neel Banerjee

The movie takes us back to the opulence and extravagance of early 20th century England,the majestic lifestyle of the royals in gigantic mansions and abbey amid the idyllic settings, the rich ornate furniture,silken draperies, intricate china, overall an idealistic lifestyle.The movie parallelly narrates the stark divergence in the lifestyle and thought process of the royals as well as that of the household maids sharing the same roof.Yet there is underlying attachment and connection between them.The oldest member of the Crawley family,Mary's grandmother,Violet played by Maggie Smith, is the heart of the movie with her witty dialogues, her intemperance to always prove herself right,her failure to accept defeat without appearing cynical or narcissistic but instead holding an elegant predisposition with a subtle tone of underlying humor.The mother son conversation when she chides her son saying sarcasm is the lowest form of wit attests to it.The movie shows royal grandeur and also projects the gradual advancement towards a republican society from the monarchy and the fundamental changes that are implicit.The story has a smooth pace and is buoyant enough to keep the audience engaged throughout the stretch without an ounce of monotony.The character maturity of Barrows is shown in a nuanced manner.The story highlights many crucial aspects of the then society.Marriage was still the most convenient means for a woman to climb to an exalted societal status position and the movie adroitly portrays the earnest anxiety of the privileged few in asserting themselves as people rightful heirs to inherit property and land which were the basis of their royalty and the detailed plans they concocted with acumen and alacrity without appearing to be greedy.The servants with their unfettered loyalty towards the household was beautifully articulated through the story which was made realistic by the seasoned performance of the entire cast. Contextually apt,continuing with the same tone as its preceding series, the story culminates to a happy ending.