★★★½
A follow-up to the 2019 movie and the BBC collection, Downton Abbey: A New Period is a romance drama directed by Simon Curtis (Goodbye Christopher Robin, My Week with Marilyn) and starring Hugh Bonneville, Jim Carter, Michelle Dockery, Elizabeth McGovern, Maggie Smith, Robert James-Collier, Hugh Dancy, Dominic West, and Laura Haddock.
The Crawley household journeys to the South of France with a view to uncover the thriller of Countess Violet Crawley’s newly inherited villa. Whereas many of the household is in France, Woman Mary Talbot (Dockery) and Violet (Smith) keep behind to look at over the property whereas a film crew runs amok. Will Robert Crawley (Bonneville) and firm uncover the reality? Can the employees sustain with the massive personalities and their huge calls for?
Whereas there may be all the time one thing occurring, the stakes are by no means very excessive. It’s established to start with of the film (and within the trailer) that the inheritance was a cheerful shock. The legitimacy of Violet’s declare is questioned, but when the villa does go to the Frenchman’s widow as a substitute, what has the Crawley household misplaced? Regardless of who will get the home, nobody goes to finish up homeless.
The identical goes for the kerfuffle with the film crew capturing at Downton. Whereas the cash to be gained from the usage of their house is put aside for a much-needed trigger (fixing the roof), the issue isn’t established beforehand. The stakes are not often raised, and when they’re, nobody is in peril for lengthy.
That may grow to be a problem with a stand-alone film, however Downton Abbey: A New Period is slightly completely different. For many who are loyal followers of the Crawley household and their employees, this may occasionally really feel like a protracted episode, and that’s not essentially a foul factor. The drama comes from realizing the characters and watching their progress via eight seasons and a characteristic movie’s value of ups and downs.
Hugh Bonneville’s portrayal of Robert Crawley is fantastic. Within the present, he’s a sort and stoic patriarch. Initially of this film, he has already relinquished that position to his oldest daughter and should come to phrases along with his fledgling standing, together with varied different upheavals unearthed in the course of the 125-minute run time. Bonneville flexes his appearing prowess and succeeds in pulling at heartstrings.
Admirers of the collection will discover this to be a welcome reunion of outdated associates. Every member of the solid does an outstanding job of their roles. Hugh Dancy, Dominic West, and Laura Haddock are nice additions who do a terrific job mixing it up with Crawley and employees.
The areas, units, and costumes are wonderful and heighten the immersion of this era piece. A enjoyable and useful shock is a recap of the earlier film, which performs earlier than the opening credit. Director Simon Curtis doesn’t disgrace any viewers who haven’t watched the collection. However for followers who’ve, there are many Easter eggs. Whether or not hardcore fanatic or a curious beginner to the world of Downton, audiences will discover A New Period to be a heat and indulging movie.
