Downton Abbey – The Grand Finale (A PopEntertainment.com Movie Review)

Downton Abbey – The Grand Finale

DOWNTON ABBEY: THE GRAND FINALE (2025)

Starring Hugh Bonneville, Jim Carter, Michelle Dockery, Paul Giamatti, Elizabeth McGovern, Penelope Wilton, Laura Carmichael, Raquel Cassidy, Paul Copley, Brendan Coyle, Kevin Doyle,  Michael Fox, Joanne Froggatt, Harry Hadden-Paton, Robert James-Collier, Allen Leech, Phyllis Logan, Sophie McShera, Lesley Nicol, Douglas Reith, Dominic West, Simon Russell Beale, Arty Froushan, Alessandro Nivola and Joely Richardson.

Screenplay by Julian Fellowes.

Directed by Simon Curtis.

Distributed by Focus Features. 124 minutes. Rated PG.

About 15 years ago, everyone was surprised when a small British TV series called Downton Abbey – airing on Public Television in the US and apparently planned as an update of the old Masterpiece Theatre classic 1970s series Upstairs, Downstairs – became a worldwide phenomenon.

The story of the rich Crawley family living in a stunning British castle during the 1910s and 1920s, and also of the servants who work at the home. And yet, despite their economic differences, the show (and movies) was every bit as interested in the workers as the wealthy family. This was not a treatise on class war – both sides respected and liked, often even loved, the other.

It ended up lasting six seasons – numbering 47 episodes – between 2010 and 2015. That has been followed by three movies, of which The Grand Finale is… well, the grand finale… at least unless they change their mind and bring it back.

Assuming that won’t happen, then The Grand Finale is a mostly satisfying farewell, however the filmmakers are trying to fit in so many farewells to favorite characters and so much fan service that some plot strands are not fully fleshed out. Particularly, two plot strands – dealing with the shame of divorce and a con artist targeting the family – both sort of sputter out with a shrug rather than being given a satisfying conclusion.

However, for the most part, The Grand Finale is a fitting send off to one of the most beloved series of the last couple of decades.

Of course, The Grand Finale has the handicap of being the first Downton Abbey chapter in which the most interesting character is not there – Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham, as played by Dame Maggie Smith. Dame Maggie died last year, and her character had died in the last Downton film, so this movie is greatly about dealing with life after the Countess. Smith is limited to a few very short flashbacks in the current film, but damn, it’s good to see her.

The heavy lifting is taken over by Mary (Michelle Dockery), who is taking over as the new head of the household. However she is embroiled in a bit of scandal herself and was being shunned by high society as a recent divorcee. (This was a much bigger deal in British society in the 1920s.)

However, Downton Abbey has lots of fascinating characters, both upstairs and downstairs, and The Grand Finale tries to do them all justice – although like I said the sheer number of subplots can mean some stories are a little undercooked.

And, for a series that has an ensemble which has connected so indelibly with its audience, surprisingly some new characters – like Cora’s (Elizabeth McGovern) American brother, played by Paul Giamatti, his friend and business associated (Alessandro Nivola) and even famous playwright and composer Noel Coward (as played by Arty Froushan) makes an appearance.

So as we move into the 1930s and as The Great Depression and World War II loom threateningly, perhaps this really is the ideal time to wave goodbye to Downton Abbey, which is quickly becoming a remnant of an era that is being left behind – at least in the world of the film. And, to The Grand Finale’s credit, it is not blind to the fact that the times are changing. The film realizes that the world is moving on and this lifestyle will soon be a museum exhibit.

If Downton Abbey is going out, it’s going out in style.

Jay S. Jacobs

Copyright ©2025 PopEntertainment.com. All rights reserved. Posted: September 11, 2025.