Plot: An elderly, retired Sherlock Holmes (Ian McKellen) lives out in the British countryside with his housekeeper (Laura Linney) and her son (Milo Parker). Haunted by memories of his past, Sherlock befriends the boy and together they work through the unsolved case that ended his career.
There have been so many portrayals of the iconic Sherlock Holmes that it could be said that modern fans are spoilt for choice. It’s therefore impressive that Mr Holmes succeeds in showing the great decretive in a new light: this is an aged, thoughtful and somewhat bitter Sherlock, weighed down by defeat and regret.
Based on Mitch Cullen’s novel of the same name, Mr Holmes is more personal and smaller in scale than the average Sherlock story. Ian McKellen makes the character his own, portraying Sherlock as a grumpy old man in need of a wake up call. This call comes in the form of his final case, which leads him through some of his most painful memories on a journey of self discovery. All this is balanced well with Sherlock’s relationship with Roger, his housekeeper’s son. It’s fun to watch Roger ease Sherlock out of his comfort zone as he attempts befriend the old man, despite his frosty nature.
The twists and turns in this film aren’t as frequent nor as significant as you’d expect from a typical detective flick, but this isn’t that. Mr Holmes’ story is about its character, not its case. JC
Verdict:
Full of character, warmth and intrigue, Mr Holmes is a satisfying story of closure for the great detective.
4/5
Screened 