Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale (2025)

Fans of the TV series, as I am, will enjoy this sentimental franchise finish, taking place in 1930, for its familiar cast and beautiful production values, as I did. Almost all of the ensemble is back, including Michelle Dockery, Laura Carmichael, Hugh Bonneville, Elizabeth McGovern, and Paul Giamatti in the family, and Jim Carter, Brendan Coyle, Joanne Froggatt, Lesley Nicol, Sophie McShera as servants, and many more. A few new actors appear as well. The movie is dedicated to Maggie Smith, who died a year and a half ago at 89.

Director Simon Curtis again takes the helm from the script by series creator/writer Julian Fellowes. The original score by John Lunn is available on Apple Music. There are some fun scenes with Arty Froushan as Noel Coward. The credits say that the singing voice is actually Coward's. And the luscious cinematography, production design, and wardrobe add to the experience, thanks to Ben Smithard, Donal Woods, and Anna Robbins, respectively.

Dockery was last blogged for The Sense of an Ending, Carmichael for A United Kingdom, Bonneville for Viceroy's House, McGovern for Kick-Ass, Giamatti for The Holdovers, Carter for The Good Liar, Coyle for Mary Queen of Scots, McShera for Cinderella, Curtis for Goodbye Christopher Robin, and Fellowes, Lunn, Smithard, Woods, and Robbins for the 2019 movie Downton Abbey. Froggatt and Nicol have no other mentions in these pages besides the cast list in the 2019 version and Froushan is new to me. Full disclosure, there was a Downton Abbey movie in 2022 that I did not see, but I did watch all 52 episodes on PBS' Masterpiece Theatre.

Rotten Tomatoes' critics and audiences are down with this movie, averaging 91 and 95%, respectively. I streamed it on a plane on March 27 and it is currently available on Netflix.

Downton Abbey (2019)

All fans of the show will love this feature length sequel, as I did, providing comedy, drama, scandal, and magnificent costumes in the glorious settings, and I'm told that you can enjoy this movie even if you're not well acquainted with the series. Pretty much the whole cast from the final season returns and a few new characters join them.

Michael Engler directs from a script by series creator Julian Fellowes, and Emmy-winning composer John Lunn returns as composer with The Chamber Orchestra of London. The soundtrack can be streamed now on Apple Music and more.

The costumes by Anna Robbins are worth the price of admission, as well as production design by Donal Woods and cinematography by Ben Smithard, with Britain's familiar Highclere Castle in many exteriors.

Smithard was last blogged for The Man Who Invented Christmas.

Jack didn't watch the series so passed on joining Mark and me on September 25, 2019. Rotten Tomatoes' audiences rate it a predictable 94%, while its critics are not quite as enthusiastic, averaging 84. I see that there are a few screenings still in my area, but this will be released for the small screen just before Thanksgiving.