DOWNTON ABBEY: A NEW ERA
Beautiful, lively, and morally complicated period drama for discerning adults.
Should You Watch It?
DOWNTON ABBEY: A NEW ERA is a beautifully made, warmly acted continuation of the popular PBS series. Its English and French countryside scenery is breathtaking, its costumes are beautiful, and its lively dialogue keeps the story moving. The film also affirms remaining faithful in marriage and caring for family and friends.
The concern is not violence or pervasive language. There is no disturbing violence, almost no foul language, and no nudity. But the film presents a strong Romantic worldview that elevates following your dreams and acting on your feelings. It also contains homosexual innuendo and references between two male characters.
If you are an adult who knows the series and can exercise discernment about those ideas, this is worth seeing; it is not a family choice for children or young teens.
The Story
NO SPOILERS — WE KEEP THE SURPRISESIn 1927, Violet Grantham announces that she plans to leave a villa in the South of France to her granddaughter Sybil. Several members of the Downton family travel to investigate the inheritance.
Meanwhile, Downton welcomes a London film crew. When filmmaking technology changes from silent pictures to talking pictures, Lady Mary, the servants, and the filmmakers must adapt quickly. Family secrets, professional uncertainty, and changing times converge at the estate.
Is It Any Good?
Four stars means this is an exceptionally polished and entertaining production. The French and English countryside scenery is breathtaking, and the costumes are beautiful. Julian Fellowes’ script is superbly paced, with amusing, lively dialogue that keeps viewers engaged.
The film’s movie-within-a-movie structure also gives film aficionados an engaging look at how the industry adapted to talking pictures. Fans of the series and its previous movie may have an easier time following the many characters, but the production values and craftsmanship remain stellar.
The Worldview
The film strongly affirms fidelity in marriage and caring for family and friends. It also contains brief Christian elements, including a church wedding performed by a priest and a character proclaiming, “Thank God.” British citizens standing for the national anthem provides light patriotic content.
At the same time, the film has a strong Romantic worldview. It stresses following your dreams and acting on your feelings. It also includes homosexual innuendo and references between two male characters, including language about living “freely” and finding happiness.
The film’s strongest moral emphasis—faithfulness and care for family and friends—aligns with Scripture. Its elevation of personal feelings and desires needs discernment. Scripture calls believers to “walk in love” (Ephesians 5:2), while also directing them to honor God above every personal impulse.
The Content Guide
The specifics — spoilers included by nature — so you can judge for your own family.
Dominant Worldview and Other Worldview Content/Elements
Strong moral worldview refuting infidelity and caring for one’s family and friends with Romantic values such as following your dreams and acting on your feelings, plus some homosexual innuendoes and references where a homosexual man wants to live “freely,” and an actor asks him to move to Hollywood to be his dresser and says it can mean as much or as little as he wants, and the first man’s employer says she hopes he’ll be “as happy as our cruel world allows,” some light Christian elements where a wedding ceremony at a church is performed by a priest, and a character proclaims “Thank God,” and light patriotic moments where British citizens stand for the British National Anthem after a movie plays at a theater
Foul Language
One bloody hell, three light profanities (mainly “My God”) and implied seasickness
Violence
Woman breaks a vase in anger in one scene
Sex
A few married couples kiss in different scenes, a comment about everyone wanting to be with Lady Mary, and some homosexual innuendoes and references
Nudity
No nudity
Alcohol Use
Social and celebratory drinking but no drunkenness
Smoking and/or Drug Use and Abuse
No smoking or drugs,
Miscellaneous Immorality
Secrecy, staged gambling for a movie, and a character calls a doctor a quack.
Talk About It
Questions for the drive home, the dinner table, or the youth group.
The film praises faithfulness in marriage and care for family and friends. What does Scripture say makes faithfulness costly—and beautiful?
Proverbs 3:3–4 · 1 Corinthians 13:4–7The story includes a major change in filmmaking technology. How can we respond wisely when the world around us changes quickly?
Romans 12:2 · James 1:5The film stresses following your dreams and acting on your feelings. When should feelings guide us, and when must God’s Word correct us?
Proverbs 3:5–6 · Psalm 119:105The movie includes a church wedding and references to God. What does it mean for a ceremony or statement about God to be matched by daily faithfulness?
Matthew 7:24–27 · James 1:22The Final Word
DOWNTON ABBEY: A NEW ERA offers gorgeous scenery, beautiful costumes, lively dialogue, and strong themes of fidelity and family. Its Romantic worldview and homosexual innuendo make it a choice for discerning adults, not children or young teens. For the right viewer, it is WORTH THE TRIP — ADULTS ONLY. For family viewing, consider.
