Mr. Holmes Review
RYAN: This is a clever, new Sherlock Holmes movie that’s a smart as it is good. It’s a drama, a mystery, a fresh perspective on the iconic character and also one heck of a meta experience. It almost feels like a biopic – as if he was a real man instead of the fictional character created by Arthur Conan Doyle.
CAROLINE: How intriguing. I’ve been looking forward to this one.
RYAN: You’ll like it. It’s adapted from a novel and directed by Bill Condon who did Dreamgirls, the last two Twilight movies and is gonna be doing the new Beauty and the Beast with Emma Watson as Belle.
CAROLINE: He is quite accomplished.
RYAN: He adapted this film beautifully, figuratively and literally. The cinematography, costumes, period design – all really award-worthy. This movie makes me want to go stroll the English countryside. The gardens and topiary in this film are gorgeous.
CAROLINE: How’s Sir Ian McKellen?
RYAN: Excellent. He plays Sherlock at age 93 and a complete curmudgeon. His scowl should be ensured. The film begins with him at that age and flashes back to his last case a few decades earlier. The mystery is his trying to remember the details. He’s senile and lonely. There are wonderful subplots and it all weaves so seamlessly together. The screenplay is fantastic and Ian’s scene partners – in Laura Linney and Milo Parker are outstanding. That kid is amazing and they have a few moments with incredible dialogue.
CAROLINE: It all sounds great.
RYAN: It really is very meta. There’s are several references to the Sherlock novels and films about him – all within the story as though they were fictionalized by Watson. The competency is just delightful. It really makes it feel like Sherlock Holmes is real and this is a biopic. I just love that crossover where fantasy becomes grounded, you know?
CAROLINE: That is cool.
RYAN: I never thought about this as “the future of Robert Downey Jr.’s Sherlock” or anything but the film does make full use, in reference anyway, to all of the little details we know about the great detective. If you’ve every liked a Sherlock movie or story, you’ll thoroughly enjoy this.
