A Look at Fackham Hall – A Fast-Paced, Humorous Parody of Downton Abbey Which Is Pleasantly Ephemeral.
It could be the notion of uncertain days around us: subsequent to a lengthy span of quiet, the parody is making a comeback. This summer saw the revival of this lighthearted genre, which, at its best, skewers the grandiosity of excessively solemn genre with a torrent of exaggerated stereotypes, sight gags, and ridiculously smart wordplay.
Unserious times, it seems, give rise to knowingly unserious, gag-packed, welcome light amusement.
A Recent Offering in This Goofy Resurgence
The newest of these silly send-ups comes in the form of Fackham Hall, a takeoff on the British period drama that pokes fun at the highly satirizable airs of opulent UK historical series. The screenplay comes from UK-Irish comic Jimmy Carr and helmed by Jim O'Hanlon, the feature finds ample of material to mine and wastes none of it.
Starting with a ludicrous start and culminating in a ludicrous finish, this enjoyable silver-spoon romp crams every one of its 97 minutes with jokes and bits ranging from the juvenile all the way to the genuinely funny.
A Send-Up of The Gentry and Staff
Much like Downton, Fackham Hall offers a pastiche of very self-important aristocrats and very obsequious servants. The narrative revolves around the hapless Lord Davenport (portrayed by a delightfully mannered Damian Lewis) and his book-averse wife, Lady Davenport (Katherine Waterston). Following the loss of their children in various calamitous events, their hopes now rest on securing unions for their offspring.
The younger daughter, Poppy (Emma Laird), has achieved the dynastic aim of an engagement to the suitable kinsman, Archibald (an impeccably slimy Tom Felton). However once she backs out, the pressure falls upon the unmarried elder sister, Rose (Thomasin McKenzie), who is a "dried-up husk of a woman" and and possesses unladylike notions concerning female autonomy.
Where the Laughs Works Best
The film is significantly more successful when satirizing the stifling expectations imposed on Edwardian-era ladies – a subject frequently explored for earnest storytelling. The archetype of idealized womanhood supplies the best comic targets.
The narrative thread, as is fitting for a deliberately silly spoof, is of lesser importance to the bits. The co-writer serves them up maintaining a pleasantly funny clip. There is a homicide, a bungled inquiry, and an illicit love affair involving the roguish street urchin Eric Noone (Ben Radcliffe) and Rose.
A Note on Pure Silliness
The entire affair is for harmless amusement, however, this approach comes with constraints. The heightened absurdity of a spoof can wear over time, and the entertainment value for this specific type diminishes somewhere between a skit and a full-length film.
At a certain point, one may desire to retreat to stories with (at least a modicum of) logic. Yet, you have to respect a genuine dedication to the craft. In an age where we might to distract ourselves relentlessly, let's at least find the humor in it.
