genuinely brought tears to my eyes and I enjoyed how much of a celebration of the ridiculousness of Downton it all was - cheers to the cast and show for pure entertainment and Maggie Smith for being Maggie Smith :D

[Ryan Hadley]

I love films like that, but this one is quite boring. But it's not so bad gambling romance at Downton. I like gambling and sometimes I even play at https://online-casino-real-money-nz.org/online-pokies this slot casino. Casino Royale is still the best film for me.