Anglotopia was invited by the British Consulate in Chicago to a special advance screening of the final Downton Abbey film.
After the somewhat lackluster previous film, Downton fans can breathe a collective sigh of relief: “Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale” delivers the emotional payoff and dramatic stakes that the beloved franchise deserves for its farewell bow. This third and final film in the cinematic trilogy succeeds in recapturing the magic that made us fall in love with the Crawley family and their servants in the first place, while providing a satisfying conclusion to their decades-spanning story. This review is SPOILER-FREE – the only plot information I include is what was already available from the trailers and official information.
Set in the 1930s, “The Grand Finale” finds the Crawley family facing multiple crises – financial and cultural. Lady Mary finds herself at the center of a public scandal – she got divorced, and the family faces financial trouble, with the entire household grappling with the threat of social disgrace. The central drama revolves around Lady Mary’s divorce from Henry Talbot (Matthew Goode, who doesn’t return), which has caused her to be ostracized from society and the Crawley name to be tarnished. This personal scandal becomes a catalyst for examining how the family—and Downton Abbey itself—must adapt to survive in a rapidly changing world. The idea that anyone would be ostracized simply for being divorced is an alien concept to the current generation!
The film’s 2-hour-and-3-minute runtime allows for proper character development and doesn’t feel rushed, giving each storyline the breathing room it needs to develop naturally. As the beloved cast of characters navigates how to lead Downton Abbey into the future, they must embrace change and welcome a new chapter. I’m not going to veer into spoiler territory, but I will stay that the arcs all of these characters have been on, continue on exactly as you would expect them to.
Most of the show’s main cast members return to reprise their roles, including Michelle Dockery as Lady Mary, Laura Carmichael as Edith Pelham, Hugh Bonneville as Robert Crawley, Elizabeth McGovern as Cora Crawley, Jim Carter as Charles Carson, Phyllis Logan as Elsie Carson, Brendan Coyle as John Bates, Joanne Froggatt as Anna Bates, Robert James-Collier as Thomas Barrow, and Allen Leech as Tom Branson.
The returning cast slips back into their roles effortlessly, with Michelle Dockery delivering her strongest performance as Lady Mary since the original series. Her portrayal of a woman fighting to maintain her dignity while society turns against her is both heartbreaking and inspiring. Hugh Bonneville continues to excel as the Earl of Grantham, particularly in scenes where he grapples with potentially losing everything his family has built.
New additions to the film cast include Paul Giamatti, Simon Russell Beale, Joely Richardson, Alessandro Nivola. Dominic West, who was in the previous film, returns, and all integrate seamlessly into the Downton world. Paul Giamatti and Dominic West reprise their previous roles as Harold Levinson and Guy Dexter respectively, bringing welcome familiarity alongside fresh energy from the newcomers.
Simon Curtis returns to direct after helming 2022’s “A New Era,” with the screenplay written by Downton creator and Academy Award winner Julian Fellowes. Curtis demonstrates a much surer hand this time around, balancing the multiple storylines with greater skill and maintaining the pacing that made the original series so compelling. You can tell that Fellowes is having fun with the script by including Noel Coward as a main character (the only ‘real’ character in this film!).
The production values are exceptional, as expected from the franchise. The costume design perfectly captures the 1930s period, and the cinematography makes Highclere Castle (Downton Abbey) look more stunning than ever. There’s a particularly poignant moment where the Earl of Grantham can be seen transferring a sentimental kiss from his hand to Downton Abbey’s exterior wall as his family watches on, which serves as a beautiful metaphor for the film’s themes of legacy and letting go. As to why he does it, I won’t spoil it here/
This marks the first time since the show’s premiere that Dame Maggie Smith will not appear, as she passed away in September 2024 at 89 years old (and her character died in the last film anyway). The film is dedicated to her memory. What makes “The Grand Finale” work so well is how it doesn’t shy away from the reality that this world—and this way of life—is ending. The threat of financial ruin isn’t just a plot device; it’s a reflection of the historical reality that many great houses faced during this period. The film finds hope not in preserving the past unchanged, but in finding ways to honor tradition while embracing necessary change.
Rated PG for suggestive material, smoking, and some thematic elements, the film is accessible to the entire family while still dealing with mature themes. Whether you’re a longtime fan or someone who’s only seen the previous films, “The Grand Finale” provides a satisfying conclusion that honors the legacy of one of Britain’s most beloved television exports.
For fans who may have felt disappointed by the previous film, this finale proves that sometimes the best things are indeed worth waiting for. It’s a worthy send-off for characters we’ve grown to love over more than a decade, and a reminder of why Downton Abbey became a global phenomenon in the first place.
I’m still skeptical that this is our last outing to Downton Abbey. I believe this film is a suitable send-off for the original cast, with many major roles being handed off to the next generation. But with World War II on the horizon and the children soon be old enough to be interesting characters, I wouldn’t be surprised if we get a ‘Downton Abbey: The Next Generation’ sooner rather than later. One hopes Fellowes isn’t too busy with The Gilded Age to consider it. There are so many story possibilities in this world to consider.
Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale is scheduled for wide release on September 12, 2025.
9 out of 10 Phone Boxes.
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