---
title: "Downton Abbey: the reviews"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/downton-abbey-2019/reviews"
title_page: "https://film.one/film/downton-abbey-2019"
critics_score: 60
critics_reviews: 23
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Downton Abbey (2019): what the critics said

Critics' score 60 from 23 reviews: 10 positive, 8 mixed, 5 negative.

The reviews lean towards qualified affection for Downton Abbey, with praise concentrated on familiar faces, costumes and period detail. Maggie Smith’s comic timing and withering lines draw approval even from critics who find the film wanting elsewhere. Most critics see a comforting return for established fans, and the warmer notices value time spent with the characters more than a substantial new story. The interiors and finery also earn praise for giving the reunion a sense of occasion.

Opinion spreads widely over whether those pleasures sustain a feature film. Repeated reservations concern crowded yet slight plotting, low stakes and limited appeal for newcomers. Several reviews also question the indulgence towards aristocratic life and the avoidance of social conflict. Eye for Film offers a particularly sharp dissent, criticising washed-out cinematography and choppy editing as well as flimsy drama, while still finding merit in the costumes.

## Vulture — Jen Chaney

Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 10 September 2019. 

Chaney finds the film a satisfying, welcome return that delivers the pleasures of an extended episode for fans. She especially praises its beautiful cinematography and costumes, along with a late scene between Maggie Smith and Michelle Dockery that lands emotionally.

[Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/2019/09/downton-abbey-movie-review.html)

## Los Angeles Times — Kenneth Turan

Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 18 September 2019. 

Turan finds the film a satisfying continuation of the series, especially for viewers already attached to its characters. He praises Maggie Smith, who steals scenes as the Dowager Countess.

[Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2019-09-17/downton-abbey-maggie-smith-review)

## The i Paper — Geoffrey Macnab

Rating ★★★★. 9 September 2019. 

Macnab finds the film contrived but enjoyable, with its kitsch and snobbery part of the appeal. He particularly praises Maggie Smith’s impeccable comic timing and the sumptuous production values.

[Read the review](https://inews.co.uk/culture/downton-abbey-movie-review-premiere-film-release-date-336503)

## IndieWire — Hanh Nguyen

Rating B. 9 September 2019. 

Nguyen finds the film a satisfying, lavish return to the world of Downton Abbey and a fitting farewell for its characters. She especially praises its sumptuous visual details and warm nostalgia, while noting that plot takes a back seat to spending time with familiar characters.

[Read the review](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/downton-abbey-movie-review-julian-fellowes-focus-features-1202172129/)

## The Hollywood Reporter — Leslie Felperin

Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 9 September 2019. 

Felperin finds the film satisfyingly sumptuous, though its many plotlines can make it feel like an extra-long episode. She particularly praises the costumes and finery, which make striking use of the big screen.

[Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/downton-abbey-review-1238184/)

## Film Comment — Michael Sragow

Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 

The standfirst suggests the film succeeds in recreating the series’ charms. It singles out its upstairs-downstairs appeal, though the full review is not visible.

[Read the review](https://www.filmcomment.com/deep-focus-downton-abbey/)

## Screen Daily — Wendy Ide

Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 10 September 2019. 

The standfirst suggests an amused, positive verdict. It singles out Maggie Smith’s sharply delivered one-liners and oversized hat.

[Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/downton-abbey-review/5142587.article)

## The AV Club — Caroline Siede

Rating B-. 10 September 2019. 

Siede finds the film charming comfort food for fans, but says it lacks a complete story and satisfying finale. She praises Maggie Smith’s sharp one-liners and emotional pathos, and singles out Thomas Barrow’s subplot as especially compelling.

[Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/the-downton-abbey-movie-is-as-pleasant-as-a-cozy-cup-of-1837999771)

## The New York Times

Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). 

The provided page does not reveal the critic’s verdict. It also does not show what the review singles out for praise or complaint.

[Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/18/movies/downton-abbey-review.html)

## Slant Magazine — Ed Gonzalez

Rating 2.5/4. 9 September 2019. 

Gonzalez finds the film wearying, with a season’s worth of incidents crowded into two hours. He praises the servants’ battle over the right to cook for the royals as evocative and a sharp portrait of class divisions.

[Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/review-downton-abbey-excites-only-as-a-chronicle-of-a-downstairs-class-war/)

## Evening Standard — David Sexton

Rating 3/5. 13 September 2019. 

Sexton finds the film a comforting continuation of the series, with its conventional plotting and class system left reassuringly intact. He singles out the plot devices as feeble, though their weakness suits the film’s gentle, jolly tone.

[Read the review](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/downton-abbey-review-traditions-remain-untroubled-by-plot-twists-a4235751.html)

## Time Out — Phil de Semlyen

Rating 3/5. 5 September 2019. 

The reviewer says the film is a dream big-screen adaptation for Downton fans, though casual viewers may get lost. The politeness and intricate social world are a hurdle for newcomers.

[Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/downton-abbey)

## Empire — Helen O'Hara

Fi1m's normalised score 55/100 (inferred from the text). 10 September 2019. 

O’Hara finds the film charming for established fans but too gentle and insular to draw in newcomers. She singles out Maggie Smith’s acerbic wit as a delight, while noting the story’s low stakes and dated class outlook.

[Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/downton-abbey/)

## Sight and Sound — Kate Stables

Fi1m's normalised score 50/100 (inferred from the text). 16 September 2019. 

Stables finds the film comforting and sumptuous, but judges its plot too slight to sustain a feature. She praises the glowing visuals and Maggie Smith’s zingers, while noting the film’s reassuring nostalgia sidesteps the period’s social conflicts.

[Read the review](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/downton-abbey-review-big-screen-crawleys-serve-trifle-our-present-nerves)

## The Guardian — Simran Hans

Fi1m's normalised score 40/100 (inferred from the text). 15 September 2019. 

Hans finds the film mostly harmless but argues its episodic rhythm makes it feel like an extended television special rather than a cinematic outing. She praises the familiar comforts of the returning characters, especially Maggie Smith’s withering asides.

[Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2019/sep/15/downton-abbey-film-review-hugh-bonneville-maggie-smith)

## The New Yorker

Fi1m's normalised score 35/100 (inferred from the text). 

The capsule is skeptical, suggesting the film risks resembling a parody of *Gosford Park*. It singles out the crowded cast, whose members jostle for dramatic prominence.

[Read the review](https://www.newyorker.com/goings-on-about-town/movies/downton-abbey)

## Variety — Daniel D'Addario

Fi1m's normalised score 35/100 (inferred from the text). 9 September 2019. 

The critic finds the film too slight and conservative, though it remains appealing enough for devoted fans. He praises Mary’s unchanged insouciance and the cozy village moments, while faulting the thin plot and lack of character depth.

[Read the review](https://variety.com/2019/film/reviews/downton-abbey-movie-review-1203329044/)

## Radio Times — Eleanor Bley Griffiths

Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 10 September 2019. 

The review calls the film a disappointing nostalgia trip. It faults the predictable drama and its low-stakes storyline.

[Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movies/downton-abbey-movie-review/)

## Paste — Allison Keene

Rating 9.0. 19 September 2019. 

Keene finds the film a joyous, satisfying reunion that is familiar but immensely entertaining. She especially praises the returning cast’s witty exchanges and the film’s lavish costuming, while noting its indulgent nostalgia and class politics.

[Read the review](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/downton-abbey/downton-abbey-movie-review)

## Consequence — Allison Shoemaker

Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 21 September 2019. 

The critic finds the film rushed and slight but ultimately a treat for viewers returning to Downton. She especially praises the cast’s performances and the film’s gorgeous visual design.

[Read the review](https://consequence.net/2019/09/film-review-downton-abbey/)

## Den of Geek — Louisa Mellor

Rating 3/5. 16 September 2019. 

Mellor finds the film a frothy, entertaining victory lap, though it drags and turns mawkish near the end. She praises its lavish visual celebration of costumes, interiors, and the work of running the estate.

[Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/downton-abbey-movie-review-maggie-smith/)

## The Wrap — Alonso Duralde

Fi1m's normalised score 55/100 (inferred from the text). 18 September 2019. 

The critic finds the film cozy and lovingly detailed, but overstuffed with characters and indulgent toward the aristocracy. The meticulous period detail is praised, while the crowded plotting weakens the emotional impact.

[Read the review](https://www.thewrap.com/downton-abbey-film-review-2019-maggie-smith-movie/)

## Eye for Film — Jennie Kermode

Fi1m's normalised score 15/100 (inferred from the text). 9 December 2019. 

Kermode finds the film visually disappointing and dramatically flimsy, calling it a poor send-off for the series. She particularly criticizes the washed-out cinematography and choppy editing, despite praising the costumes.

[Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/downton-abbey-2019-film-review-by-jennie-kermode)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/downton-abbey-2019.md