‘Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale’ Review
It doesn’t feel like the end but rather the closing of a chapter. ‘Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale’ gently and affirmatively shows the familial bond between the Crawleys and staff.
(Warning: Some spoilers might be included.)
The Crawleys are always riding the wave of change. In Downton Abbey: A New Era, which came out in 2022, the family and staff dealt with and were affected by a film crew that went from silent film to talking pictures during their production. In Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale, a live performance in London ushers us into this new era for the Crawleys. It’s 1930 and we’re reintroduced to actor Guy Dexter (Dominic West) as he enthralls the cosmopolitan audience, with his assistant/friend Thomas Barrow (Robert James-Collier) beaming from the sidelines. Change is definitely afoot.
Lady Mary (Michelle Dockery) finds herself at the center of a scandal again after it’s discovered she’s divorced race car driver Henry Talbot. She becomes a social pariah in London circles, so Lord Grantham (Hugh Bonneville) and Lady Grantham (Elizabeth McGovern) take her back to Downton Abbey, hoping her situation will be much better there. Lady Mary has always been unlucky in love, and while in London, she does something foolish that could have also erupted into controversy. She is the epitome of the more things change, the more they stay the same. But it’s what makes her human, instead of above it all. She and Lady Edith (Laura Carmichael) have always personified the winds of change by following traditions, but not being afraid to buck them either.
Things are changing in the staff’s quarters too. Mrs. Patmore (Lesley Nicol) is retiring and so is Carson (Jim Carter), though he still has to make his presence known. Lady Merton (Penelope Wilton) gives him something to do when she puts him, as well as Daisy (Sophie McShera), on a committee for the County Show. Lady Merton is perturbed by the committee Chair, the snobbish Hector Moreland (Simon Russell Beale), and she knows it will get under his skin to have to deal with anyone he feels is beneath him. Their encounters make for very amusing moments.
Cousin Harold (Paul Giamatti) visits from America with his friend and advisor Gus Sambrook (Alessandro Nivola) and has bad news. When he tells them he’s lost almost all of Cora’s mother’s fortune, he’s put under the microscope. All is not what it seems, though, and Tom (Allen Leech) comes to the rescue.
While the Dowager Countess’s (Dame Maggie Smith) eagle-eyed presence and witticisms are obviously missing, the remaining Crawleys more than make up for it with genuinely warm, funny exchanges. Julian Fellowes wrote this like these characters aren’t only a part of him, but family. Simon Curtis’s directing also displays affection for the characters and locations.
While the Downton Abbey series started out being about class divide, master and servant, over six seasons and with two films, it gradually embraced progress, and the lines started to blur between classes. Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale gently and affirmatively shows how the Crawleys and the staff not only depended on each other, but they’ve also formed valuable bonds over the years. While Lord Grantham may feel his title is becoming useless, he’s discovered something more important and durable in the alliances he’s formed with the “help”. Though Lady Mary started out being one of the most rigid characters, her friendship with Anna Bates (Joanne Froggatt) has helped thaw her. In Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale, Anna feels comfortable enough to ask Lady Mary to be the godmother of her child. No need to put on airs in this modern era.
The difference between America and the U.K. is still stark during the time the film is set. Lady Mary wouldn’t cause such a ruckus with her independent lifestyle across the pond. But as cousin Harold realizes, there’s something to tradition and ritual. It’s as comforting to him as the past is for some of the characters.
The title Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale alludes to the closing of a performance, and the actors of this beloved series take a graceful bow with this movie. It doesn’t feel like the end but rather the closing of a chapter. Just as Cousin Harold falls asleep in the library reading “The Pickwick Papers,” so must we be content to not read the whole story.
Other cast includes Phyllis Logan (Mrs. Hughes), Kevin Doyle (Mr. Molesley), and Brendan Coyle (Mr. Bates). Emmy-winning composer John Lunn returns with his emotive score.
Focus Features’ Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale will be in Theaters on September 12.
Sonya Alexander started off her career training to be a talent agent. She eventually realized she was meant to be on the creative end and has been writing ever since. As a freelance writer she’s written screenplays, covered film, television, music and video games and done academic writing. She’s also been a script reader for over twenty years. She's a member of the African American Film Critics Association and currently resides in Los Angeles.