A Look at Fackham Hall – This Rapid-Fire, Funny Takeoff on Downton That's Refreshingly Lightweight.

Perhaps the sense of uncertain days pervading: after years of inactivity, the comedic send-up is enjoying a comeback. This summer witnessed the re-emergence of this lighthearted genre, which, at its best, lampoons the self-importance of pompously earnest dramas with a barrage of exaggerated stereotypes, physical comedy, and stupid-clever puns.

Unserious times, it seems, create an appetite for knowingly unserious, gag-packed, pleasantly insubstantial entertainment.

The Newest Entry in This Goofy Trend

The latest of these goofy parodies comes in the form of Fackham Hall, a parody of Downton Abbey that pokes fun at the easily mockable self-importance of gilded UK historical series. Penned in part by British-Irish comedian Jimmy Carr and helmed by Jim O'Hanlon, the film finds ample of inspiration to work with and uses all of it.

Opening on a ridiculous beginning and culminating in a preposterous conclusion, this amusing upper-class adventure crams each of its runtime with gags and sketches ranging from the juvenile all the way to the authentically hilarious.

A Send-Up of Upstairs, Downstairs

In the vein of Downton, Fackham Hall offers a spoof of very self-important aristocrats and very obsequious help. The narrative centers on the feckless Lord Davenport (played by a delightfully mannered Damian Lewis) and his literature-hating wife, Lady Davenport (Katherine Waterston). After losing their male heirs in various tragic accidents, their aspirations now rest on marrying off their daughters.

The junior daughter, Poppy (Emma Laird), has achieved the dynastic aim of betrothal to the right kinsman, Archibald (an impeccably slimy Tom Felton). But after she backs out, the onus transfers to the unattached elder sister, Rose (Thomasin McKenzie), described as a spinster at 23 and who harbors dangerously modern ideas regarding a woman's own mind.

Where the Laughs Lands Most Effectively

The spoof is significantly more successful when satirizing the oppressive norms placed on pre-war females – a subject frequently explored for self-serious drama. The trope of idealized femininity offers the best comic targets.

The storyline, as befitting an intentionally ridiculous spoof, is secondary to the bits. Carr serves them up maintaining a consistently comedic rate. The film features a killing, a farcical probe, and a star-crossed attraction between the plucky pickpocket Eric Noone (Ben Radcliffe) and Rose.

A Note on Pure Silliness

The entire affair is in lighthearted fun, however, this approach imposes restrictions. The amplified absurdity of a spoof might grate over time, and the entertainment value on this particular variety runs out at the intersection of a skit and a full-length film.

At a certain point, audiences could long to go back to the world of (at least a modicum of) reason. Nevertheless, you have to respect a genuine dedication to the craft. In an age where we might to distract ourselves to death, let's at least laugh at it.