Tired of chaos, especially the present kind that comes in sheep’s clothes called ‘social distancing’ and looks like nothing then wears like boredom verging on depression, or mono, I reached for the comfort of merry old class-full England in Downton Abbey the movie, warming and innocuously sweet as tea and jam; I was not entirely disappointed. I never watched Downton Abbey when it was on TV (my mom and aunt and ... did), it seemed gossipy and boring, and the movie was, gossipy and boring! BUT the landscapes were painterly; beautiful, the costumes and customs were curious, the petty squabbles and common concerns of all involved were relatable in a matronly sort of way and the performances were easy, charming as the actors put on the old roles like a comfy pair of threadbare socks; all in all I felt far from right here and right now which was just the kind of entertainment I wanted.
