Fackham Hall Review – This Fast-Paced, Funny Downton Abbey Spoof Which Is Pleasantly Throwaway.

Perhaps the notion of an ending era pervading: after years of dormancy, the comedic send-up is making a return. The past few months witnessed the revival of this unserious film style, which, when done well, lampoons the grandiosity of overly serious dramas with a flood of exaggerated stereotypes, visual jokes, and ridiculously smart wordplay.

Playful periods, so it goes, beget self-awarely frivolous, joke-dense, welcome light fun.

A Recent Offering in This Silly Wave

The newest of these absurd spoofs comes in the form of Fackham Hall, a Downton Abbey spoof that pokes fun at the very pokeable airs of opulent British period dramas. Penned in part by British-Irish comedian Jimmy Carr and directed by Jim O'Hanlon, the movie has plenty of source material to draw from and exploits every bit of it.

Starting with a ludicrous start to a ludicrous finish, this enjoyable aristocratic caper fills all of its hour and a half with gags and sketches ranging from the childish all the way to the genuinely funny.

A Pastiche of The Gentry and Staff

Similar to Downton, Fackham Hall presents a caricature of overly dignified aristocrats and excessively servile servants. The story revolves around the feckless Lord Davenport (portrayed by a delightfully mannered Damian Lewis) and his book-averse wife, Lady Davenport (Katherine Waterston). After losing their children in various calamitous events, their aspirations fall upon finding matches for their offspring.

The younger daughter, Poppy (Emma Laird), has achieved the dynastic aim of a promise to marry the appropriate first cousin, Archibald (a wonderfully unctuous Tom Felton). However after she withdraws, the onus shifts to the unmarried elder sister, Rose (Thomasin McKenzie), considered an old maid of a woman" and and possesses unladylike beliefs regarding women's independence.

Its Comedy Succeeds

The spoof fares much better when satirizing the oppressive expectations forced upon pre-war females – a subject often mined for earnest storytelling. The stereotype of respectable, enviable womanhood supplies the richest punching bags.

The plot, as befitting a purposefully absurd spoof, is of lesser importance to the gags. The writer serves them up arriving at a pleasantly funny rate. The film features a killing, a bungled inquiry, and an illicit love affair featuring the charming street urchin Eric Noone (Ben Radcliffe) and Rose.

The Constraints of Pure Silliness

The entire affair is in the spirit of playful comedy, but that very quality has limitations. The amplified silliness characteristic of the genre can wear over time, and the comic fuel in this instance runs out at the intersection of sketch and a full-length film.

After a while, you might wish to retreat to stories with (very slight) coherence. Yet, it's necessary to admire a genuine dedication to the artform. Given that we are to amuse ourselves relentlessly, let's at least find the humor in it.