Downton Abbey hit theaters in late September and fans of the PBS series couldn't have been more excited! As someone who recently binged the series in preparation for seeing the film, I easily fell in love with the characters and storylines over the six seasons and was also excited to see what happened next in the Crawley family. If you didn't catch Downton Abbey as a TV series, here's a quick recap of what you need to know:
Now that you're all caught up, let's look forward. The Downton Abbey film begins with the Crawley family getting exciting news that they will host the King and Queen for an exciting evening. While the Crawley's are busy planning their gowns and parties, the staff downstairs can't wait to have the honor of preparing the house and serving the royals. However, if we've learned one thing along the way in Downton Abbey, things rarely go as planned. What follows next is a series of events - some funny, some sad, but all filled with the drama we've come to know and love - as the time arrives for the royal visit.
Throughout the film, fans will be thrilled to reconnect with some of their favorite characters. For me, three characters really stood out to me during the movie and I fell even more in love with them on this next adventure.
Barrow - Oh, Barrow. You started out as the member of the house staff that everyone loved to hate, but by the end of the series had turned some hearts and minds - even that of Carson. In the film, we find Barrow glowing in his new role as butler for Downton Abbey. However, the royal visit means big changes for him. I loved Barrow's character in the movie because I felt like he finally had a confident backbone. He wasn't the mean spirited man from early seasons, even when opportunities present themselves for him to be, but instead we see him standing up for himself and his beliefs. Your heart will break for him in a few scenes - one in particular - but it seems at the end that we find Barrow happier and more self-assured than ever before.
Tom - I have to admit, I had a little crush on Tom throughout the series. To go from the Irish, rebel driver to son-in-law to the powerful Lord Grantham, is an incredible change of life. Throughout it all, Tom carries himself with grace and courage as life seems to throw him curveball after curveball. By the end of the series, we find him embracing his role in the Crawley family. But in the film, that loyalty is tested. To no one's surprise, Tom continues to be the stand-up, brave man that we all expect and my soft spot for him continued to grow. I was thrilled to see a potential love interest for him as well and not-so-secretly hope that they make another film if for no other reason then to give me more Tom Branson!
Mary - Mary has proved time and time again that you don't mess with a Crawley woman. While she's sometimes described as cold and calculating, we see Mary soften up at the end of the series as she once again opens her heart to love after the tragic loss of her first husband, Matthew. In the film, we continue to see Mary grow in her role as the woman behind Downton Abbey. Her sheer strength and presence both intimidates her enemies and builds confidence in her allies. It's lovely to see her relationship with her sister, Edith, continue to grow. It seems that Mary has finally learned that you can have a heart and be a powerful woman in a time when not everyone thought that was possible, except the Dowager Countess, who we know is never wrong!
So let's end this with the one character I didn't love in the film. I'm preparing for the stone throwing to commence on this one. . .it was the Dowager Countess. Throughout the series I LOVED her. She was witty, smart, calculating, and had perfectly timed "zingers" that stops everyone in their tracks. So what changed in the film? For me, I felt her quips were a bit forced. There were some scenes where she pulls out multiple one-liners in quick succession. She's good, but no one is that good. When you have too much of a good thing, it doesn't seem natural and, in my opinion, it just felt a little off.
via GIPHY
Should you go see Downton Abbey? If you were a fan of the show like me, I think you will enjoy the film. There is nothing over-the-top amazing from my perspective, but it's a well-done 2-hour episode that moves the characters on to the next parts of their lives. If you have never seen the show, you can still enjoy the movie but probably won't find yourself as invested in the lives and stories of the characters.
Now that you're all caught up, let's look forward. The Downton Abbey film begins with the Crawley family getting exciting news that they will host the King and Queen for an exciting evening. While the Crawley's are busy planning their gowns and parties, the staff downstairs can't wait to have the honor of preparing the house and serving the royals. However, if we've learned one thing along the way in Downton Abbey, things rarely go as planned. What follows next is a series of events - some funny, some sad, but all filled with the drama we've come to know and love - as the time arrives for the royal visit.
Throughout the film, fans will be thrilled to reconnect with some of their favorite characters. For me, three characters really stood out to me during the movie and I fell even more in love with them on this next adventure.
Barrow - Oh, Barrow. You started out as the member of the house staff that everyone loved to hate, but by the end of the series had turned some hearts and minds - even that of Carson. In the film, we find Barrow glowing in his new role as butler for Downton Abbey. However, the royal visit means big changes for him. I loved Barrow's character in the movie because I felt like he finally had a confident backbone. He wasn't the mean spirited man from early seasons, even when opportunities present themselves for him to be, but instead we see him standing up for himself and his beliefs. Your heart will break for him in a few scenes - one in particular - but it seems at the end that we find Barrow happier and more self-assured than ever before.
Tom - I have to admit, I had a little crush on Tom throughout the series. To go from the Irish, rebel driver to son-in-law to the powerful Lord Grantham, is an incredible change of life. Throughout it all, Tom carries himself with grace and courage as life seems to throw him curveball after curveball. By the end of the series, we find him embracing his role in the Crawley family. But in the film, that loyalty is tested. To no one's surprise, Tom continues to be the stand-up, brave man that we all expect and my soft spot for him continued to grow. I was thrilled to see a potential love interest for him as well and not-so-secretly hope that they make another film if for no other reason then to give me more Tom Branson!
Mary - Mary has proved time and time again that you don't mess with a Crawley woman. While she's sometimes described as cold and calculating, we see Mary soften up at the end of the series as she once again opens her heart to love after the tragic loss of her first husband, Matthew. In the film, we continue to see Mary grow in her role as the woman behind Downton Abbey. Her sheer strength and presence both intimidates her enemies and builds confidence in her allies. It's lovely to see her relationship with her sister, Edith, continue to grow. It seems that Mary has finally learned that you can have a heart and be a powerful woman in a time when not everyone thought that was possible, except the Dowager Countess, who we know is never wrong!
So let's end this with the one character I didn't love in the film. I'm preparing for the stone throwing to commence on this one. . .it was the Dowager Countess. Throughout the series I LOVED her. She was witty, smart, calculating, and had perfectly timed "zingers" that stops everyone in their tracks. So what changed in the film? For me, I felt her quips were a bit forced. There were some scenes where she pulls out multiple one-liners in quick succession. She's good, but no one is that good. When you have too much of a good thing, it doesn't seem natural and, in my opinion, it just felt a little off.
via GIPHY
Should you go see Downton Abbey? If you were a fan of the show like me, I think you will enjoy the film. There is nothing over-the-top amazing from my perspective, but it's a well-done 2-hour episode that moves the characters on to the next parts of their lives. If you have never seen the show, you can still enjoy the movie but probably won't find yourself as invested in the lives and stories of the characters.