Fackham Hall – A Rapid-Fire, Witty Downton Abbey Spoof Which Is Pleasantly Lightweight.

It could be the notion of uncertain days around us: after years of inactivity, the spoof is enjoying a resurgence. The past few months saw the revival of this unserious film style, which, in its finest form, lampoons the grandiosity of pompously earnest dramas with a flood of heightened tropes, physical comedy, and stupid-clever puns.

Unserious eras, so it goes, create an appetite for knowingly unserious, gag-packed, welcome light amusement.

A Recent Entry in This Absurd Resurgence

The newest of these absurd spoofs arrives as Fackham Hall, a Downton Abbey spoof that pokes fun at the easily mockable airs of gilded English costume epics. Penned in part by stand-up performer Jimmy Carr and helmed by Jim O'Hanlon, the feature finds ample of material to draw from and exploits every bit of it.

From a absurd opening to a preposterous conclusion, this entertaining aristocratic caper fills all of its runtime with jokes and bits ranging from the puerile all the way to the genuinely funny.

A Pastiche of Upstairs, Downstairs

Similar to Downton, Fackham Hall presents a spoof of overly dignified aristocrats and excessively servile staff. The plot revolves around the incompetent Lord Davenport (brought to life by an enjoyably affected Damian Lewis) and his literature-hating wife, Lady Davenport (Katherine Waterston). Having lost their male heirs in a series of tragic accidents, their plans now rest on marrying off their daughters.

The junior daughter, Poppy (Emma Laird), has secured the dynastic aim of a promise to marry the right close relative, Archibald (an impeccably slimy Tom Felton). Yet when she pulls out, the pressure falls upon the unattached elder sister, Rose (Thomasin McKenzie), who is a spinster of a woman" and and possesses radically progressive ideas about women's independence.

The Film's Comedy Succeeds

The film fares much better when satirizing the suffocating expectations forced upon Edwardian-era women – an area typically treated for earnest storytelling. The archetype of idealized ladylike behavior offers the most fertile punching bags.

The storyline, as one would expect from a purposefully absurd send-up, is secondary to the jokes. The co-writer keeps them maintaining a pleasantly funny pace. The film features a killing, a bungled inquiry, and a forbidden romance between the roguish pickpocket Eric Noone (Ben Radcliffe) and Rose.

The Constraints of Pure Silliness

The entire affair is in lighthearted fun, but that very quality imposes restrictions. The dialed-up absurdity inherent to parody can wear after a while, and the entertainment value for this specific type runs out somewhere between sketch and feature.

After a while, one may desire to retreat to a realm of (at least a modicum of) logic. Nevertheless, it's necessary to admire a genuine dedication to the craft. Given that we are to amuse ourselves relentlessly, we might as well see the funny side.