“Downton Abbey” is a big screen episode of one of the most rabidly popular British series. Creator Julian Fellowes writes the script which ended up being directed by Michael Engler. Hugh Bonneville, Maggie Smith, Michelle Dockery, and all sorts of other British actors return to the Yorkshire countryside as the family and staff receive notice of King George and Queen Mary are coming in for a visit in 1927.
So I have yet to watch the television series, but this movie just felt like a super long episode. It is a super long episode that is well presented though. There wasn’t much time spent on the background of the characters for the sake of new viewers, but that was a good decision. This is a lot of great Britishness as expected. My favorite character is one of the kitchen staff, Daisy, played by Sophie McShera. I could see why this show was such a hit. All of the main characters were amusing and intriguing.
The plot felt a little standard, even for someone who has yet to watch the show, however it was still quite engaging. Fellowes is a pretty witty scribe.
The scenery was often pretty breathtaking. The Abbey looked gorgeous during the long shots.
It’s a film that offers a pretty good continuation and yet a decent introduction for those who missed out on the series in the first airing. Anyway, any newcomers to the show should still get some enjoyment out of it, and I imagine long-time fans were quite pleased with the end result.
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