Downton Abbey

Written by Julian Fellowes

Directed by Michael Engler

Rating: 👌🏼 ok

If you’re a Downton fan, I think it’s worth it to go to the movie and you’ll probably enjoy it. If you’ve never seen the show, SKIP IT. I had some serious issues with this movie. 1) So many shots are not in focus! They also pull focus in the middle of shots way too much. A lot of shots feel like an amateur with an iPhone 10 that thinks portrait mode is always the way to go. 2) Pacing. This movie drags on and on and on. There are an insane amount of b-roll shots showing the staff preparing for the royal visit where literally nothing important is happening. There are also a lot of shots whose only purpose is to show how historically accurate the set design was. *insert telephone and trolley shot here* 3) I get it, you wanted Downton Abbey the building to be the main character of the movie. I got that by the 4th sweeping drone shot of the impressive grounds. By the 27th I was dizzy and bored... 4) They relied entirely too much on Dame Maggie Smith and Dame Penelope Alice Wilton’s pithy banter. Was it the best part of the movie? Of course. But was it enough to carry an entire film? Not even close. If you’re a Downton fan you’ll probably be able to look past the flaws and enjoy the story, I know I did. But if you’re expecting this to be the best of Downton you will be underwhelmed.

Review written by Zianna Weston