Premium5 British drama movies to watch if you like Downton Abbey
Satiate your pre-Downton Abbey cravings with films like Pride and Prejudice and The Favourite, among others.
Last Updated: 10.41 PM, Apr 04, 2022
It has been three years since we met our beloved Crawley family and their faithful servants with their posh English accents in a drama like no other. After six successful seasons and a movie of the same name, Downton Abbey: A New Era, starring Maggie Smith, Matthew Goode, Michelle Dockery, Hugh Bonneville, among many others, is all set for its big-screen release in April 2022. If you're a fan of all things British, here are five movies like Julian Fellowes' Downton Abbey you can watch.
Pride and Prejudice (Netflix, Google Play Movies and Apple iTunes)
One of the most famous pieces of literature adapted into a series and a movie, Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice gives us extreme Downton Abbey feels. The lower-middle-class Elizabeth Bennet falls for the aristocratic Fitzwilliam Darcy, but their collective egos get in the way of a potentially perfect match. While Colin Firth remains our favourite Mr. Darcy of all time (cue the lake scene), Matthew MacFadyen in the 2005 film wasn't half bad. You'll also love this adaptation if you're a Keira Knightley fan.
Enola Holmes (Netflix)
Although competition and one-upmanship run deep in Downton, every family member is immensely protective of each other. In the movie Enola Holmes, Millie Bobby Brown, who plays the title role, constantly competes with her brothers Sherlock Holmes (Henry Cavill) and Mycroft Holmes (Sam Claflin). However, all three, in one way or another way, would take a bullet for each other. Walking in her brothers' footsteps while fighting a conformist society, Enola starts her own detective career.
Far From the Madding Crowd (Tata Play, Google Play Movies, Apple iTunes and Broadway HD)
Ardent Downton Abbey fans remember the many suitors Lady Mary attracted. Like her, Far from the Madding Crowd's Bathsheba Everdene (Carey Mulligan) also attracts three suitors – the sheep farmer Gabriel Oak (Matthias Schoenaerts), Sergeant Frank Troy (Tom Sturridge) and the neighbourhood bachelor, William Boldwood (Michael Sheen). The headstrong Bathsheba explores her relationships with the three men to find a partner worth her while.
The Personal History of David Copperfield (Amazon Prime Video)
Armando Iannaccui's adaptation of Charles Dickens’ David Copperfield may not resonate with the Crawleys upstairs, but their servants downstairs could surely relate. Set in old England, The Personal History of David Copperfield is a spin on the classic novel David Copperfield and stars Dev Patel in the title role. It is a story about a young orphan fighting obstacles to survive. The closest parallel character we can think of is the Downton maid, Ethel Parks.
The Favourite (Disney+ Hotstar)
If you thought Thomas and Bates in Downton had a rivalry, wait till you watch The Favourite. This movie got Olivia Colman her first Academy Award for Best Actress. The plot follows a frail Queen Anne (Olivia Colman) caught up in a dirty battle between her confidante Sarah (Rachel Weisz) and maid Abigail (Emma Stone).
Ah, Dowager Grantham! You are the gift that keeps on giving!