Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale

Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale
Starring Hugh Bonneville, Michelle Dockery, Laura Carmichael, Jim Carter
Directed by Simon Curtis

In 2010, "Downton Abbey" premiered on PBS, and history was made. Centering on the Crawley family and their servants in the post-Edwardian era in the fictional Yorkshire country estate known as Downton Abbey, the series went on for six seasons and won 49 awards out of 197 nominations. This was followed up with two cinematic movies, "Downton Abbey" which earned over $194 million worldwide and "Downton Abbey: A New Era" which earned over $92 million worldwide. Now, the dynasty that is "Downton Abbey" ends with the appropriately-titled "The Grand Finale," and it's as lavish, lovely, and epic as you'd expect.

After the Stock Market crash of 1930, Robert Crawley (Hugh Bonneville) and his wife Cora (Elizabeth McGovern) face hardships as construction at Downton Abbey go above budget, where they consider selling Grantham House to raise capital. Meanwhile, their eldest daughter Lady Mary Talbot (Michelle Dockery) faces backlash after she files for divorce, threatening her future as Robert planned to give Downton over to her.

Much like the show, the three movies center on numerous events taking place at the same time, with no main story taking precedence over another but working together in tandem. For the movie's over two-hour runtime, there's numerous intersecting stories that happen that affect the Crawley family as well as their longtime servants, maids and cooks as well. Generally this wouldn't work, but with an invested emotional capital of over fifteen years, each story flows naturally and beautifully into another because you've grown to adore and care for each of these characters.

What makes this film so special is that it spoke to me as well, and the only history I have with "Downton Abbey" is watching the two movies previous. I never saw the show (and in fact I thought it was called "Downtown Abbey" for the longest time), and for it to have such a large ensemble cast that made me care for each one - even if I didn't know their names - is a true feat. 

It's also a wonder that I cared for such high class society, as seeing how the 1% lived in the 1920s-30s would've have a negative connotation otherwise, because why would you want to see how the wealthy treat the poor? While the Crawleys do care for their servants, there's still that divide between the two with the Crawleys living in the lap of luxury at Downton while their servants sleep in mediocre, drab-colored domiciles, but it doesn't deter them from giving the Crawleys everything - including their decades of service - with no qualms about it.

There's not much to say about the performances, because these actors have been playing their roles for fifteen years, so obviously they fit into their roles like a glove. It's like they embody the essence of the character in themselves, and it's magical to behold. Throughout all these years, they never tired of the characters they played, and they gave them the farewell they deserve. While it's the end of a dynasty, "The Grand Finale" takes them out in grand style.

The Score: A+