A Look at Fackham Hall – A Fast-Paced, Witty Parody of Downton Abbey That's Pleasantly Throwaway.

Maybe the sense of an ending era in the air: after years of dormancy, the spoof is making a resurgence. The recent season saw the rebirth of this playful category, which, in its finest form, lampoons the self-importance of excessively solemn dramas with a flood of pitched clichés, physical comedy, and stupid-clever puns.

Playful times, apparently, give rise to deliberately shallow, joke-dense, refreshingly shallow amusement.

The Latest Entry in This Silly Resurgence

The latest of these goofy parodies arrives as Fackham Hall, a Downton Abbey spoof that jabs at the highly satirizable self-importance of gilded UK historical series. Co-written by British-Irish comedian Jimmy Carr and overseen by Jim O'Hanlon, the feature has a wealth of inspiration to work with and exploits every bit of it.

From a ridiculous beginning and culminating in a outrageous finale, this amusing aristocratic caper crams each of its runtime with gags and sketches ranging from the juvenile up to the authentically hilarious.

A Send-Up of Upstairs, Downstairs

Similar to Downton, Fackham Hall delivers a caricature of extremely pompous the nobility and excessively servile help. The plot centers on the hapless Lord Davenport (portrayed by an enjoyably affected Damian Lewis) and his literature-hating wife, Lady Davenport (Katherine Waterston). Following the loss of their children in various tragic accidents, their hopes fall upon finding matches for their two girls.

One daughter, Poppy (Emma Laird), has accomplished the dynastic aim of an engagement to the appropriate close relative, Archibald (a perfectly smarmy Tom Felton). However after she withdraws, the onus transfers to the single elder sister, Rose (Thomasin McKenzie), described as a spinster of a woman" and and holds radically progressive beliefs regarding a woman's own mind.

Where the Laughs Lands Most Effectively

The film fares much better when satirizing the oppressive norms forced upon Edwardian-era ladies – a topic frequently explored for self-serious drama. The stereotype of proper, coveted womanhood supplies the best punching bags.

The plot, as one would expect from an intentionally ridiculous send-up, is of lesser importance to the bits. The writer keeps them coming at a pleasantly funny rate. Included is a homicide, an incompetent investigation, and an illicit love affair involving the charming street urchin Eric Noone (Ben Radcliffe) and Rose.

Limitations and Lighthearted Fun

Everything is in the spirit of playful comedy, however, this approach has limitations. The dialed-up absurdity characteristic of the genre can wear after a while, and the mileage on this particular variety diminishes at the intersection of sketch and a full-length film.

After a while, one may desire to return to the world of (very slight) logic. Yet, you have to applaud a genuine dedication to this type of comedy. In an age where we might to distract ourselves to death, let's at least see the funny side.