Reasons to be cheerful

Forgive me. I really don’t want to go into too much detail about the plot of this wonderful, delightful, funny, engaging, and moving film. In my humble opinion, the less you know, the better the viewing experience will be!

I have never seen the popular Downton TV series, and my only knowledge of it has been gleaned from watching the first film, which I really enjoyed. This ‘gap’, however, did not spoil my enjoyment of what is a superb piece of cinematic entertainment.

I laughed, I cried, and I sighed with contentment. I honestly can’t think of a bad thing to say about this film: everything from the acting to the direction to the script is pitch-perfect.

It is so good that it should win prizes for the quality of the performances, sets, and costumes (at the very least). Fans will, I think, be more than satisfied with this offering, while the rest of us will just have a very good time.

BEST FOOT FORWARD: Michelle Dockery is one of the stars of the new Downton film.

In the current installment, two plots are being played out in tandem. One, involving an inherited villa in southern France, raises questions about Lord Grantham’s heritage. The other concerns Downton itself being turned into a film set.

There may not be shootouts, superheroes battling evil demons, lost treasure, aliens, or huge bomb blasts  – all the stuff I usually love in a film – but I didn’t care! Watching Downton was an absolute pleasure as it offers a welcome change of pace to the usual fodder, and is well worth a tenner of anyone’s money.

This is one of my favourite films of the year, and nobody is more surprised to be typing these words than me. I urge you to watch it. If you like a great story, go and lose yourself for a few fleeting moments in a wonderful bygone era.

Andy Godfrey is Sorted’s film critic and a founding member of the Mark Kermode Appreciation Society.