Over the years, I enjoyed much of Downton Abbey, but this last entry (and I can only hope it is the last) is boring and preachy, with little of the wit and none of the charm of the previous episodes. In fact, the treatment of some beloved characters is downright cruel and deeply off-putting.
The theme of the movie is change and the story starts so differently from the rest of the series that I seriously wondered if I had accidentally gone into the wrong room at the theater, which did much to break the sense of continuity with the foregoing narrative. Granted, a lot of change was happening in that time period, some of which was necessary or inevitable, but the movie is so ham-fisted about its message that if you made a drinking game out of every time change is discussed, you'd be in an alcoholic coma within 15 minutes of the overstretched runtime.
"Show, don't tell" is advice often given to prose writers. One would think that the medium of cinema would lend itself well to that maxim. But instead, much of the movie consists of characters standing around reciting lines about life and everything and change and more change. Unfortunately, that aspect of the experience does not change. In the words of Basil Fawlty, "we are stuck with it" - for two full dreary, interminable hours.
What makes things worse is that the filming is also confusing. We usually go from one grand, ornate room to another, not quite sure of the geographical location of the characters. A two-word concept could have helped: establishing shots, showing us in which building each round of the tedious recital of lines is taking place. Though perhaps it's just as well, since why would we care, and the establishing shots would just add to the runtime.
I will say, however, that a few touches were nice to see, including Daisy's flowering and the deep bond between Lady Mary and her servant Anna. But the good material from this film could have fit into a few Tic-Toc reels. The costumes were also beautiful to look at. But a simple Google search could have found equally nice ones, without the bother of having to go to the theater.
As, at long last, we reach the credits, the dedication states: "In loving memory of Dame Maggie Smith." Honestly, I couldn't think if a worse way to dishonor her legacy. At least she wasn't around to have to witness this travesty of a production. Not only does this movie fall flat, but having seen this final episode does much to ruin the entire series.
Photo Credit: Promotional photo for Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale.