Fackham Hall Review: One Of The Funniest Comedies Of The Year

PLOT: A new porter forms an odd bond with the youngest daughter of a well-known UK family. As the Davenport family, headed by Lord and Lady Davenport, deals with the epic disaster of the wedding of their eldest daughter to her caddish cousin.

REVIEW: There’s really nothing quite like a good comedy, and it seems like we rarely get one in the modern era. Often relegated to streaming, they may be good for one or two chuckles, but rarely do they provide consistent laughs. It doesn’t help that theaters just don’t seem to be showing them, which takes away from that communal experience of laughing with an audience. I’m happy to report that Fackham Hall is the funniest movie I’ve seen this decade, and one you definitely want to make sure you check out in theaters.

Fackham Hall follows the Davenport family during the wedding of their eldest daughter. There are all sorts of hijinks that ensue, and we’re treated to a large ensemble of endlessly funny characters. Thomasin McKenzie‘s Rose and Ben Radcliffe‘s Eric get a lot of the story’s focus, and they have a very fun dynamic together. Damian Lewis and Katherine Waterston‘s Lord and Lady Davenport contrast each other in such a fun way, and completely embody the heads of the family that we often see in more serious period pieces. Tom Felton‘s Archibald plays into the villainous quality that we’re used to seeing from the actor, but he falls more into the silly oaf category versus someone who’s outright evil. Honestly, the whole cast is spectacular and nearly everyone gets a moment to shine.

There are times when Fackham Hall feels like two movies: one a period set drama with beautiful sets and wardrobe, and the other a complete farce where everything is there for a joke. I think this is why the comedy lands so hard, because the authenticity of the time period makes the absurdity going on within it feel even more outlandish. There may be a serious moment happening in the foreground, and something completely insane is going on behind them, without any acknowledgement whatsoever. They also do a great job of playing off standard tropes from more serious films set during this time. There are even some connections to modern-day items such as Siri and Alexa, and it just adds to the over-the-top nature of it all.

One of the funniest bits in the film is when Jimmy Carr doesn’t know how to properly read and mixes up when sentences should end, resulting in a bunch of ridiculous things being said at the wedding. It’s this kind of wordplay that is often present in the film and is infinitely entertaining. I’m really only comfortable with talking about that gag, as it’s shown in the trailer. Otherwise, I think this is one that you really must experience for yourself, as there are so many jokes, there’s really a little something for everyone.

For a comedy, Fackham Hall is like a breath of fresh air, as it’s jokes-per-minute is absolutely relentless. It will take repeated viewings to even catch everything. It’s far sillier than I ever expected it to be and it has more in common with The Naked Gun or Airplane than it does other films set during the same time period. This is genuinely one of the funniest experiences I’ve had with a film in quite some time and I can’t wait to revisit this and pick up on all the jokes I probably missed. Because this is one that’s sure to reward with repeat viewings, which feels rare in the comedy space.

Fackham Hall is playing In Theaters on December 5th, 2025.