I actually just finished watching the entire series of Downton Abbey earlier this summer, thanks to my mom having all of the episodes on Blu-Ray. I know, I know, I was very late to the party! However, I'm glad I eventually attended because I find Downton Abbey completely and utterly charming.
Downton Abbey follows the noble Crawley family and all of their servants/staff as they live in Downton Abbey (basically a mini castle) in England. The show starts in 1912 and ends in 1925. Through that time we see the three daughters in the family grow up, we see characters fall in love, face tough choices and loss. We see how World War I affected everyone, lower and upper class alike. We see how everyone struggles with how times change after the war, including the beginning of the end of families living on large estates such as Downtown. The movie picks up with the same characters just 18 months after the series ended, so the year is now 1927.
The movie itself was absolutely enchanting. I really enjoyed seeing the personalities I know and love on the big screen. The writers did an excellent job with a cohesive, coherent story-line, and kept everyone true to their established character. The fun of the story - the King and Queen coming to Downton! - outweighed the slight predictability of some parts (if you know the characters well from watching the show you can see some things coming, but who cares? It was still great!) Just like the show the costuming, sets and acting are all impeccable!
I really can't find much to fault with this movie. If you enjoyed the show I can pretty much guarantee you will enjoy the movie. And if you want to take someone with you who hasn't seen the show, be sure to check out Joel's review to see what he thinks! He has never seen a single episode and still enjoyed the movie. I think that speaks highly of the film!