“Welcome back to Downton Abbey”. This feature film’s return to our favourite castle in the English countryside is fan-service of the best kind. It’s almost as if the successful and beloved show (I’ve watched the series through three times already!) never ended — or at least kept going while off the air. Everyone is back, from the good-hearted Earl of Grantham all the way down to Daisy the assistant cook. (The only notable absence is Lady Rose, the young cousin brought in to add some youthful life to the show, who ended the series married and moving to America.) What brings them all together (even after they’d kind of spread out a bit by the end of the series) is the imminent visit of the King and Queen to Downton Abbey (which would have made such great crossover opportunity with Netflix’s The Crown, now that I think of it). It’s the perfect excuse for everyone to gather round again, bringing their spouses and children in tow. Since this is now a big-screen venture, you might think that they’d try something a little bold and different (such as take a trip abroad or face a big life-shift — such as a war, a death, or financial ruin), but really, they’ve done all those things before within the series run. Short of moving (which would negate or undermine the title and core premise of the show), there’s nothing new for them to try, so I’m really glad that the producers decided to double-down on classic Downton — fancy dinner parties, upstairs-downstairs drama, all peppered with some clever aristocratic humour. For fans, it gives us a nice big helping to satisfy the lingering craving that another round of rewatching just doesn’t quite fill. If you’re new, it provides an easy-to-enjoy, 2-hour sampling, so you can decide if you’re intrigued enough to watch all five seasons (Hopefully, that’s a yes!).

In classic Downton Abbey fashion, the writers are able to cram a whole lot of story into a short period of time. Everyone has at least a moment or two, with some getting bigger chunks — it’s a lot like how they managed to juggle a huge ensemble cast in Avengers: Endgame and still made it feel un-cramped. One thing that was definitely different was the actual experience of watching Downton in the movie theatre. It was kind of enjoyable to have others laughing with me at every quotable line from the Dowager Countess (played of course by the irreplaceable Maggie Smith). She and Isobel have really mastered their back-and-forth zingers and it’s a wonderful irony that the comic relief comes from the two oldest characters (and also from the bumbling of Molesley — poor guy!). The big screen also gives a nice perspective on the sumptuous sets and finery. I don’t know how many times I’ve seen them pan and zoom onto the entrance or hall of a grand home or building (often with some beautiful antique cars pulling up the gravel driveway), but it always feels a little thrilling. I saw the movie on opening Friday, so you know the audience is full of fans, but it was still surprising that we all shared a bit of applause when the movie ended — not something I’ve experiences in the movie theatre, outside of TIFF and other film festivals.

Undeniably, one of the best things about a movie revisiting a favourite show is watching your favourite characters again (so colour me happy when Bates, and especially Anna, cook up a plot to get the servants their due when the royal staff try to shove Team Downton aside during the visit), but it’s also nice that there is some evolution in the characters and their relationships. Some unexpected characters move forward in their love lives, and it is also a delight to find former chauffeur, now honorary nobleman and car dealer, Tom Branson step in as the heart of the family. It’s something that I had not expected.

If Downton Abbey producers sought to try to reignite appetite for the television show, they definitely have my vote (though with all the TV reboots being very hit-or-miss these days, I’d probably rather not). If they sought to start a new big-screen franchise, I don’t know that this endeavor has legs. As I mentioned, they’ve really tapped out what they can do to reinvent the plots on the big screen and still stay true to the original — who can you invite for dinner after the King and Queen?! Perhaps if there’s one thing that the success of the show and this film tell us, it’s that there is always a love for British period drama. Maybe they should start a new series or if they want to spin off someone from the show (such as Rose in the US), they can try, but it’s risky to take a fish out of water. I’d say let’s leave this movie as a nice little coda. Go any further out on the limb and things just won’t feel the same. (4 out of 5)