By Johnson Thomas
|
Rating:
3.0/5
Star
Cast:
Hugh
Bonneville,
Maggie
Smith,
Jim
Carter,
Michelle
Dockery,
Elizabeth
McGovern
Director:
Simon
Curtis
Just
imagine
your
servant
saying,
“I
was
up
at
5
this
morning
just
so
I
could
get
started
on
this
kayali
pulao!
I
do
so
love
my
job.”
Well,
in
the
real
world
there’s
little
chance
of
you
having
it
so
good.
But
in
the
make-believe,
delusional,
fantasy
driven
old-style
cinema,
these
sort
of
affirmative
statements
are
kosher.
Of
course
the
very
English,
very
‘propah’
servants
won’t
speak
of
‘Khyali
Pulao’
–
for
them
it
would
be
the
more
mundane
but
intricate
oyster
sauce
or
champagne
stew
that
needs
to
set
just
perfectly.
The
servants
are
delighted
that
film
stars
–
who
they
perceive
as
having
as
much
immeasurable
wealth
as
their
lords
and
ladies,
are
descending
on
their
‘castle’,
so-to-speak.
For
them
it’s
a
privilege
to
fawn
over
such
folk.
But
the
Crawleys,
desperate
as
they
are
to
fix
their
leaking
roof,
are
aghast…but
needs
must!
It’s
high-brow
moments
like
these,
that
draw
you
in
to
this
decadent,
feudal,
close-to-Victorian-era
fantasy
that
is
Downton
Abbey:
A
New
Era
–
the
follow-up
sequel
to
the
2019
feature
film
in
which
the
Crawley
family
and
staff
received
a
royal
visit
from
the
King
and
Queen
of
Great
Britain.
Well,
the
afore-mentioned
is
just
one
part
of
the
story…there’s
more.
The
depravity
of
the
bygone
era
is
lightened
by
a
surprise
bequest.
While
the
glamorous
film
stars
are
touching
ground
zero
at
the
grand
house,
Robert
(Hugh
Bonneville)
is
all
set
to
squire
his
wife,
Cora
(Elizabeth
McGovern),
and
other
minor
Crawleys
off
to
the
Mediterranean
to
investigate
the
mystery
of
the
villa
located
in
the
South
of
France,
bequeathed
to
his
mother,
the
Dowager
Countess
Violet
(Maggie
Smith).
Downton
Abbey,
1920s-Yorkshire,
is
a
sort
of
feudal
hangover
–
quaint
and
regressive
but
intriguing
nevertheless.
This
movie
spin-off
has
all
the
elements
the
fans
of
the
Downton
Abbey
series
expect
–
strong
performances,
witty
dialogue,
old-fashioned
costumes,
and
the
intricate
detail
regarding
the
many
chores,
which
are
what
gravitate
your
interest.
Writer
Julian
Fellows
gives
his
many
characters
enough
time
to
do
their
bits
prominently.
The
characters
are
perfectly
cast
and
garner
enough
interest,
therefore.
The
staid
(if
not
stuck-up)
British
ways,
the
mild-mannered,
quip-sharp
comedic
moments,
sharp
and
busy
screenplay,
stunning
aerial
captures
of
the
majestic
estates,
and
spot-on
ensemble
performances
give
this
film
a
robust
vitality
that’s
hard
to
resist.
We
go
with
three
out
of
five
stars
for
Downton
Abbey:
A
New
Era.
