Fackham Hall Review – A Brisk, Funny Downton Abbey Spoof Which Is Pleasantly Ephemeral.

It could be the feeling of uncertain days pervading: after years of dormancy, the spoof is making a resurgence. This summer witnessed the revival of this unserious film style, which, when done well, lampoons the grandiosity of pompously earnest genres with a flood of heightened tropes, physical comedy, and stupid-clever puns.

Unserious times, it seems, beget deliberately shallow, joke-dense, refreshingly shallow amusement.

The Latest Addition in This Goofy Trend

The newest of these absurd spoofs arrives as Fackham Hall, a parody of Downton Abbey that jabs at the highly satirizable pretensions of opulent UK historical series. The screenplay comes from stand-up performer Jimmy Carr and helmed by Jim O'Hanlon, the film finds ample of inspiration to mine and wastes none of it.

From a ridiculous beginning all the way to its outrageous finale, this entertaining silver-spoon romp crams each of its 97 minutes with jokes and bits that vary from the juvenile all the way to the authentically hilarious.

A Send-Up of Upstairs, Downstairs

Much like Downton, Fackham Hall offers a spoof of overly dignified aristocrats and overly fawning staff. The story centers on the hapless Lord Davenport (portrayed by a delightfully mannered Damian Lewis) and his literature-hating wife, Lady Davenport (Katherine Waterston). After losing their children in separate unfortunate mishaps, their plans fall upon marrying off their offspring.

The younger daughter, Poppy (Emma Laird), has accomplished the family goal of an engagement to the right first cousin, Archibald (an impeccably slimy Tom Felton). But when she withdraws, the pressure falls upon the unmarried elder sister, Rose (Thomasin McKenzie), considered a spinster at 23 and and possesses radically progressive beliefs about women's independence.

The Film's Humor Lands Most Effectively

The spoof is significantly more successful when joking about the stifling norms imposed on pre-war women – an area typically treated for earnest storytelling. The trope of respectable, enviable femininity supplies the best punching bags.

The storyline, as befitting an intentionally ridiculous send-up, takes a back seat to the gags. The writer serves them up arriving at an amiably humorous clip. The film features a homicide, a farcical probe, and a star-crossed attraction between the charming thief Eric Noone (Ben Radcliffe) and Rose.

A Note on Pure Silliness

It's all in lighthearted fun, though that itself imposes restrictions. The dialed-up foolishness characteristic of the genre may tire over time, and the entertainment value on this particular variety diminishes at the intersection of a skit and feature.

At a certain point, one may desire to retreat to a realm of (at least a modicum of) coherence. But, you have to applaud a sincere commitment to the craft. Given that we are to amuse ourselves to death, let's at least find the humor in it.