As promised this is my Downton Abbey movie review! I don’t think that I’m alone in saying that it is the movie event of the year for me. We returned to the infamous Downton Abbey (aka Highclere Castle) to see all of our favourite characters! And obviously as life is never boring at Downton, it is an exciting time- the king and queen are visiting. So, I’m going to delve into what I loved, what I liked, and what I didn’t like (with spoilers). Without any further adieu, here is my Downton Abbey movie review…
The Downton Abbey movie was announced in July 2018, and filming started later in that month. It continued through to November of 2018, and then post-production took over. We were given a few teaser trailers and ideas of what to expect earlier, but the full trailer was released in May 2019. If you haven’t seen it yet, for your viewing pleasure:
So, long story short- King George V and Queen Mary are coming to Downton for a royal visit, and hijinks ensue. Now, for the spoilers…
What I Loved About the Downton Abbey Movie
I mostly loved everything about the Downton Abbey movie! The movie was much lighter than a regular Downton season. There was no murder, no awful crimes, no mis-matches in love, no big mysteries to solve. And for a movie, I think it worked perfectly! The premise of a royal visit was a fantastic choice, as the royals are periodically mentioned throughout the series and obviously play a role in the Crawleys’ lives. We were able to see Downton shown at its best, along with the family! Mary and Edith still had a slight rivalry that has mellowed in adulthood, and their husbands complement them well. (Henry Talbot dashing in at the last minute was a great touch.)
I also loved the inclusion of Princess Mary (daughter to George and Mary)- she was a complex figure often forgotten for her brothers. Her storyline was a tad on the sad side, but I think the resolution with her husband was realistic and still hopeful. And speaking of sticky relationships, the Dowager Countess and her cousin Lady Bagshawe had quite the road to friendship. I thought that using Isobel (Lady Merton, aka Matthew’s mother) to pave the way to reconciliation used her to her best. Normally Isobel drives me a little nuts, but I think it highlighted her best qualities without being grating.
And of course, I have to say that I loved the downstairs’ storylines, as well. The Downton servants scheming to reclaim their house and serve the king and queen was prime Downton. It was wonderful to see them pulling together without someone having to go to jail or die to make it happen. (Even Carson was willing to join in!!) And seeing Thomas finally make a connection with another LGBTQ character was long overdue- Thomas has changed quite a bit, and deserves some happiness.
What I Liked About the Downton Abbey Movie
I certainly like Edith more now than I did in earlier seasons. (She was rather unsufferable at the beginning…) I thought that her pregnancy was a fairly interesting storyline but wrapped up rather neatly. I would say of all of the spouses on Downton Abbey, Bertie has fast become my favourite. He may be slightly clueless, but lovable none-the-less. (It would have been nice to see Edith find something more fulfilling to do.) I also liked Branson’s romance with Lucy Smith. It was pretty clearly telegraphed throughout the movie, but was still cute. I preferred his royal visit storyline- saving the king from an assassin, what would his Irish brethren say?!
What I Didn’t Like About the Downton Abbey Movie
Nothing! There is actually nothing that I wouldn’t change about the Downton Abbey movie. A+, Baron Fellowes! (Okay, if I had to pick one thing, it would be the Dowager Countess announcing her illness. I understand why they need her to leave, but I also can’t imagine it without her!)
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If you are still waiting to see the Downton Abbey movie, or have seen it and need a fix for more, I recommend my reading list for the best books if you love Downton Abbey! Fiction and non-fiction, these books will let you live in the world of Downton for just a bit longer, and will keep you entertained while you do it! We have to be realistic- we’ve probably got at least 3 months before the movie is out for home release and we can rewatch infinitely, so get some reading done now…
And without a doubt, you need to read my post on the fashion of Downton Abbey! These are some of my favourite 1920s fashion pieces that I happened to see at the Fashion Museum in Bath and the V&A in London, and you could definitely see one of the ladies at Downton wearing them.
Have you shared your Downton Abbey movie review? And if you haven’t, what did you think of it?
Cheers,
The Historian
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ZOMG!! I just saw the movie last night and LOVED it!! I couldn’t wait to re-read your review this morning, lol. I agree with you totally–everything about the movie was great, and I really like that it was more light-hearted than most of the seasons on TV. As my husband said, “It was a love letter to the fans.” Everything we would have wanted to see, we saw. Love matches, reconciliations, glamour, family reunions, etc. I’m completely happy with it, and I want to go see it again, this time to take in all the little moments or comments I might have missed. There were definitely some hilarious parts, and I think everyone was laughing too hard to hear some good one-liners that may have come right after that (AHEM, Molesley. Bless him. Hahahaha). Oh, and the costumes were gorgeous! So many pretty dresses. Man, it was just a great two hours. It was exactly what I needed to turn off my brain and escape into somewhere special for a little while. 🙂