Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale 4K 2025

So, the last film about Downton Abbey and everything related to it has been released (as promised by its creator Julian Fellowes). I wasn't exactly looking forward to it, as the second feature-length project disappointed me greatly. But I couldn't say goodbye to my favorite characters. And I'm glad I did. The “grand” finale left me with a feeling of light sadness, nostalgia for the first, best seasons, when each new episode was like a holiday. When all the characters were young, beautiful, and full of energy. It was great to return to that magical atmosphere. At the same time, I'm glad that the creators of the project had the strength and determination to finally bring it to a close.
Once again, the film is not for everyone, but only for fans of the series; others will not understand anything, but the writers are not striving for that. In two hours of screen time, practically nothing happens—the king doesn't arrive, no movie is filmed, no declarations of love are made, nothing at all. Everything revolves around two things—Mary's divorce and the transfer of control of Downton from Robert Crawley to his direct heirs, his daughter and grandson. The divorce story turned out to be rather vague. It seems like a tragic event for British high society, but then again, maybe not. It seems like this fact should cause some inconvenience, but a minute later, it's forgotten. In general, this story could have been safely omitted. Except that fans will once again wonder why the screenwriters needed this strange marriage between the Snow Queen Mary and the racer Henry Talbot, which was initially as unsuccessful as possible. The arrival of the American uncle didn't seem to add anything either, but with him it became somehow cozier, he always brought variety with his appearance.
But all these events serve as a warm-up to the main event - the change of power in Downton. The time has come, Mary is ready to take everything into her own hands, and Robert is stuck in the past. Both the owners and the servants understand the need for change. And here again, one can only marvel at British law, according to which a lord is not the full owner of his estate, but merely its custodian. The day comes when he must hand over the house where he knows every stone and which he has cared for tirelessly for so many years. But it is the 1940s, which means it is time to make way for the younger generation. Just as Robert's mother did before him, and several generations of the Crawley family before that.

I cried during the last ten minutes of the film, even though I'm not particularly sentimental. Thank you to the writers for saying goodbye to the characters in such a warm and unobtrusive way. And thank you for the memory of the wonderful Maggie Smith, who was the soul of this series.

It was an excellent project. I will remember it with nostalgia and watch it again.