Downton Abbey is a series that I reluctantly sat down to watch with my wife, and by the end of the first episode I was hooked. I did not expect to get sucked into it, but now I’m a big fan! I love these characters that have been created and the stories that revolve around them, and it’s great that their stories have been able to continue on the big screen!
This past weekend, the next film in the franchise, Downton Abbey: A New Era was released in theaters and I’m happy to say that it ended up being as wonderful and entertaining as I hoped it would be. Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellows once again wrote the script and he delivered another fantastic story!
Downton Abbey: A New Era is the kind of film that any hardcore movie buff would enjoy. One of the main aspects of the story involved Downton being used as the setting for a big Hollywood movie at a time when Hollywood was making the big transition from silent films to talkies. It’s a celebration of movies and a tribute to the process of filmmaking. There’s also some fun humor that pokes fun at the ridiculousness of it all.
The other part of the story involves members of the Crawley family and servants as they embark on a grand journey to the South of France to uncover the mystery of the Dowager Countess, who inherited a villa from a mysterious man that she’s never talked about with anyone in her family. As you might expect, this comes with its own set of drama, as the wife of the man who left her the villa does not want to let it go and is angry about the whole situation.
I enjoyed how these story arcs ended up playing out over the course of the movie, and it was fun to see the characters continue to evolve. But, what I like most, in general, is that it’s a brazenly feel-good movie and I had a smile on my face from beginning to end.
I know it’s not a Star Wars or Marvel film, or a wild genre movie, but it’s a great film that tells a great story that movie fans will enjoy! If you haven’t watched any of the Downton Abbey stuff yet, you should give it a chance. It might just surprise you. If you already are a fan, you’re gonna love this movie.