LONG LIVE DOWNTON ABBEY!
In 2022, audiences were once again “cordially invited” into the world of the Crawley family and their loyal staff with Downton Abbey: A New Era. Directed by Simon Curtis, the film—set in 1928—followed the Crawleys to the south of France as they unraveled the mystery behind the Dowager Countess’s unexpected inheritance of a villa. Lavish in its presentation, rich in costume design, and carried by the charm of its sprawling ensemble cast, A New Era offered just enough of the show’s signature ingredients to satisfy longtime fans. Critics and audiences alike responded warmly, and the movie went on to gross $92.7 million worldwide against a $40 million budget. With that kind of reception, another installment seemed inevitable, and the studio—along with creator Julian Fellowes—soon gave the green light. Now, three years later, we return once more to the “big house” for Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale. But does this supposed final chapter deliver a fitting farewell, or has the series overstayed its welcome?
THE STORY
The year is 1930, and scandal once again threatens to unsettle the halls of Downton. Lady Mary Talbot (Michelle Dockery), recently divorced, finds herself the subject of society gossip and public scorn, a burden that weighs heavily on her mother, Cora (Elizabeth McGovern). Already under pressure, Cora must also host her brother, Harold Levinson (Paul Giamatti), who arrives with financial matters to settle after their late mother’s passing—alongside his advisor, Gus Sambrook (Alessandro Nivola), whose attention toward Mary raises more than a few eyebrows. Meanwhile, Robert (Hugh Bonneville) faces the twilight of his stewardship as head of the estate, grappling with what it means to step aside from the role that has defined him for decades. Downstairs, change is equally in motion: Carson (Jim Carter) must confront the inevitability of retirement as the younger staff step into new leadership roles, with Andy (Michael Fox) taking over as head butler and Daisy (Sophie McShera) stepping into Mrs. Patmore’s (Lesley Nicol) shoes in the kitchen. Elsewhere, Lady Edith Pelham (Laura Carmichael) devises a plan to restore Mary’s reputation, hoping to lure famed writer and performer Noel Coward (Arty Froushan) to Downton for a lavish event that could reset society’s gaze.
THE GOOD / THE BAD
Much like I said in my review of 2019’s Downton Abbey, I’ll admit it proudly: I love the series. What can I say? I’m a sucker for costume period pieces, and Downton remains one of the finest examples of the genre (though The Gilded Age may have stolen my heart recently). I thoroughly enjoyed the first film, which felt like a natural continuation of the show and gave fans the pleasure of catching up with the Crawleys on the big screen. When Downton Abbey: A New Era arrived in 2022, I found it enjoyable as well. It captured the spirit of the franchise with its upstairs-downstairs drama and character-driven storytelling. Yet its split narrative—half the cast in France, half at Downton—felt uneven, as if two separate ideas were stitched together without either reaching full potential. Because of that, I still view the first film as the stronger entry, though A New Era was undeniably a charming return to this beloved world.
Which brings me to Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale. Announced shortly after A New Era’s release, the film was billed as the final installment in the franchise—a chance to give the Crawleys, their staff, and their loyal fanbase a proper sendoff. While the ending of A New Era offered a sense of closure, it left just enough space for one last story, which explains why The Grand Finale earned the green light. For fans like myself, the announcement was exciting, even if details were scarce in the years that followed. Only with the marketing campaign—trailers, posters, and teasers—did anticipation truly build. The previews promised exactly what audiences hoped for: a return to the big house, the beloved characters, and the blend of upstairs and downstairs drama, this time with the promise of finality.
With that in mind, I was eager to see Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale when it opened on September 12th, 2025. I caught it during opening weekend with my parents, though side projects kept me from writing this review right away. Now, with those behind me, I can finally share my thoughts.
And what did I think? I liked it. While not necessarily the strongest of the trilogy, The Grand Finale provides exactly what longtime fans expect: a familiar “comfort food” tale of aristocratic intrigue, family drama, and heartfelt goodbyes. It may not reach the heights one might hope for in a finale, but it does deliver a feel-good conclusion—endearing, sincere, and satisfying enough to bring closure to the Crawley family’s story.
Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale is directed by Simon Curtis, whose previous works include The Woman in Gold, Goodbye Christopher Robin, and, of course, Downton Abbey: A New Era. Given his familiarity with the franchise, Curtis was a natural choice to helm this closing chapter. To his credit, he steps comfortably back into the tone and presentation longtime fans expect, delivering a motion picture that feels very much like a “closing piece” for the series—a farewell to these characters and to the world audiences have spent so much time with.
Curtis doesn’t attempt to shake up the formula, which in this case is more of a strength than a weakness. The conflicts here are recognizable and fit neatly into the Downton mold, with Curtis threading the various narratives together in a way that feels natural and true to the series. The result is cinematic “comfort food”: easy to digest, familiar yet satisfying, and exactly what most fans want from a farewell. Downton Abbey has never been about bold risks, but about theatrical emotion and richly drawn character drama—and The Grand Finale provides plenty of that to spare.
Working alongside Curtis, Julian Fellowes once again pens the script, exploring both the stigma of divorced women in 1930s society and the shifting future of old aristocratic families like the Crawleys. The former thread adds an interesting layer, highlighting how upper-class society viewed marriage and divorce at the time, while the latter brings long-running themes about change and legacy full circle. These ideas—paired with Fellowes’ signature sentimentality—help ground the film in both history and emotion. Together, Curtis and Fellowes ensure that while the story may not be radical, it is tender, thoughtful, and befitting of a final chapter.
Perhaps the greatest strength of The Grand Finale is the sense of closure it brings to everything that has come before. True to its title, this third Downton Abbey film may not be the strongest entry (more on that below), but it succeeds in giving both the Crawley family and their loyal staff a heartfelt sendoff. Characters come and go, move forward, start new lives, or find personal resolution, and the film leans into that tone of finality with genuine sincerity. The final five minutes—without giving anything away—speak volumes. They carry the weight and emotion of concluding a narrative that has stretched across the TV series and the films, offering a payoff steeped in nostalgia and heart. Under Curtis’s direction, The Grand Finale ultimately delivers a fitting farewell, one that resonates with cinematic sincerity and emotional grace.
Visually, The Grand Finale is every bit as stunning as the series and the two previous films. Picturesque shots of the British countryside surround the Crawley estate, while the manor itself once again shines as both a setting and a character in its own right. The glitz and glamour of upper-class life in 1930 remain central to the franchise, and this film embraces it fully, with lush production values that immerse viewers in the era.
Much of this comes from the returning “behind-the-scenes” team. Naomi Bailey and Philippa Mumford (art direction), Donal Woods (production design), Linda Wilson (set decoration), and Anna Mary Scott Robbins (costume design) all bring their specialty flair, ensuring the world of Downton feels as vibrant and detailed as ever. From opulent interiors to finely tailored gowns, the craftsmanship is meticulous.
Cinematographer Ben Smithard also deserves credit, lending the film a polished cinematic sheen through elegant compositions, fluid camera work, and warm lighting that enriches the drama unfolding on screen. And then there’s the music: composer John Lunn, who has been the franchise’s musical voice since the beginning, delivers another beautiful score. Sweet, melodic, and resonant, his compositions weave seamlessly into each scene, balancing grandeur with intimacy. In many ways, Lunn’s music remains the soul of Downton Abbey, and The Grand Finale is no exception.
Of course, The Grand Finale isn’t without its flaws. Much like the two previous films, it suffers from a sense of familiarity and formula. As with many continuations of beloved TV series (Sex and the City, Entourage, Deadwood), these movies are crafted almost exclusively for fans. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it does mean that casual moviegoers—those with little to no knowledge of the show—will find themselves on the outside looking in. The film doesn’t waste time with exposition or recap, instead dropping viewers straight into the Crawleys’ world with only the occasional line of dialogue as a refresher. For longtime fans, this is fine; for newcomers, it’s limiting.
A larger issue, however, lies in the story itself. Compared to the focused narrative of the 2019 film (the royal visit) or even the split but still engaging drama of A New Era, The Grand Finale struggles to maintain momentum. Its pacing drags at times, with plotlines that feel more suited for one of the show’s holiday specials than for a big-screen sendoff. The stakes simply aren’t as sharp as they should be, and some subplots exist only to give characters something to do. The drama is classic Downton melodrama—enjoyable for what it is—but it lacks the cinematic punch that a finale of this scale deserved.
Director Simon Curtis also shares some of the blame. To his credit, he juggles the sprawling ensemble better here than in A New Era, but the film still feels stretched thin. Not every character receives equal weight, and moments of predictability or sagging pace occasionally undercut the experience. Michael Engler’s direction in the first film remains the most polished of the trilogy.
Lastly, there’s the matter of familiarity with Julian Fellowes’ other work. Certain story beats—Mary’s social alienation as a divorcée, a swindler attempting to dupe a wealthy family, internal squabbles over power—echo plotlines currently playing out in The Gilded Age. The parallels are understandable given Fellowes’ hand in both series, but here they create a sense of déjà vu. The devices work, but they feel a little too recycled.
What definitely made the show was sprawling various characters that populate Downton Abbey, with all the acting talents playing those respective characters in fun and multi-façade way. So, as one could except, the The Grand Finale movie excels in this department with most of the actors and actresses from the series returning to reprise their roles once as well as bring one several new ones for the new feature. However, much like what I said above, the characters themselves, while still fun, enjoyable, and entertaining with all their Downton Abbey personas and quirks still intact, are overstuffed with so many players in the movie that it becomes a struggle for Curtis (and script) to manage them all accordingly. Thus, many, including fan-favorites become secondary characters and are merely there for participation of continuity reasons. I sort of knew that this was going to be the cases, especially since this is the third Downton Abbey movie, with some already having their “big moments” in the previous features, so it didn’t completely bother me as I’m sure it won’t for a lot of fans out there.
Much like entire series and the last two films, actress Michelle Dockery (Non-Stop and The Gentlemen) returns to playing the center stage character of Lady Mary and continues to be prominent figure for most of the narrative. Like before, the character gets entangled in several of the big challenges and issues happen around the “big house” as well as dealing with her divorce status and how she has been ostracized from society. Again, that particular portion does bring that Gilded Age predictability, but it does work for a Downton Abbey story as well as gives Mary the most screen-time for her character to fully develop, with a more well-rounded arc, especially how she nudge closer to taking over the control of the estate. Plus, Dockery knows the character quite well and is up to the task of making sure that she (as Lady Mary) makes the most of it, which is a good thing.
Behind Dockery, actor Hugh Bonneville (Paddington and Notting Hill) and actress Elizabeth McGovern (Ordinary People and The House of Mirth) fill in their series roles quite nicely as Robert and Cora…. Lord and Lady Grantham of Downton Abbey. Unlike their subplots in the last movie, The Grand Finale gives these two characters a greater importance that seems more relevant to the main plot, with Robert’s fearing the end of his tenure as head of the household for Downton and the difficult decision of selling their London House, while Cora has dealings with her brother’s financial woes and Mary’s unfortunate society isolation situation. Both are clearly defined and feel important to the film’s story. Also, both Bonneville and McGovern are still solid in their respective roles as Downton Abbey husband and wife as well as the patriarch and matriarch of the Crawley family.
Additionally, the same can be said with actress Laura Carmichael (The Spanish Princess and Marcella), who plays Mary’s sister / Robert and Cora’s second daughter Lady Edith. Like Robert and Cora, there is evidence to justify Edith’s involvement, with a heftier screen time than in A New Era, in the story of The Grand Finale. There isn’t much personal character growth, which might be the one slight downside. Then again, the character of Edith has pretty much come “full circle” following the conclusion of both the TV series and the last two movies. Still, it was still good to see Carmichael in the movie and does a good job in making Edith have a more mature personality and acts far more confident and liver than previous times.
Unlike the first Downton Abbey movie, The Grand Finale pushes aside the character of Tom Branson aside for most of the feature. Of course, the character still participates in the movie’s story and appears throughout several important scenes in the film, but he doesn’t have a large focal point like he did in the TV series or in the 2019 film. Even worse is that the movie does several characters from the previous films, including Lucy Branson (Tom’s wife) and Maud Bagshaw (Lucy’s mother), who were tied to Tom’s character subplots in the other installments. That being said, actor Allen Leech (The Imitation Game and Bohemian Rhapsody) still gives a solid performance as Branson.
Also, actor Robert James-Collier’s (The Ritual and Coronation Street) as Thomas Barro, the former staff member of the Crawley family who is now organizer for film star Guy Dexter and secretly his lover. Unlike the first two installments, Thomas’s importance in the movie is downgraded and is merely there for continuity reasons. Yes, I am glad that he was a part of it and James-Collier is still solid as Thomas, but there isn’t much growth nor story elements to fully warrant his return, especially given the show and other movies mostly completed his character arc. Still, for continuity purposes, it was fun to see Thomas again. Likewise, it was good to see actor Dominic West (The Wire and 300) as A New Era’s character of Guy Dexter coming back for The Grand Finale. Nothing really new to say about the character, but still a nice reprisal from West’s charming bravado as Guy.
Before I forget, it was also great to see actress Penelope Wilton (Five Days and The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel) come back as Isobel Grey, Lady Merton and mother of Mary’s late first husband. Like the rest of the cast, Wilton doesn’t miss a step in her coming back to play Isobel, with plenty of the same wit and charm to the character throughout. Although, it was a little bit disappointing to see that she didn’t have the late Dame Maggie Smith’s Violet to banter back-and-forth with this in the movie. Additionally, who also returns is actor Paul Giamatti (John Adams and The Holdovers) as Harold Levinson, an American businessman and the brother to Lady Grantham (Cora). While his appearance in the TV series was regulated to a minor character role in one episode, the character of Harold does have some importance in The Grand Finale and its fantastic to see Giamatti playing the role with great ease and theatrical pose, a great re-introduction to him in this movie.
Also, I can’t forget the other two fan-favorites, with the characters of Mr. Carson (the former head butler of Downton Abbey) and Mrs. Hughes, the head household maid at Downton Abbey, returning for another round of fan-service. Of course, both actor Jim Carter (Shakespeare in Love and King Lear) and actress Phyllis Logan (Secrets & Lies and Another Time and Another Place) are terrific together and definitely seem like a tried and true “old married couple”. Again, their involvement in the movie is a more like window-dressing in The Grand Finale, which is slightly disappointing, but, much like the previous motion picture entry, it provides plenty of continuity and nuances to help lively up similar parts of the feature.
The rest of the Downton Abbey characters, including actor Brendan Coyle (Me Before You and Lark Rise to Candleford) as Mr. Bates, actress Joanne Froggatt (Angela Black and The Harrowing) as Anna Bates, , actor Harry Hadden-Paton (The Crown and Versailles) as Edith’s husband Bertie Pelham, Marquess of Hexham, actor Douglas Reith (The Queen and Dumbo) as Isobel’s husband Lord Merton, actress Sophie McShera (Cinderella and Galavant) as Daisy Parker, actress Lesley Nicol (Beecham House and Sarah & Duck) as Mrs. Patmore, actress Raquel Cassidy (Lead Balloons and The Worst Witch) as Miss Baxter, actor Michael Fox (Dunkirk and Family Affairs) as Andy Parker, and actor Kevin Doyle (The Tudors and Happy Valley) as Mr. Molesley, are dedicated to rounding out the supporting veteran players of the feature. Of course, there parts might be a bit smaller than in the series, but all of them quickly capture their respective roles (quirks and personas) immediately and become memorable in the scenes that they are in, especially since they incorporated into the film’s main theme of ending and changing.
Lastly, the movie does introduce several new characters that are featured in The Grand Finale, which help populated some narrative beats and character dynamics in the plot. This includes, actor Alessandro Nivola (The Brutalist and Face/Off) as Gus Sambrook, a business associate of Harold who hides more than he leads on, actor Arty Froushan (Daredevil: Born Again and House of the Dragon) as famed writer / singer Noel Coward, actor Simon Russell Beale (House of the Dragon and The Death of Stalin) as Sir Hector Moreland, and actress Joely Richardson (Nip/Tuck and Girl with a Dragon Tattoo) as Lady Sarah Petersfield. Most of these characters play their respective minor / sub plot roles throughout the movie and, while some get a bit more screen time than others, all of the acting talents are welcomed additions to the Downton Abbey narrative namesake.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Everything must come to an end, as the Crawley family (and their servants) face fond farewells and new beginnings in Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale. Director Simon Curtis delivers another polished chapter in the saga, spinning a motion picture event that fans will relish. The experience proves a welcome addition to the franchise, bringing a sense of closure and finality to the series as a whole. While it may not be as strong as the previous two films and occasionally meanders, the overall success resonates thanks to Curtis’s direction, a heartfelt story, a lavish presentation, and the consistently likeable ensemble cast. Personally, I enjoyed the film. It doesn’t always live up to the weight of its title, but it still feels deeply satisfying—a proper farewell that makes it worth returning to the big house one last time. I’d place it squarely in the middle of the trilogy—better than A New Era, but not quite as strong as the first film, which remains my favorite Yet, that doesn’t diminish how much longtime fans will celebrate its sincerity and spirit. I can also say that few TV series or franchises can claim to end on a true high note, but Downton Abbey is one of the rare exceptions—and that’s a very good thing. My verdict: a favorable “recommended.” The ending hints at possible continuations for certain characters, but whether Julian Fellowes chooses to press onward remains uncertain. Still, as a sweeping, character-driven drama, Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale closes the Crawleys’ story in a way that feels both inviting and heartfelt. Mary’s final words to Edith—“Long live Downton Abbey”—and Edith’s simple reply, “Amen to that,” echo exactly how fans are likely to feel as the curtain falls.
4.0 Out of 5 (Recommended)
The Official Website for Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale Link: HERE
Released On: September 12th, 2025
Reviewed On: September 30th, 2025
Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale is 124 minutes long and is rated PG for suggestive material, smoking and some thematic elements
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