What To Watch This Weekend: 'Downton Abbey Finale,' 'The Long Walk,' 'The Girlfriend' And 'The Wrong Paris'

HOLLYWOOD, CA — From crumbling estates to dystopian death marches, this week’s new releases span period drama, psychological thrillers, romantic misadventures and reality-TV satire — all streaming or hitting theaters near you.

“Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale” bids a lavish farewell to the Crawley family, as scandal, inheritance and shifting social tides usher the estate into the 1930s. It’s the end of an era, with all the emotional grandeur fans have come to expect.

Stephen King’s “The Long Walk” finally hits the big screen after years of failed attempts to greenlight the project. Set in a brutal dystopia, the drama thriller follows 100 boys marching toward a life of luxury — but only the fittest of the fittest survives. At what cost? Think “The Hunger Games” without rebellion— just asphalt, exhaustion and the slow unraveling of the human spirit.

Looking for something twisted and domestic? “The Girlfriend” sharpens its psychological grip as Robin Wright and Olivia Cooke face off in a six-part thriller series about maternal obsession, romantic ambition and the dark side of control.

And for rom-com fans, “The Wrong Paris” flips the dating-show formula on its head. Think “The Bachelor”— but set in Paris, Texas — where Miranda Cosgrove’s scheme to get eliminated turns into a chaotic detour toward real love.

Ready to dive in? Scroll down for the full lineup — and step into the shimmering world of storytelling, where every frame is an escape.

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What To Watch This Weekend

“Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale”

Michelle Dockery, Elizabeth McGovern, Hugh Bonneville; directed by Simon Curtis

“Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale” delivers a wistful, character-led farewell that favors emotional grace over cinematic spectacle. Julian Fellowes’ screenplay weaves warmth, joy and poignancy into a narrative that feels both intimate and expansive, as beloved characters navigate a changing world with dignity. Director Simon Curtis complements Fellowes’ vision with restrained direction, allowing subtle glances, silences and unspoken tension — especially surrounding Violet Crawley’s legacy — to speak louder than grand gestures.

Yet for all its refined trappings, the film occasionally leans into overt sentimentality. Sweeping music and slow-motion farewells, while tonally rich, risk tipping into the overwrought, momentarily undermining the intimacy it so earnestly seeks. Still, these indulgences never fully eclipse the film’s emotional core.

Ultimately, “The Grand Finale” dazzles with a poignant final toast to a grand dame — timeless, effervescent, and regal. Like a farewell waltz drifting through the manor’s gilded halls, “Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale” leaves behind not just affectionate closure, but a tender reflection on legacy, resilience and quiet resolve in the face of changing times.

Check out Patch's full review of “Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale.”

“The Long Walk”

Cooper Hoffman, Mark Hamill; directed by Francis Lawrence.

Francis Lawrence’s “The Long Walk” is a harrowing, slow-burn adaptation of Stephen King’s dystopian novella. Set in a fascist America, the thriller-horror film follows 100 teenage boys forced to walk without rest under threat of execution — a brutal contest where survival is the only prize.

The performances are powerful, led by newcomer Cooper Hoffman as Ray Garraty, whose slow descent into exhaustion and existential dread anchors the film. The ensemble cast of walkers delivers raw and naturalistic work, capturing the camaraderie and tension of boys forced into a cruel ritual. Finally, Mark Hamill, in the role of the Major, channels icy authority into a chilling embodiment of authoritarian menace.

Trading action for atmosphere and spectacle for psychological decay, Lawrence, known for sci-fi dystopian “Hunger Games,” directs with chilling restraint, using silence, pacing and visual monotony to evoke dread. Jo Willems’ cinematography amplifies this unease, painting the endless road in muted tones and desolate frames that mirror the characters’ unraveling minds.

The film’s strength lies in its mood: oppressive, meditative and unrelenting. But the minimalism is a double-edged sword, as it occasionally slips into theatrical detachment. The screenplay offers little world-building, leaving viewers grasping for a state of affairs, and the repetitive structure — walk, talk, die — can feel narratively stagnant.

Ultimately, for all its narrative sparseness, the film remains psychologically gripping and viscerally unsettling, its unease deeply human and raw. “The Long Walk” doesn’t just depict endurance — it demands it, from its characters and its audience alike.

“The Wrong Paris”

Miranda Cosgrove, Pierson Fodé; directed by Janeen Damian

Janeen Damian’s “The Wrong Paris” is a breezy, self-aware romantic comedy that blends reality-TV satire with small-town charm. Miranda Cosgrove stars as Dawn, a cynical aspiring artist who signs up for a dating show expecting a glamorous escape to Paris, France — only to find herself stranded in Paris, Texas, just miles from her hometown. What begins as a ploy to get eliminated quickly turns into a messy emotional detour as real feelings emerge for the show’s bachelor, Trey (Pierson Fodé).

Cosgrove brings sharp comedic timing and emotional depth to Dawn, while Fodé delivers rom-com sincerity with just enough self-awareness. Their chemistry anchors the film’s more absurd moments, especially as the dating-show antics spiral into chaos. The supporting cast adds flavor, though many characters feel underwritten, and the middle act loses steam with repetitive gags and overly soft-pedaled satire.

Regardless, “The Wrong Paris,” a Netflix original movie, finds its footing in the final stretch, delivering a sweet payoff that rewards patient viewers. Think “The Bachelor”— but with cowboy boots, barbecue and a lot more emotional baggage. It’s goofy, heartfelt and just zany enough to keep you watching through its own version of the final rose.

“The Girlfriend”

Robin Wright, Olivia Cooke; directed by Robin Wright and Eva Husson

Robin Wright and Olivia Cooke go head-to-head in Prime Video's “The Girlfriend,” a sleek, six-episode psychological thriller adapted from Michelle Frances’ bestselling novel. Set in London’s upper crust, the series pits a fiercely protective mother against her son’s enigmatic new girlfriend. What begins as a simmering rivalry escalates into full-blown psychological warfare, as each woman vies for control over the young man caught between them.

Wright directs the opening episodes with icy precision, shaping the series’ slow-burning paranoia. Eva Husson takes over directing duties for the latter half, infusing episodes 4 through 6 with a more atmospheric and emotionally charged tone.

Told through alternating perspectives, the show keeps viewers guessing — each scene refracted through the eyes of either Laura (Wright), an art dealer with a suffocating bond to her son, or Cherry (Cooke), a charming real estate agent with secrets of her own. Wright radiates with electrifyingly desperate determination, her portrayal of Laura pulsing with maternal concern and suffocating dread. Cooke, meanwhile, anchors the show’s shifting emotional terrain with a performance that oscillates between vulnerable and venomous, delivered with chilling precision.

Though the premise flirts with soapiness, “The Girlfriend” sharpens its psychological grip midway through, revealing a darker, more diabolical core. With stylish production design, simmering tension and a twisty structure that rewards close attention, it’s a binge-worthy descent into maternal paranoia and romantic ambition.