As the name implies, Downton Abbey The Grand Finale concludes the much loved story of the Grantham family. We’ve seen them through tragedy and love, intrigue and scandals and now it’s time to move on. Of course, in the entertainment world it’s entirely possible the story will resurface, but for now at least it’s time to say goodbye.
In this final outing, there is a definite sense of generational change and the need for all to move on. Violet Crawley, the family matriarch is dead and buried, and now, Lord and Lady Grantham are faced with their retirement from running the old house. Mary is eager to take on the full responsibility, but now divorced from her husband, she is a social pariah. In one of many plot twists, the family and their retainers must find a way of rehabilitating her standing in society.
I won’t give away any more plot, as this is a film die hard fans need to watch and judge for themselves.
Excellent production values and a fantastic cast mean that this final Downton film is a satisfying journey through the changing lives of most of the characters we’ve come to love and sometimes, despise. The film manages to perfectly capture the pace, wit, and charm of the original series, but the cinematic version is larger, and much more sumptuous. The countryside vistas, the lavish interiors and those fabulous clothes all seem to dazzle in a way that a TV screen just can’t quite recreate. Downton it seems is at its best on a giant cinema screen.
This film doesn’t break new ground. It’s still about the class struggle and relationships but this is a story that brings together people who are like old friends to us. This time it’s about closure – a chance to sit back and say farewell to people who feel like family.
DOWNTON ABBEY – THE GRAND FINALE
Starring: Hugh Bonneville, Jim Carter, Michelle Dockery, Paul Giamati, Elizabeth McGovern, Penelope Wilton
Directed by: Simon Curtis
Duration: 124 minutes
Open in New Zealand 11 September 2025
