Blair Loveday
Sherlock Holmes has always been a fascinating character that has had some fantastic movies made.
So naturally the question we were left with was, what would he have been like as an old man. Okay, maybe only I had that question, well now it has been made anyway with Mr. Holmes and it’s pretty darn good.
Mr. Holmes follows a 90 year old Sherlock Holmes played by Sir Ian McKellan. He is living with his housekeeper played by Laura Linney and her young son Roger, as Sherlock tries to get a remedy for his failing memory. This remedy involves a plant called Prickly Ash.
Alongside this we have a relationship develop with the young child as Sherlock teaches Roger to take care of his bees.
The most interesting aspect of this movie, is it set in a world where Sherlock Holmes movies exist.
It turns out his old partner Mr Watson turned their capers into stories. Sherlock watches the latest movie and isn’t overly happy with how the last case has been portrayed, and so he wants to correct the situation.But you know, his memory is failing. So all of these stories tie together as Sherlock tries to fix his memory, and tries to remember this case, and has the kid along for the ride with him.
The movie doesn’t just focus on the mystery he is investigating, instead that is more of a vehicle for the focus of the movie which really is the relationship he is building with the kid. The kid is a bit of a jerk, which is nice, as it would have been so easy for him to have been an innocent little foil for Sherlock to have learned a lesson in his old age. Instead the kid really does represent all the kids I have known a whole lot better.
The acting in the movie is absolutely incredible.
Sir Ian McKellan incredibly portrays the grumpy old man that is Sherlock that allows himself to show more humanity in moments. Everyone from him to Laura Linney is crucial to this movie landing. With it being a slower character study the movie really is only a great watch thanks to them.
Mr. Holmes isn’t the next great Sherlock Holmes mystery movie. Instead it is a fascinating drama watching someone trying to deal with age catching up to them, that is driven with a mystery side-story. It can be slow at times, but well worth watching just for Sir Ian McKellan.
