Earlier this year, as summer waned, moviegoers reacquainted themselves with the satire genre as The Naked Guntook critics and audiences by storm, reminding them that it’s perfectly fun to laugh at the genres we love. Now, as winter approaches, Fackham Hall is set to satirize the historical drama genre — a genre that rarely gives audiences anything to laugh about. More specifically, the raunchy new comedy takes aim at one of the most beloved historical dramas of the decade: Downton Abbey. And the results? Well, Fackham Hall is far more of an acquired taste than its 2025 contemporaries.
Penned by a pentagon of British comedy writers — including the ever-controversial Jimmy Carr — Fackham Hall is at its best when it’s mocking the antiquated British sensibilities that gave Downton Abbey its charm. It pokes fun at the fact that aristocratic cousins often married, and that brides could be easily interchangeable, so long as the wealth remained in the family. The Davenport family motto even makes light of the family’s penchant for incestuous traditions, which never fails to draw a chuckle.
‘Fackham Hall’ Makes the Most of Its Runtime
Fackham Hall has a relatively straightforward plotline, especially for fans of the historical drama genre. Poppy Davenport (EmmaLaird) is set to marry her cousin Archibald (TomFelton), but she is in love with a man from a lower social class. When the nuptials fail, Poppy’s younger sister Rose (ThomasinMcKenzie) is next in line to marry Archibald. Only in the intervening days, she falls head-over-heels in love with a dashing pick-pocket named Eric Noone (BenRadcliffe) who arrives at Fackham Hall with a letter he forgets to deliver. Instead, Eric lands a job with the downstairs staff, and quickly climbs the ranks — giving him ample access to Rose, and positioning him right in the crosshairs to be framed for murder.
Thankfully, at just 97 minutes, Fackham Hall itselfdoesn’t overstay its welcome. The runtime gives the film just enough time to flesh out its tawdry cast of characters, eek a few laughs out of the audience, and wrap up everything in a true Julian Fellowes-style conclusion. When you take away the dreadfully unfunny bits, Fackham Hall is a genuinely delightful movie. Jim O’Hanlon (director of the brilliant 2009 Emma adaptation) understands how to construct a historical drama that resonates with audiences by way of familiarity. With a robust ensemble cast and a lot of moving pieces, O’Hanlon smartly uses a lot of visual shorthand to ensure the Davenports and their ilk endear themselves quickly enough to face love, death, and mayhem and make it all matter to the viewer.
What ensues is a bit of an AgathaChristie mystery, complete with an over-the-top Hercule Poirot knock-off, Detective Watt (Tom Goodman-Hill), who bumbles his way through the whodunit. In between the margins of this by-the-books period drama romance meets murder mystery is where the comedy happens. Some of it is subtle — like a footman walking past the action dressed like a Chippendale (a striptease performer, not a piece of 18th-century furniture). While other elements are far more in-your-face, like a man dressed in a panda costume amongst fashionably dressed guests. Fackham Hall has a few intellectual jokes up its sleeve with a wholly unexpected running bit with J. R. R. Tolkien, but beyond that, it shies away from smarter comedy.
‘Fackham Hall’s Cast Shines Despite Dodgy Jokes
Fackham Hall is a distinctly British comedy. While some of the blink-and-you-miss-it humor in the deep background — a copy of One Shade of Grey; a bell downstairs for the Masturbatorium; and a torn picture of Rose that reads “cock eater” — play well to all audiences, some comedic elements — like a pair of plaques in the church memorializing Willie Stroker and Fanny Stroker — play better to the anglicized. The film skillfully blends situational humor with physical comedy, embracing puns and one-liners all under the guise of a Molière-esque farce. On the other hand, it’s at its absolute worst when it leans into toilet humor. While the cringey lowbrow humor has its rare moment of genuine amusement, most of the juvenile jokes overstay their welcome.
As with Downton Abbey, Fackham Hall is a generational affair. Lord (DamianLewis) and Lady Davenport (KatherineWaterston) are miserable, but utterly dedicated to tradition and maintaining the status quo with their stiff upper lips. Lewis reunites with his A Spy Among Friends co-star Anna Maxwell Martin for a bit of upstairs-downstairs hijinks, which further takes the mick out of the typical period drama tropes.
Despite their prevalence in the trailer, both Lewis and Felton have relatively limited screentime in the actual film. Neither actor is known for comedic roles, and yet they both give memorable and equally delightful performances. Lewis is an aloof lord of the manor who has his valet do everything for him. Quite literally. Whether it’s holding his cigar, shooting his rifle, or tilting his teacup, the valet is always just behind Lord Davenport with his arms tucked under his armpits. It’s a very funny bit. While Archibald is no cousin Matthew, he’s given a lot of opportunity to indulge less overt comedy, which is far more palatable than some of the more garish attempts at humor throughout the film.
Romance Redeems ‘Fackham Hall’s Worst Qualities
Where Fackham Hall falls short with some of its humor, it makes up for it with its central plotline. The blossoming romance between Rose and Eric stays true to the period drama formula, and the chemistry between Radcliffe and McKenzie is believable enough to sell that they are star-crossed lovers. The way Fackham Hall pokes fun at some of the tropes connected to upstairs-downstairs romances in series like Downton Abbey is quite entertaining, particularly when Eric takes Rose on an adventure to see what life is like on the other side of the gilded gates of the manor. There’s a fun musical number that takes aim at bawdy pub songs, which proves to be one of the highlights of the film, if only because it’s so delightfully nonsensical, and doesn’t overdo the bit. It’s easy enough to roll your eyes and groan at the film’s juvenile humor when the romance is so well-crafted.
Fackham Hall holds its own as the first of its kind — and carves out a brand-new niche in the satire landscape. No one has been brave enough to take on Downton Abbey (outside of SNL), and Fackham Hall sets a high standard for subsequent period drama satires. With the volume off, Fackham Hall looks like a brand-new historical drama to swoon over, with no expense spared on the production, but with the volume on, it’s a period drama that frat boys might actually be interested in.
Fackham Hall comes to theaters on December 5.
Fackham Hall
A Downton Abbey parody for frat boys.
- Release Date
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December 5, 2025
- Director
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Jim O’Hanlon
- Writers
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Jimmy Carr, Patrick Carr, Steve Dawson, Tim Inman, Andrew Dawson
- Jim O’Hanlon remains steadfast in his ability to craft a compelling period drama with dynamics that audiences are rooting for.
- Ben Radcliffe is a revelation as Eric, showing promise as a newcomer to the genre.
- Fackham Hall’s best jokes are the ones that don’t overstay their welcome, and lean more into a higher caliber of comedy.
- The romance and mystery are quite fun.
- Jimmy Carr’s unique brand of comedy fails to serve Fackham Hall’s setting, despite him giving a fun performance as the priest.
- Fackham Hall relies too heavily on juvenile jokes and toilet humor, which taints the genuinely funny moments.
- Some bits are a bit repetitive, and at a certain point they become contrived and annoying.
