A New Era Same As The Old Era

 

And trust me.   That's a damn good thing.   Because, as a virtual metaphor of the last two years, the newest Downton Abbey is a welcome sight.

Indeed, the first Downton Abbey movie, released in September 2019, may have been the last good time for a group.   Five of my friends went together.   All of us were fans of the show and couldn't wait to see two dozen of our favorite character friends again.  That night, we were also unanimous in one sensation.  We couldn't wait for another visit to Downton.

And then...March 2020.  Need I say more.

Gallantly, the Downton Abbey folks worked during COVID-restricted 2021 to provide us with hope for a new era and the next era.  According to director Simon Curtis (star Elizabeth McGovern's hubby), a total of 15,000 COVID tests were administered daily to cast and crew.  

So when the second film opened last week, it was indeed a tribute to them that this got made.   But, also, a tip of the hat to fans and moviegoers who survived the lockdowns and quarantines.   When the movie opens with those familiar piano key tinkles, you were instantly reassured that life was back to whatever new normal it is today.  

Just like you not being able to see friends and loved ones for a long time, the Downton Abbey cast of characters are also now included in that group of people you can enjoy all over again.   Seeing it with a full house at the soon-to-be-gone Landmark Theater in Los Angeles and director Curtis and co-stars McGovern and Allan Leech doing a Q and A after the film, it was almost 2019 all over again.

As a story, Downton's writer Julian Fellowes knows his format and fulfills it.   He knows how to craft a tale that gives each of his two dozen actors a moment to shine.   It is remarkable how he manages to do that in a two-hour frame.

Indeed, "A New Era" clicks all the usual Downton boxes.  There is a wedding, several proposals, illness fears, and a funeral so opulent that it serves as the substitute for all those memorial services people had to miss the past two years.  

Plus the film is as lush as Downton ever has been.   Half the characters spend part of the movie in the south of France while the other half is back in the castle contending with a nifty subplot of a silent movie being shot on the property.  Given that there are people who really do live in that castle, this was a wonderful "wink wink" development.   And it also serves as a bit of a homage to "Singin' In The Rain."   You will understand when you see it, which I sincerely hope you do.

I cannot wait for the next.   Even the most lethal of variants can't stop that from happening.

LEN'S RATING:  Four stars.

Dinner last night:  Salad.