![]() ![]() A member of the Chicago Film Critics Association, she spent four years lovingly analyzing the romantic comedy genre one film at a time in her column When Romance Met Comedy for The A.V. (Video On Demand) services.Ībout the writer: Caroline Siede is a film and TV critic in Chicago, where the cold never bothers her anyway. It's also available for purchase through various V.O.D. "Downton Abbey: A New Era" is now streaming on Peacock for subscribers with a premium membership ($6.99/month, $49.99/year). Where is "Downton Abbey: A New Era" streaming? ![]() Featuring: Hugh Bonneville, Michelle Dockery, Laura Carmichael, Maggie Smith, Jim Carter, Elizabeth McGovern, Penelope Wilton, Robert James-Collier, Allen Leech, Hugh Dancy, Dominic West, Imelda Staunton and many more. It may not be game-changing cinema, but it has a charmingly old-fashioned earnestness that’s a perfect match for its charmingly old-fashioned characters. In fact, you may even shed a tear or two as the Crawleys reflect on those they’ve loved and lost over the years, while noting that the power of family lineage comes from the way it carries on even as individual members come and go - a theme that speaks to both aristocracy and long-running franchises alike.įor all its prestigious trappings, "Downton Abbey" has always first and foremost been comfort viewing. ![]() Credit: Ben Blackall / ©2022 Focus Features LLC Penelope Wilton stars as Isobel Merton and Maggie Smith as Violet Grantham in DOWNTON ABBEY: A New Era, a Focus Features release. And "A New Era" has a long memory that will be particularly rewarding for long-time fans - whether that’s in scenes of Tom discussing his late wife Sybil or Violet and Isobel ( Penelope Wilton) hashing out their winding path from sparring partners to genuine friends. The power of any long-running franchise comes from how much time its viewers have spent living with its characters. WATCH FREE ON TUBI: Maggie Smith and Judi Dench in "Ladies in Lavender" - get the appīut while the first film largely petered out in its climax, "A New Era" gets better as it goes along, as its lighthearted throughlines give way to a surprisingly poignant celebration of the show’s legacy. Though Robert James-Collier’s scheming-footman-turned-loyal-butler Thomas Barrow nearly stole the first film with a moving storyline about queer discovery, he gets an overly rushed arc this time around, which is disappointing. ![]() There are flaws here too, to be sure, even by "Downton" standards. See "Downton Abbey: A New Era" for: My, my, just how much we've missed you And though much of "A New Era" is as fizzy as a summer cocktail, Violet’s declining health provides a ticking time clock that gives the frothy story some emotional heft as well. Molesley ( Kevin Doyle) to the simmering ennui of Lady Mary ( Michelle Dockery). Instead, just about all of the original players get something to do here, from the sweet will-they-won’t-they romance between Miss Baxter ( Raquel Cassidy) and Mr. Plus they introduce a few new characters into the fold, including a wealthy French mother/son duo ( Nathalie Baye and Jonathan Zaccaï) and some Hollywood visitors deliciously played by Hugh Dancy, Dominic West and Laura Haddock.īut thankfully "A New Era" doesn’t let those new faces overwhelm the original cast, which was one of the problems with the first film. WATCH FREE ON TUBI: "My Week with Marilyn" - get the appīoth storylines offer an excuse for "A New Era" to highlight some of the glitz and glam of late 1920s life - as talkies take over the film industry and summering in France becomes trendy. Meanwhile, the other half stays at home to host a film crew who are willing to pay a hefty sum to shoot at Downton. One half of the ensemble sets sail for the South of France to investigate a mysterious villa that has recently been left to aging family matriarch Violet, the Dowager Countess ( Maggie Smith). Rather than pick up any particular storyline from the first film, "A New Era" introduces two new episodic adventures to keep its characters busy. Indeed, it’s pleasantries rather than plot that are the name of the game here. And isn’t it nice to see all our old friends decked out in their wedding best? Their church pews are filled with servants and aristocrats alike as Curtis’ camera wanders down the aisle, creating a visual receiving line of the show’s massive ensemble. The film opens on the wedding of Crawley son-in-law Tom Branson ( Allen Leech) and his new love interest Lucy ( Tuppence Middleton), who was introduced in the last film. ![]()
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