It’s a genre ripe for a spoof.  After the success of movies like Gosford Park and series including Downton Abbey, the writers of Fackham Hall have attempted to craft a comedy which mocks the pompous characters and cliched plot points of its more serious predecessors.  The narrative takes place in 1931 and is focused on a lazy couple trying to find husbands for their two daughters, while also fighting to save the mansion which has been owned by the family for centuries.

Regrettably, the film lacks wit and ideas.  It’s toilet humour and dad jokes for most of the 97-minute running time.  I wasn’t the biggest fan of the recent Naked Gun reboot (gave it a B-rating), but you can see more thought went into to its gags, especially some of the visual ones, than what’s offered here.  Further, Liam Neeson delivered puns in a well-suited deadpan manner while Fackham Hall’s characters seem too self-aware of the situation.  You’d think they were performing in front of a live audience and overdoing every joke in search of laughs.

The film becomes slightly more interesting in its second half when, again borrowing from Gosford Park, a murder takes place (I won’t say who) and everyone becomes a suspect.  It’s fun to speculate about the killer’s identity and what goofy motive the five-person writing team will concoct.  I wish this plot point had been introduced earlier as the opening act gets bogged down in repetitive humour and a lack of story.

The cast is headlined by Emmy winner Damian Lewis (Homeland) and includes Tom Felton (Harry Potter), Katherine Waterston (Inherent Vice), and Anna Martin (Bleak House).  Comedian Jimmy Carr is one of the film’s co-writers and plays a vicar who, while reading his sermons, continually ignores full stops.  It’s a silly lark that may generate laughs the first time… but not when used so often.

Not living up to its potential, Fackham Hall is a below-average comedy.