Female Film Critics 24/375
They have all been through a lot, and the new era offers just as many challenges. The prospect of another war and a depression. A leaky roof. Hetero- v. homosexuality. A French villa no one knew about from a paramour no one knew about. Lord Grantham’s lineage. Who inherits what? Plus a moving picture filmed on the premises — just as Downton is, which presents the running theme of silent films vs. “talkies.”
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If you’re an avid fan of the PBS series and followed the franchise onto the big screen, you should relish this reunion with the inhabitants of the Crawley’s stately country house who have become so familiar. But if you’re not acquainted with their backstories, this sequel may be a bit bewildering. Written once again by series creator Julian Fellowes and directed by Simon Curtis, the period drama, set circa 1929, veers between Yorkshire and the South of France and is fraught with emotional complications.
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In Downton Abbey: The New Era. the Crawleys of Grantham have invited us back into their stately manor to catch us up on what the Earl, his family, and all of the spunky servants have been up to of late. This is the sequel to the 2019 movie spinoff of the globally popular six-season TV series that lasted from 2010 to 2015. Fans of the Downton Abbey franchise will find The New Era scathingly delicious and sentimentally sweet. But, if you’ve never visited the Granthams before, you’ll probably have more fun watching your favorite DVD.
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Michelle Dockery plays a London Barrister determined to convict a high-profile rapist in the six-part Netflix series Anatomy of a Scandal.. Arrogant, aristocratic James Whitehouse (Rupert Friend) is a respected Member of Parliament. He is accused of rape by one of his aides, with whom he, admittedly, had an adulterous affair. This provocative courtroom drama/erotic thriller, pivoting around the controversial concept of ‘consent.’
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If you never watched “Downton Abbey” on the telly, it’s possible that the film version will be hard to follow. If, however, you were glued to the TV box for five years, you’ll be pleased to be invited back to Downton, a grand pile of a house portrayed by Highclere.
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If you’re an avid fan of PBS’ dramatic series Downton Abbey, you’ll relish this big-screen version. Working with screenwriter James Fellowes, director Michael Engler manages to give all the characters their own mini-crisis and catharsis, involving proper manners and utmost civility, drawing on the trials and tribulations of England’s inherent class system, which exists despite anti-monarchist grumbles.
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