It's a stupidly funny, highly entertaining piece of mindless fun that never slows down. We're in amongst the Great Depression of 1931 and the story/plot follows the eccentric, upper-class twit Davenport family! Despite the economic downturn, Lord Humphrey Davenport (Damian Lewis) and Lady Davenport (Katherine Waterston) are determined to maintain their stuck-up lifestyle at their whacking great big Fackham Hall. Get it?!
However, disaster looms. Having tragically lost all four of their sons (hilariously depicted in scrapbook clippings - you have to be quick), the Davenports face imminent eviction and the loss of their estate unless their lineage can be secured. The rule is simple - one of their daughters must marry the next male heir in line - their insufferable cousin Archibald (Tom Felton). Trouble is, neither of them fancies the twit! While the eldest daughter Poppy (Emma Laird) prepares reluctantly for a chaotic wedding, her sister Rose (Thomasin McKenzie) has other ideas. She has fallen hard for Eric Noone (Ben Radcliffe), a streetwise orphan pickpocket who stumbled into a job as a Hall Boy.
Just as things couldn't get any worse, a shocking death occurs on the property. Hidden family secrets come out and poor Eric finds himself framed for the murder and hurled into jail. Rose is now facing a forced marriage to Archibald to save the estate, because Poppy legged it, and the future of Fackham Hall is thrown into complete, hilarious uncertainty.
The film plays out like a Carry On film really, crossed with an murder/mystery. The fact that much of it is predictable doesn't really matter as it's so well delivered. Yes, you'll see the plot twists coming from a mile away, but it won't spoil it. The actors are clearly having great fun with the material and I challenge you not to laugh out loud at times checking out them trying not to!
Damian Lewis is central to the film's success - has he done comedy before? He is hilarious as Lord Davenport, delivering a brilliant performance as the out-of-touch English aristocrat. There's real chemistry between Thomasin McKenzie and Ben Radcliffe as Rose and Eric in amongst a parade of recognisable British actors popping up. Jimmy Carr delivers a hilarious turn as a Vicar with poorly timed speech delivery (a dead ringer for Michael Palin) and Tom Goodman-Hill is brilliantly funny as a bungling police inspector. There is even a wacky subplot featuring Jason Done as J.R.R. Tolkien, packed with Lord of the Rings nods going on, amongst much more.
O'Hanlon directs with a good comic eye, making great use of gorgeous English villages, local pubs and sweeping countryside backdrops. But the real fun is in the background details as the film is packed with those visual gags, so you will want to keep your eyes peeled for hidden jokes in book titles, newspaper headlines and props on the walls (you'll want to watch it twice)! The script balances great satire with low-brow slapstick, dirty jokes and crude innuendos. It heavily channels Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life in its surreal, absurd approach to comedy. While not every single joke lands, enough of them do to keep us cackling away!
So yes, Fackham Hall is tasteful yet delightfully tasteless! While its very specific brand of traditional British humour might miss the mark for some international audiences, we'll have a ball! It is a fast-paced, comforting and genuinely funny watch where the time just flies by. You can see it on a few streaming services now in the UK as I write.
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