Personally I am not a fan of the series that are taken to the big screen, because I feel that it limits much the understanding of the plot for those of us who have not seen or are not fans of the original series. Without forgetting that adapting a television series with several seasons to a single segment of cinema is super complicated and almost nobody manages to do it correctly.

Having said all the above, and not being a fan of the series, I really enjoy Downton Abbey.

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Going deeper into history.

The story of the film as well as that of the series (I looked into it) presents us with a kind of family of dukes/persons of high society who live immersed in their own world of luxuries and madness where their servants are another complement to the plot because of the interactions they generate in the conglomerate of characters, but who are finally part of a dysfunctional family of rich people.

The plot is based on the events that are generated from a very particular visit by the king, and I say particular because that visit more than serve as a trigger to an endless number of dramatic and intense funny moments, collaborate and become part of those moments, that is to say that the visit is not a condiment to the plot but part of it, collaborating and taking an essential part of each scene.

The story is simple, we could say that are a bunch of sketches put together and merged in a wonderful way to unleash a story where everything has room, love, deception, betrayal and even political and social criticism. Throughout the film we see how each protagonist is following the paths that were already being drawn in the series, but this time with more intensity and knowing that here they must close with a specific end.

New plots are developed around old plots, bringing back to life new conflicts but undoubtedly originated from past moments.

Basically the main plot and in which the whole film is focused does not concentrate on super complicated subjects, but rather on the correct development of simple situations. Perhaps where it commits more and loses a little sense (I do not know, I have not seen the series), is when it wants to expose social issues that affect their servants, because it is a clear example of social and economic criticism to privileged people who only take advantage of their situation in a bad way.

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Digging into the characters.

The characters, the performances and the settings are definitely the key point of this movie because it makes you feel immediately committed to the plot. Amazing performances that transport us incredibly to a time of luxuries, excesses and colors where the life of high society was everything, where everyone wanted to be part of a circle that controlled the world.

Although I know that the quality of the cast is not a surprise because they had already been tested and developed throughout the series, it is remarkable to highlight the level of commitment that each actor delivers in interpretations finely tailored to fit with total freshness into a fantastic world. There are no wasted characters, each performance has a meaning and achieves it splendidly. For me one of the most outstanding of the film is Kevin Doyle as Molesley, who despite not participating entirely in the development of the plot, delivers a masterful performance giving his character a charisma that is persive miles away and that will make us love him in the little time we have.

Maggie Smith, my God Maggie Smith!!!, masterfully mimics herself in a role that seems to be written for her by delivering an act of character with a wonderful charisma that gives and transmits everything. I dare say that her performance is at the level of Oscars award winning performances for the level of commitment and importance she gives to her character.

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Final thoughts.

A very well developed film, and above all with a central story that manages to combine a lot of moments and scenes in a wonderful way making all the important factors of the plot converge in one place.

The most impressive thing about the film is the way in which even those of us who have not seen the series engage with the plots and characters so quickly, making the entire film a constant enjoyment. I have no doubt that those who are fans of the series will enjoy much more this movie but I recommend everyone who can see this movie because there is no waste.

Great performances, with fantastic scenes and settings make this film a total visual pleasure.

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