YNOT at the Movies

Fifteen years after we first entered the grand halls of Highclere Castle, "Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale" (UK/USA 2025 | 123 min.) brings the curtain down with warmth, wit, and a deep affection for the characters who have become like a family to audiences worldwide. Writer Julian Fellowes and director Simon Curtis present a parting gift that feels both celebratory and wistful, a reminder of why this saga became a global phenomenon, and why saying goodbye is so bittersweet.

The film finds Lady Mary (Michelle Dockery) navigating scandal after her divorce becomes public, threatening both her reputation and her ability to lead Downton into the future. Her parents Lord Grantham (Hugh Bonneville) and Lady Grantham (Elizabeth McGovern) are tested by financial crisis and the prospect of handing over their legacy, while her sister Lady Edith Hexham (Laura Carmichael), her husband Lord Hexham (Harry Hadden-Paton), and Tom Branson (Allen Leech), once the family's chauffeur and now their trusted son-in-law, step forward with hard truths and steadfast support. For Lord Grantham, the reckoning is especially painful: the Crawleys can no longer afford both their ancestral home and their grand London residence, forcing him to consider life in the smaller Dower House and even a modest Kensington flat. The arrival of Lady Grantham's brother Harold Levinson (Paul Giamatti) and his dubious American friend Gus Sambrook (Alessandro Nivola) further complicates matters, as family honor and fortune once again hang in the balance.

Below stairs, life is changing too. Mr. Carson (Jim Carter) struggles to step aside as Andy Parker (Michael Fox) becomes butler, while Daisy Parker (Sophie McShera) prepares to inherit Mrs. Patmore's (Lesley Nicol) kitchen. Familiar faces—Anna Bates (Joanne Froggatt), John Bates (Brendan Coyle), Mrs. Hughes (Phyllis Logan), Mr. Molesley (Kevin Doyle), and Thomas Barrow (Robert James-Collier)—each take their bows with grace, reminding us how much joy their stories have brought.

The film sparkles with spectacle—the glittering Petersfield Ball, the elegance of Ascot, and the bustling County Fair—yet its real treasures are in the conversations, the cutting one-liners and tender exchanges that Fellowes writes so well. The interplay between family and servants, once marked by rigid lines, now carries the gentle acknowledgment that times are changing, and life at Downton must change too.

Hovering over it all is the memory of Violet Crawley, the Dowager Countess. Though Dame Maggie Smith is no longer with us, her presence lingers, her wit echoed in Lady Mary's resilience, her wisdom in Lord Grantham's reluctant grace. The film closes with a quiet, heartfelt tribute that honors both the character and the legendary actress who embodied her, a farewell that resonates on and off screen.

Charming, witty, and suffused with affection, "Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale" is more than a film, it is a love letter to its audience. It allows us one last chance to revel in the splendor of Downton, to laugh at its sharp dialogue, and to cherish these characters before the lights dim. As the Crawleys pass the torch to a new generation, we leave the Abbey with gratitude for the journey, and with the wistful knowledge that these beloved voices will echo in memory long after the screen fades to black.

"Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale" opens in theaters on Friday, September 12, 2025.