Fri Dec 19 14:30:00 UTC 2025: Summary:

“Fackham Hall,” a new comedy film set to release on December 5th from Bleecker Street, stars Thomasin McKenzie, Ben Radcliffe, Tom Felton, Damian Lewis, and Katherine Waterston. Intended as a spoof in the style of “Airplane!” targeting British period pieces like “Downton Abbey,” the film’s script, written by Jimmy Carr and others, is reportedly uneven, with many jokes falling flat and even borrowing from “Four Weddings and a Funeral.” While the cast, particularly McKenzie and Radcliffe, do their best, director Jim O’Hanlon struggles to elevate the weak material. The film is being compared unfavorably to low-energy spoofs and is ultimately a disappointment, with infrequent laughs.

News Article:

Star-Studded “Fackham Hall” Misses the Mark as a “Downton Abbey” Spoof

NEW YORK, NY – “Fackham Hall,” the highly anticipated comedy spoof starring Thomasin McKenzie, Ben Radcliffe, Tom Felton, Damian Lewis, and Katherine Waterston, is set to hit theaters December 5th. However, early reviews suggest the film, intended to satirize British period dramas like “Downton Abbey,” fails to deliver consistent laughs.

The movie, written by comedian Jimmy Carr and a team of writers, follows a porter’s romantic entanglement with the daughter of a prominent British family amidst the chaos of a disastrous wedding. Despite a promising cast and a premise ripe for parody, the script has been criticized for its inconsistent humor, with jokes described as “dull, trite, or beaten into the ground.” Some critics have even noted similarities to jokes from the classic film “Four Weddings and a Funeral.”

While McKenzie and Radcliffe are praised for their performances, the direction of Jim O’Hanlon, known for his work on shows like “Catastrophe,” struggles to overcome the weak script. Early indicators see the movie achieving 60 out of 100. Ultimately, “Fackham Hall” is being compared to the lesser spoofs that followed “Scary Movie’s” initial success, leaving audiences with infrequent moments of laughter amid a sea of missed opportunities.

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