Review of Gosford Park (2001) by Jeffrey M — 20 Jul 2013

In what can be described as Clue meets Downton Abbey, director Robert Altman manages to weave a large and talented ensemble cast through a complex plot, doing so while keeping a cohesive narrative.

The result is something quite notable, a smart drama that has richly defined characters, with a witty sense of humor and acute social commentary.

Gosford Park is, above all, a highly skilled period piece. Everything from the dialogue, personalities, and set-design perfectly embodies early 1930s England. The class system depicted, right on the precipice of massive change, is keenly observed, with the antiquated air of British aristocracy still being ever so slightly kept alive.

The script of Gosford Park takes a large cast, and sets them within a mystery that has so many different facets, one never knows what will happen. It does this while creating very subtle relationships and inter-dynamics between the characters, we get a very broad view of the issues going on. This creates a film that is fascinating to watch just for its very essence, not just in service of the plot. The cast itself is immensely talented, with such reliable greats as Helen Mirren, Clive Own, and Maggie Smith. Each performance is excellent, with the sense of intrigue being kept alive in every scene.

The Altman's direction further showcases his great talents. The way he structures the scenes and frames the shots, everything is done to great effect and after obvious thought. The film is nearly entirely dialogue driven, yet never boring, and lengthy at almost 2.5 hours, yet it never feels slow.

Overall Gosford Park is a quite intriguing period piece, filled with great performances, smart writing, and intelligent humor.

4/5 Stars.