"Downton Abbey" movie

This weekend my mom, my sister, a mutual friend, and I all went to see the newly-released “Downton Abbey” movie. We’ve all seen every episode (or at least most of them I think) and are definitely fans of the show. In fact, our friend told me that she heard there’s even a “Downton Abbey” fan cruise you can take (which wouldn’t surprise me). Which actor(s) would I most like to cruise with? I think Laura Carmichael (Edith) seems like she would be nice, and Allen Leech (Branson), friendly as well (and nice to look at too). Any of the actors who play the downstairs staff would also be interesting to talk to.

I’m lucky enough that I’ve even gotten to visit Highclere Castle many, many years ago. Sadly, no filming going on then, so no celebrity spotting that day.

Unlike at some theatres, the AMC didn’t have any special dress-up night serving cocktails or anything, though I am told that my cousin and her mom attended one. That’s not to say no one in our showing dressed up. There were two women – the older in an outfit more in line with perhaps what Isobel or Violet might wear, while the younger lady wore a sleeveless black dress of the sort Mary definitely would have had in her wardrobe.

I have to agree with the critics who said the movie is long (122 min.), but dedicated fans probably won’t mind. Not once did I want the movie to be over, but there were certainly places where it could have ended and I wouldn’t have felt disappointed. I also give Julian Fellowes credit for writing a story providing so much closure for each of the characters, but yet, left it open so we could always pick up on their story lines later (though there are no plans to ever do another movie or television series).

Having heard a review on NPR earlier in the day, I wasn’t completely surprised by the “tom foolery” that erupted when the Downton staff took matters into their own hands after being dismissed by the royal staff who accompanied the king and queen on their tour. It almost felt like one of those situations where a parent tells a child not to do something, which then just plants the idea for the child to do precisely that. Still, every movie needs a little comic relief, and there were certainly moments of that in the television series, on occasion.

The movie was a nice mix of action and intrigue (the parade through the village), 

romance (my favorite pair was Thomas and Max,

but Tom and Lucy made a cute couple too), and comedy (Violet definitely gets all the best lines and has perfect comedic timing).

I also agree with the critics who said you don’t have to have watched the series to enjoy the movie, but it probably helps, and would be advisable to watch the series first.