Tag Archives: Brendan Coyle

2025 Films, Allen Leech, Brendan Coyle, Dominic West, Drama, Elizabeth McGovern, Historical Drama, Hugh Bonneville, Jim Parsons, Joanne Froggatt, Julian Fellowes, Laura Carmichael, Lesley Nicol, Michelle Dockery, Paul Giamatti, Penelope Wilton, Period Drama, Phyllis Logan, Robert James-Collier, Simon Curtis, Sophie McShera

Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale

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Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale

Director Simon Curtis

Starring Michelle Dockery, Hugh Bonneville, Elizabeth McGovern

Scott’s Review #1,535

Reviewed June 11, 2026

Grade: B

Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale (2025) is like comfort television set on a big screen.

The third in a planned film trilogy based on the popular television series that ran from 2010 to 2015, the film is satisfying while remaining safe and warm.

It concludes in the early 1930s, nearly a generation after the series debuted in 1912.

From a historical perspective, it’s compelling to see how world events progressed from the sinking of the Titanic when the series began to the begrudging acceptance of a divorced woman as the head of a household in the 1930s.

Separating an evaluation of the television series itself, and honing in on the three films, The Grande Finale ends at just the right time, feeling ever so stale at this point.

The absence of Maggie Smith as the Dowager Countess of Grantham is noticed, as her trademark wit and bitchiness cannot be replaced by any other character.

Let’s hope that creator Julian Fellows doesn’t go down the path that the slasher franchise Friday the 13th did in the 1980s and birth Downton Abbey: A New Beginning.

In this installment, the Crawley family and their staff enter the 1930s with the typical trials, tribulations, scandals, and drama they have overcome.

When Mary (Michelle Dockery) finds herself at the center of a public scandal over her divorce, the family also faces financial trouble, the threat of losing everything, and social disgrace.

The Crawleys must embrace change as the staff prepares for a new chapter with the next generation leading Downton Abbey into the future, which is at the heart of the finale.

The storylines, though modernized for the times, follow a familiar pattern, which is comforting for audiences. The soothing, methodical pace, lovely musical score, and familiar characters we have come to know and love over the years all return.

Even though there are problems for the Crawleys to tackle, nothing too heavy or startling emerges, maintaining a safe bubble for viewers to nestle in, keeping their security blanket intact.

Of course, lead actors like Dockery, Hugh Bonneville, and Elizabeth McGovern, joined by Paul Giamatti, are given the meaty storylines since they best represent the Crawley family.

Dockery as Mary, frequently known as being uptight, loosens up a bit amid her scandalous divorce, even giving in to desire and having a steamy one-night stand with a handsome stranger.

Meanwhile, Robert and Cora (Bonneville and McGovern) must grapple with the 1929 Wall Street stock market crash and the subsequent Great Depression.

The real-life world events the fictional stories are based on make the events more interesting than if writers had invented them.

A major positive is that nearly every character in the ensemble is given something to do, even if it’s only a crumb or two to chomp on.

For example, Carson (Jim Parsons) copes with retirement, while the cook, Mrs. Patmore (Lesley Nicol), embraces it and hands the reins to the young assistant, Daisy (Sophie McShera).

Popular couple John (Brendan Coyle) and Anna (Joanne Froggatt) Bates, eternally loyal to Robert and Mary, have a touching send-off.

Finally, the same-sex romance between Guy Dexter (Dominic West) and Thomas, a former butler at Downton Abbey (Robert James Collier), is explored as the men slowly become more comfortable admitting their relationship to friends.

Still taboo, the notion shows the progress that has occurred in the world over the decades.

The film ends perfectly, a wonderful tribute seen through Mary’s eyes as she takes over the Crawley estate. She sees those deceased family members she was once close to as she ponders the vast estate and the years gone by.

Violet, Matthew Crawley, and Lady Sybil Crawley all appear in archival cameos, making for a sweet and teary wrap-up.

Amid the comfort factor, the film doesn’t offer much that is new or different from the other installments. The new storylines aren’t particularly dangerous, and it’s clear things will be wrapped up in short order.

As nice as Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale (2026) is, let’s hope it truly is the finale. There’s something to be said about going out on top before the gas runs out of the tank.

1997 Films, Action, Brendan Coyle, Gerard Butler, Hugh Bonneville, James Bond, Joe Don Baker, Jonathan Pryce, Judi Dench, Michelle Yeoh, Pierce Brosnan, Roger Spottiswoode

Tomorrow Never Dies-1997

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Tomorrow Never Dies-1997

Director Roger Spottiswoode

Starring Pierce Brosnan, Michelle Yeoh, Jonathan Pryce

Scott’s Review #1,394

Reviewed August 28, 2023

Grade: B

Pierce Brosnan made four appearances as the legendary film character, James Bond. While he gets a marginal thumbs up as a whole and is not my favorite Bond he has the ‘look’ and suave charisma.

This works in his favor and makes him purely believable with every ridiculous one-liner or flat dialogue.

Tomorrow Never Dies (1997) is the second chapter in the Brosnan book and is only marginally superior to GoldenEye made two years earlier in 1995. All bets are that the two subsequent Bond films starring Brosnan nosedive quickly.

All good Bond films must contain specific qualities like a good villain, a sexy yet strong ‘Bond girl’, dazzling stunts and chase scenes, a memorable theme song, and more than one exotic locale.

It’s just what the blueprint is and must never be broken.

Therefore, Tomorrow Never Dies feels more like the producers, and director, Roger Spottiswoode, and writer, Bruce Feirstein sought a check box checking off exercise rather than creating anything brilliant or memorable.

I deem this film rather ordinary. Not bad but not superior either falling middle of the road when compared to other Bond franchise films.

Media mogul Elliot Carver, played completely over the top by actor Jonathan Pryce wants his news empire to reach every country on the globe, but the Chinese government will not allow him to broadcast there.

Carver then decides to use his media empire to wreak war between the Western world and China. Thankfully, James Bond (Brosnan) is on the job and travels to China to stop him with the help of Chinese secret agent Wai Lin (Michelle Yeoh).

Anyone who knows a Bond film knows that the plot is secondary to the aforementioned necessary characteristics. The story either got too complicated as the film progressed or I lost interest because at some point all I recollect was a news media tycoon wanting to start World War III over television ratings.

Yeoh is an exceptional ‘Bond girl’ though the dose of progressivism, diversity, and female empowerment she brings to the table makes the term beneath her. Her charisma, and martial arts chops, make her a kick-ass rival though she naturally ends up head over heels for Bond.

Still, the lengthy scenes between Yeoh and Brosnan do contain strong chemistry as they decimate the bad guys and save the world together.

I expected a bit more from Teri Hatcher’s character of Paris Carver, a former girlfriend of Bond who is now Carver’s trophy wife. The setup was superior and the love triangle could have gone further than killing off her character after just a couple of scenes.

As great as an actor as Pryce is it’s tough to believe he’s the same actor who made films like Two Popes (2019) and The Wife (2017) so good. He turns Elliot into a caricature dead set on controlling the world proving that an actor can’t always bring a mediocre script to life.

Tomorrow Never Dies brings the viewers to lavish locations like Bangkok, China, Hamburg, Germany, and in and around London. The tone has a definitively Asian feel which works like You Only Live Twice did in 1967.

Finally, the title theme song and opening performed by Sheryl Crow is abysmal but oddly sounds much better in the version that plays over the ending credits.

I marginally recommend Tomorrow Never Dies (1997) mostly for those in the Brosnan camp which I am aware there are many.  Its best quality lies in the level of equality between Bond and the main female character Wai Lin which is another proof of how relevant the franchise remains.

2022 Films, Allen Leech, Brendan Coyle, Dominic West, Drama, Elizabeth McGovern, Hugh Bonneville, Imelda Staunton, Jim Carter, Joanne Froggatt, Laura Carmichael, Lesley Nicol, Maggie Smith, Michelle Dockery, Penelope Wilton, Period Drama, Phyllis Logan, Robert James-Collier, Simon Curtis, Sophie McShera

Downton Abbey: A New Era-2022

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Downton Abbey: A New Era-2022

Director Simon Curtis

Starring Hugh Bonneville, Michelle Dockery, Maggie Smith

Scott’s Review #1,261

Reviewed May 30, 2022

Grade: B+

Following the success of the 2019 film adaptation of the television series Downton Abbey, which aired on PBS from 2010 to 2015, a sequel was produced. This was unsurprising, given that the fan-favorite was both critically and commercially well-received.

Downton Abbey: A New Era (2022) will undoubtedly please fans of the series and may even attract new audiences who have not yet been exposed to it.

The trials and tribulations of the Crawleys, their friends, and staff are a treat as new situations and drama arise for the group to navigate, discussed over tea and crumpets.

The film is like visiting a cherished friend after a long absence.

Award-winning creator Julian Fellowes is thankfully still involved and was given screenwriting credit. This means that the formula is still the same, and nobody has tried to reinvent the wheel or veer the characters off course.

The year is 1928.

The main action centers around the sudden news that grand dame Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham (Maggie Smith), has inherited a villa in the south of France from a former suitor who has just died. Some of the family must travel to France and figure out the mystery.

Secondly, A film production company requests to use Downton for a silent film. Robert (Hugh Bonneville) and retired butler Mr. Carson (Jim Carter) disapprove. Still, Robert’s eldest daughter and estate manager, Lady Mary Talbot (Michelle Dockery), says the income would cover the cost of replacing Downton’s leaking roof.

The household staff is eager to see the film stars and scrambles to make things as lovely as possible for the incoming actors.

The terrific thing about Downton Abbey: A New Era is that nearly all of the almost thirty principal characters are given some storyline.

Plus, there are a handful of new characters to give screen time to.

Surprisingly, as in Downton Abbey (2019), the main ‘super couple’, servants Anna (Joanne Froggatt) and Bates (Brendan Coyle) are given almost nothing to do. They are seen, but their child is not, and some drama would have been nice. Perhaps a mysterious illness or a malady for the couple to endure?

Maybe next time.

Still, everyone else is represented, and the feeling for viewers is warm and fuzzy.

Below are some highlights.

Robert frets at the possibility that he may be half French and his birth a result of a tryst between Violet and the villa owner. Mary’s absent husband allows for a flirtation to develop between her and a member of the film.

Gay butler Thomas (Robert James-Collier) finds himself pursued by the film’s big star.

Cora (Elizabeth McGovern) keeps a health secret, while a bedridden Violet’s health declines in bed. Newlywed servants Daisy (Sophie McShera) and Andy (Michael Fox) scheme to unite his lonely father with the cook, Mrs. Patmore (Lesley Nicol).

Finally, Miss Baxter (Raquel Cassidy) eagerly awaits a marriage proposal from nervous Mr. Molesley (Kevin Doyle).

In addition, new characters, such as actors Guy Dexter (Dominic West), Myrna Dalgleish (Laura Haddock), and director Jack Barber (Hugh Dancy), are instant fan favorites, immediately connecting with the mainstay characters.

This is ingenious writing that can serve as a valuable lesson for any soap opera writer. Always write new characters by sharing stories with existing ones rather than writing in silos. It works wonders.

The historical relevance of approaching the 1930s is not missed, as ‘talkies’ taking over the film industry meant the kiss of death for most silent film stars.

The popular LGBTQ+ storyline is wonderfully written. A gay man in 1928 was doomed to either a life of hiding or one of loneliness, and one character wisely references a ‘cruel world’ regarding the viewpoint of the lifestyle.

Times were not changing just yet.

I am crossing my fingers that a third Downton Abbey film will be made. The characters and storylines remain vibrant, especially as the timeline progresses into the 1930s and the dire 1940s, when World War II breaks out.

Downton Abbey: A New Era (2022) proves that in the COVID-19 era, a trusted old friend is needed tremendously, even on the silver screen.

2019 Films, Allen Leech, Brendan Coyle, Drama, Elizabeth McGovern, Geraldine James, Historical Drama, Hugh Bonneville, Imelda Staunton, Jim Carter, Joanne Froggatt, Laura Carmichael, Lesley Nicol, Maggie Smith, Michael Engler, Michelle Dockery, Penelope Wilton, Period Drama, Phyllis Logan, Robert James-Collier, Sophie McShera

Downton Abbey-2019

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Downton Abbey-2019

Director Michael Engler

Starring Hugh Bonneville, Michelle Dockery, Maggie Smith

Scott’s Review #947

Reviewed October 16, 2019

Grade: B+

Capitalizing on the tremendous success of the television series, which ended in 2015, Downton Abbey (2019) is a British historical period drama film written by Julian Fellowes, creator and writer of the series.

Beloved fans will devour the film, as the familiar formula and characters are brought to the big screen, giving it an even grander feel.

The film plays more like a two-hour episode arc over reinventing the wheel, but the result is a resounding crowd-pleasing affair with drama, scandals, and a good dose of nostalgia.

The Crawleys and their servants reside in the lavish fictional estate of Downton Abbey during the year 1927, a year and a half after the series ended.

Little has changed, and most of the characters are in similar situations, enjoying their daily lives.

Robert (Hugh Bonneville) and Cora Crawley (Elizabeth McGovern), the Earl and Countess of Grantham, are notified that King George V and Queen Mary will visit their home as part of a royal tour throughout the country.

The family and staff are excited yet skittish as they prepare to ensure the lavish event goes off without a hitch.

Situations arise such as the Downton Abbey servants feuding with the Buckingham Palace staff, Violet Crawley’s (Maggie Smith) dismay at Robert’s cousin Maud (Imelda Staunton) being in attendance, and attempted plot to kill the King which is thwarted by Tom (Allen Leach).

A new job offer for Edith’s (Laura Carmichael) husband, Mary’s (Michelle Dockery) frustration with maintaining the vast estate, and potential romances for several characters, including a scandalous same-sex relationship.

A few contemporary issues are created – among them, women’s rights and the plight of gay men. And though welcome, neither changes the overall blueprint of what the series is about, which is just what the series fans ordered.

Smith is the main attraction as she chews up the scenery with her insults, sarcasm, and blunt honesty. But the best scene, coming late in the film, gives Smith a chance to burst with sentimentality and limit the hamminess for at least one treasured scene.

The costumes and art direction are lovely, with luscious gowns, tuxedos, suits, jackets, hats, and shoes found in every scene.

The sprawling grounds of Downton Abbey and the ravishing interiors are front and center.

The film ventures to the neighboring city of York to offer a more progressive and metropolitan vibe, but each scene looks perfect, which is what fans have come to expect.

Not every character is front and center, but with an unwieldy cast of close to thirty principals, some are destined to accept back-burner status.

Surprisingly, yet agreeably, is the toned-down story for “super-couple” Bates (Brendan Coyle) and Anna (Joanne Froggatt), having enjoyed their share of trials and tribulations during the original run.

Wonderful moments feature supporting characters like Carson (Jim Carter), Thomas (Robert James-Collier), and Molesley (Kevin Doyle), who nearly steals the show with his hysterical fascination with royalty.

The balance and pace of the film are nearly perfect, and every character has at least something to do.

This characteristic has always helped huge ensemble casts succeed, and Fellowes wisely balances humor with drama but avoids tragedy or dark situations, hoping for mainstream success with his move to the big screen, opting to play it safe.

The attempt succeeds as the film adopts the “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” approach.

Downton Abbey (2019) is a splendid winner, primarily due to its impressive production values and costumes.

For fans of the television series, the film is a must-see and offers no more or no less than expected, providing more than enough to please those who want what the popular stories initially offered.

Despite the drama, the film does not feel “soapy” or contrived, and the tender moments may evoke a need for a hankie.

If the writing can remain fresh, I see no reason for another offering not to be green-lit, primarily due to the significant box-office returns.

2018 Films, Brendan Coyle, Drama, Gemma Chan, Guy Pearce, Historical Drama, Ian Hart, Jack Lowden, Joe Alwyn, Josie Rourke, Margot Robbie, Period Drama, Saoirse Ronan

Mary Queen of Scots-2018

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Mary Queen of Scots- 2018

Director Josie Rourke

Starring Saoirse Ronan, Margot Robbie

Scott’s Review #851

Reviewed January 2, 2019

Grade: B+

A period piece with all the trimmings for brilliance (on paper anyway), Mary Queen of Scots (2018) is a very good film, but its pacing misses the mark, preventing it from being a truly great film.

Fantastic acting and wonderful photography are the high points of an otherwise uneven experience, even if most of the components are intact.

This is not so much a total knock as a light critique, as the film is ultimately quite good and just missing the big oomph to take it over the top.

Saoirse Ronan stars as Mary Stuart, the likable Queen of France, who has returned to her native Scotland to reclaim the throne after her husband dies. Only eighteen years of age, she initially refuses pressure to remarry, but conflict ultimately ensues with Queen Elizabeth I (Margot Robbie), who rules neighboring England and Ireland.

The women admire each other from afar but develop a rivalry in power and love. To complicate matters, religious conflict, scandals, and deceit are also present in the story.

The feminist theme is inspiring and makes the film better than merely a soap opera of two rival females sparring over men.

In the mid-sixteenth century, women in control were hardly commonplace and relatively resented by the men forced to serve the “whims of women,” as one male character puts it.

Constantly showcased are males’ attempts at wooing the women in hopes of gaining power and ultimately the throne.

Still, director Josie Rourke (a woman) keeps the power firmly among the women, showing they can be as tough as they are sympathetic.

Furthermore, Mary Queen of Scots continues its progressive agenda with a startling LGBT subplot, which largely enriches Mary’s image.

One young androgynous male friend, presumably a bodyguard, frolics with Mary and other maids and confesses that he feels more like a sister than a brother to her. She accepts him wholeheartedly with an added message of “being your true nature.”

Later, the character suffers a terrible fate that devastates Mary. Regardless of the accuracy, this is a nice addition with an inspiring message.

The acting, particularly among leads Ronan and Robbie, is fantastic. Both young “it” women in Hollywood, the roles of Mary and Elizabeth, showcase their acting talents and chops for handling period piece roles.

Ronan, with flawless pale skin and authentic red locks, is beyond believable as Mary, who exudes strength yet kindness in the role she tackles. She can be stubborn but also fun and light, and Ronan has no trouble making the role her own.

Hot on the heels of playing the trailer trash character of Tonya Harding in I, Tonya (2017), Robbie hits it out of the park and does a one-eighty with the role of Elizabeth. Insecure and barren, afflicted with a skin disorder and a balding head of hair, the actress infuses the character with sensitivity and composure.

Robbie portrays her insecurity and yearning for unconditional love as she wears bawdy wigs and pancake makeup to hide her affliction.

Rourke’s mistake is not including more scenes of Ronan and Robbie together, save for one treasured scene at the end of the film. This is a wasted opportunity, as the treasured actresses could have played off each other’s talents in innumerable ways.

A knock-down, drag-out fight scene would have been a treasure to view.

The male characters do not leave much impact other than perhaps Lord Darnley (Jack Lowden), Mary’s bisexual second husband. As he betrays her on her wedding night with another man, Mary sees little use for him besides producing a child.

The handsome blonde actor adds some pizzazz, but is ultimately unlikable, as are the other similarly written men. Mary’s half-brother and Elizabeth’s advisor (Guy Pearce) are fine but ultimately underdeveloped.

Mary Queen of Scots (2018) is an effort to be commended for its female-driven and pro-LGBT stances. Perhaps unrealistic given the period and questions of historical accuracy looming over the entire film, problems with the production do exist.

The film ebbs and flows with some high moments and some looming blandness, but overall, it is to be respected and thereby recommended.

Oscar Nominations: Best Makeup and Hairstyling, Best Costume Design