Downton Abbey: A New Era [3/10]

Let me be brief. I watched the first two seasons of Downton Abbey, all those years ago, with some pleasure. Edgy doses of “upstairs versus downstairs” sustained some decent drama amidst the pointless pomp. But the series went downhill and “Downton Abbey: A New Era” is its nadir, a pointless movie of pomp without drama. Amazingly, all the original series actors seem to be in the film but their performances are polished wooden dross. The plotline is execrable and the jokes are, well, entirely unfunny. Only one scene, in which Kevin Doyle gives a wonderful cameo of Molesley acting out a silent film, possesses any eclat. All that said, the folks I went to the Lido with enjoyed the visuals and easy watching, so all I can do is warn. Go see Downton Abbey: A New Era expecting a reprise of the much-loved series, but go forearmed.