Since watching the previous film, I’ve grown to truly love the Downton Abbey series. So when the chance to see these wonderful characters one more time arose, I was quick to go see the screening. While the storyline is fairly straightforward, I loved getting to see the familiar faces again. The storyline was intriguing and the costumes were magnificent. Best of all, it was a touching conclusion that shows that time moves on but love and family are here to stay. 

Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale is the sequel to Downton Abbey: A New Era and is directed by Simon Curtis from a screenplay by Julian Fellowes. The film follows the family and staff as they enter the 1930’s. As Mary (Michelle DockeryI finds herself in the midst of a public scandal caused by her divorce and the family faces financial trouble, the entire family must grapple with the uncertainty. The Crawleys must embrace change all while the staff prepares for a new chapter with the next generation leading Downton Abbey into the future. The film stars most of the original cast with Paul Giamatti reprising his role as Harold Levinson and Dominic West as Guy Dexter. They are joined by Joely Richardson, Alessandro Nivola, Simon Russell Beale and Arty Froushan. 

Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale is a touching conclusion to the previous films and the television show. One of the best elements is the references to previous characters like Maggie Smith and the homage to her. Her picture hangs in the main hall of Downton Abbey and even without appearing, she still feels a part of the show. The film also has beautiful homages to Mary’s first husband Matthew and her youngest sister, Sybil. Not only do these touches remind viewers of the story but also creates a sense of family.  

The scandal that Mary faces is a very real one for the time and the challenges that the family faces going into the 1930’s is also bittersweet, especially knowing the changes that they face in the next ten years. The writing does a brilliant job of pointing out the ways the family faces those challenges. Robert, Earl of Grantham (Hugh Bonneville), realizes that he has to move with the times and put Mary in charge, her ideas for the estate will help with the financial crisis they face. Edith (Laura Carmichael) has embraced her voice and become like her grandmother, protecting her family, even Mary. Cora (Elizabeth McGovern) continues to be graceful and support her brother even when he makes mistakes. The staff carry on, as roles change and individual’s retire, like Carson (Jim Carter) and Patmore (Lesley Nicol) retire while Daisy (Sophie McShera) and Andy(Michael Fox) take their places. The story emphasizes how time moves on but the relationships and connections remain strong.

The aspect of the film that works are the connections, between staff and family, family with friends and neighbors. The acting subtly brings humor to those connections. It is an ensemble cast and that makes it difficult to want to highlight one individual over another. Every one of the cast is talented and performs their role to perfection. Some of the newer faces bring extra humor like Paul Giamatti to the role of Harold Levinson, Cora’s brother. His interactions with Elizabeth McGovern are priceless. I liked the connection between Edith and Mary as well as the relationship between Cora and Robert. Arty Froushan is brilliant as Noel Coward and Alessandro Nivola as Gus Sambrook, not so noble friend of Harold. Each performer is excellent. 

As a film, the storyline is simple and does not tackle anything truly difficult. The struggles are faced and dealt with in a fairly predictable and positive manner but in keeping with the spirit of the other films and the television show. The homage played to the past, the touching conclusion and the sense of the future override anything critical and the story’s humor and the excellent performances make it a fun film to watch.

If you are a fan of Downton Abbey, you will absolutely want to watch this final installment. It is beautifully written, has dynamite performances, a cast of familiar faces and illustrates time changing in a glorious fashion. While not perfect, it is just what you want to see from a Downton Abbey film, a story about friends, family and the changes to both family and staff over time, bringing the story of Downton Abbey to a wonderful end and wrapping up much of the lingering questions from the previous movies. 

Rating: 4 out of 5 beautiful dresses

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