A Satisfying Conclusion
Summary
A fitting end to a terrific story, with all of the characters in fine form.
Plot: With Mary Crawley rocked by a divorce scandal, the residents of Downton Abbey rally around her while significant change comes to the Crawley family.
Review: I always get nervous at finales. Rarely do they hit. There’s always a downer or some aspect that disappoints. When I have told folks who have already seen this movie that I was watching Downton Abbey, they warned me that I “would not like this movie.” My mind reeled with the possibilities. Did Robert and Cora divorce? Do they lose Downton Abbey? Is there a catastrophe where beloved characters die?
None of that is what happens. Instead, what does happen could best be described as the natural order of things and the understandable passage of time. Julian Fellowes has done the impossible: he has done justice to every single character who was part of Downton Abbey. I was moved to near tears by the ending of this movie. This is how much I’ve enjoyed the characters who inhabit this world, and this movie does them proud.
I did find the scale of this movie not quite up to par with the previous two films. It felt more like a special to the series – I guess, though, you could consider all of the movies to be the same. It just felt a bit like the grandiose was gone. Not with the beginning, though – that was fantastic, a quick tour in the theatre district of London in the 1930s that felt like an authentic trip in time. That is a minor gripe, though, and I don’t fault the movie for that.
The characters are all as incredible as they were from day one. Yes, some don’t quite get featured the same as before, but the maturation of a lot of them is so terrific, you won’t notice. Edith has transformed from a hard-luck, attention-needy brat to a steel-spined woman willing to stand up to crooks for her sister. Daisy evolved from a naïve, daft kitchen assistant to a strong, confident head cook. None of the characters who had already evolved took a step back, and those who needed to take a step forward did. The character work in this movie, much like the show, is second to none.
The ending was beautiful. Maggie Smith did look slightly odd to me in the final clip, which led me to wonder if they used AI to bring her back to life in the movie (they did not, apparently – they used old clips), but to see all the original characters back for one last dreamlike hurrah was very satisfying. I feel like all the characters came full circle, and the ending left me with no doubt that this is indeed the end – and it was done splendidly. That’s not to say new characters were not introduced – Arty Froushan in particular stands out as the ultra-talented Noel Coward.
Honestly, I can find almost no fault with this movie. It is a brilliant ending to what has been an equally brilliant story, told through television and two previous films. I feel that Fellowes has accomplished quite the feat with this show, engaging storytelling and memorable characters who were a joy to watch. My advice is: if you were swayed off this one by folks who didn’t like it for whatever reason, give it an honest chance – if you do, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.