Directed by Bill Condon
Starring Sir Ian McKellen, Laura Linney, and Milo Parker
I don't think I need to remind the general reader that the character of Sherlock Holmes has been around for a long time. Though there has been a bit of resurgence of the super sleuth in recent years. We've had the gritty, semi-direct adaptation in the Guy Ritchie films starring Robert Downey Jr. Then there's the BBC miniseries starring Benedict Cumberbatch, which sets the Holmes stories in modern day. So now one must ask, what's there left to do with the character?
"Set it in the future! The year 3015, where-" *slap*
Show Holmes in retirement! As an old man! Where his greatest adversity is…his deteriorating mind….
No but really, that is the premise of the film Mr. Holmes. Now stay with me, because as dull as that may sound compared to a Cumberbatch-packed hour of suspense or a Downey-charged blockbuster, this film is really good.
Like I said, Mr. Holmes focuses on the famous detective (McKellen) in his retirement, at age 93 to be percise. Now living with Mrs. Munro (Linney), his put-upon housekeeper, and her son Roger (Parker), Holmes has taken it upon himself to right an accurate account of his final case, as the one his late part Watson wrote was fictionalized. The only problem is Holmes's memory is failing, and he can't remember much at all of the case. Meanwhile, he begins to bond with Roger, and Mrs. Munro grows more and more tired with their current living situation.
A simple story enough, but there's plenty of drama and emotion that makes this as thrilling as any other Sherlock Holmes story we've heard before. This is probably the most unique Holmes story we've ever had, because it shows the character to a point in his life we've never seen him before. It's truly compelling to see one of literature's greatest heroes deal with his own mortality, while at the same time grow beyond the iconic character we've come to love. It really is almost perfect. Throughout the film I kept saying, "This. This is what Sherlock would be like as an old man."
A lot of that is credit to his portrayer, Sir Ian McKellen who gives a brilliant performance, that's as memorable as his Magento or his Gandalf. Young Milo Parker begins to make his mark on Hollywood, giving a breakthrough performance as Roger, and Laura Linney does her usual good work as Mrs. Munro.
I saw this film (and started writing this review) back in July. Back then I said this is going to be that one film that isn't released at the end of the year, that manages to defy the stereotype and gnab some awards/nominations. The Golden Globe nominations have now been announced, and Mr. Holmes has been completely snubbed, which is a shame because it's a wonderful film. Blame it on the fact that the critics/voters of Hollywood have the same short-term memory as Dory from Finding Nemo I suppose.
If you're a strict lover of the action-packed suspense of other Sherlock Holmes adaptations, this may not be your cup of tea. If you're not, then I'd give this film a watch. It may not become anyone's favorite film given it's a relatively slow paced drama, but it definitely leaves an impression, and showcases a top-notch performance from its lead actor.
PS: McKellen is set to re-team with Director Bill Condon in 2017, when he takes on the role of Cogsworth in Disney's live action remake of their animated classic Beauty & The Beast. My thoughts on the very existence of the project, and the trend of animated-to-live-action remakes it's now apart of aside, Mr. Holmes does give me slightly higher expectations for the project...
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