The trio of films—now concluded with a spectacular flourish by Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale—represents a unique phenomenon: a cinematic franchise spun off from a beloved TV series, offering enough depth and enjoyment to draw audiences from their homes. It demonstrates how viewers who are already familiar with these characters and their challenges from the small screen (the show aired for six seasons) are willing to pay more to immerse themselves in their continuing delights, struggles, and worries on a larger canvas. *The Grand Finale* offers such visual richness that one could likely enjoy it even without prior exposure to the series or the preceding two films. The narrative complexity is minimal; simply attend and marvel.
Indeed, for viewers familiar with the two preceding films—Downton Abbey (2019) and (2022)—The Grand Finale largely offers a continuation of previous themes: the same affluent characters, attended by their staff, grappling with how circumstances are fundamentally altering their world. Nevertheless, it is both reassuring and humbling to acknowledge that our era is not the first to feel perplexed by the accelerating pace of global change and the imperative to adapt. The year is 1930, and at the core of the esteemed Yorkshire estate, Downton Abbey, the family, led by Robert Crawley (Hugh Bonneville) and his wife Cora (Elizabeth McGovern)—Lord and Lady Grantham—endeavors to maintain their customary routines. However, as the 20th century relentlessly advances, the concept of ‘as usual’ ceases to exist. While they attempt to enjoy London’s autumn social season, a significant concern emerges: their daughter, Lady Mary’s, protracted divorce has finally been concluded, resulting in her social ostracization. She attempts to dismiss it, but this development jeopardizes every facet of her life.
Furthermore, the estate continues to face financial difficulties. Lady Mary, now managing Downton Abbey following the passing of Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham (, who makes a brief appearance in flashback), has initiated necessary but costly refurbishments. There is an expectation that her uncle, Cora’s brother Harold (Paul Giamatti), arriving from America, will bring positive news regarding finances, specifically an inheritance from his and Cora’s recently deceased mother. Harold arrives accompanied by a friend and financial consultant, the charismatic and flirtatious Guy Samson (Alessandro Nivola), who promptly prepares a selection of potent cocktails. Lady Mary, seeking to unwind, indulges in one, or perhaps two, too many. Subsequently, her sister, Lady Edith (Laura Carmichael), will discover the events of that evening, feigning shock.
Concurrently, the lives of the staff are also undergoing shifts: Mr. Carson (Jim Carter), having mentored Andy Parker (Michael Fox) to become Butler, should be poised for retirement from his duties at Downton Abbey, yet he finds himself unable to depart. Meanwhile, Lady Mary’s maid, Anna Bates (Joann Froggatt), expecting her second child, is arranging for a period of absence—but not before playing a crucial role in resolving one of Lady Mary’s most significant dilemmas.
Amidst these events, Noel Coward makes an appearance, portrayed with appropriate sophisticated nonchalance by Arty Froushan. Despite segments of theatrical and explanatory dialogue, the narrative progresses at a steady pace. (The script is by the TV show’s creator; the director is Simon Curtis, who also helmed A New Era.) Cinematographer Ben Smithard imbues the production with a lustrous, aristocratic glow. Costume designer Anna Robbins—a seasoned contributor to the series and its two prior films—surpasses her already exceptional work, if such a feat is conceivable. When Dockery’s Mary attends a ball, she is adorned in a fluid, bias-cut gown of crimson silk charmeuse, featuring a single, elegantly alluring diamond clip positioned at the base of her back. All the female characters glide gracefully, bedecked in delicate strands of miniature cut-glass beads; for formal dinners, they sport petite tiaras that exude a blend of subtlety and striking grandeur. Even the men’s impeccably tailored suits, crafted from soft woolens, are enough to evoke admiration. Ah, to be affluent and English, with the hardships of World War I firmly in the past! Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale escorts viewers to an era and setting that appears considerably more enchanting than our present, and experiencing it grandly displayed on the big screen is nearly breathtaking. It’s an refined escapism well worth leaving your sofa to witness.