Fackham Hall Review – This Fast-Paced, Witty Parody of Downton Abbey Which Is Pleasantly Ephemeral.
Perhaps the notion of an ending era pervading: subsequent to a lengthy span of dormancy, the comedic send-up is making a comeback. The past few months observed the re-emergence of this lighthearted genre, which, in its finest form, mocks the pretensions of overly serious genres with a barrage of heightened tropes, physical comedy, and dumb-brilliant double entendres.
Frivolous times, so it goes, create an appetite for self-awarely frivolous, gag-packed, pleasantly insubstantial fun.
A Recent Entry in This Silly Resurgence
The most recent of these absurd spoofs is Fackham Hall, a Downton Abbey spoof that needles the easily mockable self-importance of gilded UK historical series. The screenplay comes from UK-Irish comic Jimmy Carr and directed by Jim O'Hanlon, the film finds ample of source material to work with and exploits every bit of it.
Starting with a absurd opening and culminating in a ludicrous finish, this entertaining upper-class adventure packs each of its 97 minutes with puns and routines ranging from the juvenile to the genuinely funny.
A Send-Up of The Gentry and Staff
Much like Downton, Fackham Hall delivers a pastiche of overly dignified aristocrats and overly fawning staff. The story revolves around the hapless Lord Davenport (played by an enjoyably affected Damian Lewis) and his anti-reading wife, Lady Davenport (Katherine Waterston). Following the loss of their male heirs in a series of unfortunate mishaps, their hopes now rest on securing unions for their two girls.
The junior daughter, Poppy (Emma Laird), has accomplished the dynastic aim of an engagement to the right close relative, Archibald (an impeccably slimy Tom Felton). Yet after she pulls out, the burden falls upon the unmarried elder sister, Rose (Thomasin McKenzie), considered an old maid already and and possesses dangerously modern ideas regarding female autonomy.
Where the Humor Succeeds
The parody fares much better when joking about the suffocating norms imposed on pre-war women – a topic typically treated for self-serious drama. The stereotype of idealized femininity offers the richest comic targets.
The plot, as befitting a purposefully absurd parody, takes a back seat to the gags. The co-writer keeps them maintaining a consistently comedic clip. Included is a killing, a bungled inquiry, and a star-crossed attraction featuring the plucky thief Eric Noone (Ben Radcliffe) and Rose.
A Note on Frivolous Amusement
The entire affair is in lighthearted fun, but that very quality comes with constraints. The dialed-up silliness characteristic of the genre may tire over time, and the entertainment value on this particular variety diminishes at the intersection of a skit and a full-length film.
At a certain point, you might wish to retreat to stories with (at least a modicum of) reason. Yet, it's necessary to respect a sincere commitment to this type of comedy. Given that we are to distract ourselves to death, let's at least laugh at it.
