Downton Abbey spoof Fackham Hall is like a flatulant family retriever in the drawing-room, says our film critic Brian Viner. Best to ignore it

by

Verdict: Cack-handed spoof

While films like Airplane! and This is Spinal Tap are brilliant spoofs, Fackham Hall doesn’t quite measure up. It attempts to parody Downton Abbey in the same way those classics satirized disaster movies and rockumentaries, but it doesn’t succeed as well.

It’s easy to imagine poking fun at Downton Abbey, and this film certainly tries to. However, despite being created with comedian Jimmy Carr, it relies too heavily on obvious jokes and predictable one-liners that just don’t land.

The show features a talented cast, including Damian Lewis, Thomasin McKenzie, Sue Johnston, and Anna Maxwell Martin, who all give strong performances. However, it’s let down by some childish and crude humor that feels out of place.

Fackham Hall is far more over-the-top than even the silly country house comedy, Futtocks End, starring Ronnie Barker from 1970.

The impressive house in question is owned by the wealthy Davenport family, whose rather unsettling motto is ‘incestus ad infinitum’.

In 1931, Lord and Lady Davenport, played by Lewis and Katherine Waterston, are facing a difficult situation. Having lost four sons, they need one of their two daughters to marry a cousin, Tom Felton, in order to keep their family estate.

Initially, they believed Poppy (Emma Laird) was the answer, but they soon shifted their attention to Rose (McKenzie), whom her mother cruelly considers past her prime at just 23 years old.

The odd joke raises a smile, even a laugh, and I did like Tim McMullan’s po-faced butler, Cyril.

Fackham Hall, generally speaking, is best overlooked – it’s rather unpleasant and best left alone.

Fackham Hall is in cinemas now.

 

ALSO SHOWING…

James L. Brooks is famous for co-creating The Simpsons and directing acclaimed films like Terms of Endearment (1984) and As Good As It Gets (1997). However, his new film, despite being a return to directing after a long break, hasn’t been well-received.

The film Ella McCay, set in 2008, features Emma Mackey as a politician trying to do the right thing in a corrupt system. However, the movie is a mess – the plot is disjointed, the promotional poster is so strange it’s become an internet sensation, and even a talented cast including Jamie Lee Curtis, Woody Harrelson, and others can’t make the characters feel real. Overall, it’s a disappointing film.

Silent Night, Deadly Night (rated R, 96 minutes) is the seventh film to explore the familiar and unsettling idea of a seemingly normal young man (Rohan Campbell) who dresses as Santa Claus and commits violent acts with an axe, targeting those he deems deserving of punishment.

Director Mike P. Nelson adds some interesting surprises to the film, including a sweet, classic romance featuring Ruby Modine, who is the daughter of actor Matthew Modine.

Even if the movie isn’t funny or frightening, it definitely doesn’t skimp on the blood and violence.

This week’s featured film is Lurker (15 certificate, 101 minutes, four stars). Théodore Pellerin gives a captivating performance as Matthew, a persistent and obsessive fan who manages to get close to his favorite British pop star, Oliver (played with charm by Archie Madekwe, known from Saltburn). The film explores how far Matthew will go to stay in Oliver’s inner circle.

This film is a remarkably confident first-time directing effort from Alex Russell, who also writes and produces the TV show The Bear. It’s incredibly suspenseful and well-made.

This modern take on the classic Mr. Ripley story, complete with a cool soundtrack by Kenny Beats, starts out feeling familiar. I thought I had it figured out after just thirty minutes, but the show completely surprised me with an unexpected twist.

LARUSHKA IVAN-ZADEH

Read More

2025-12-14 00:18