Mr. Holmes (2015) - Film Review
Starring: Ian McKellen, Laura Linney, Milo Parker & Hattie Morahan
Screenplay: Jeffrey Hatcher
Directed By: Bill Condon
Certificate: PG
Few
writers have been able to create a character with the same longevity
as Arthur Conan Doyle did with Sherlock Holmes. While I can't really
say I've been a long-time avid fan of the character, I have still
enjoyed certain adaptations of him from time to time, and Mr.
Holmes looks like the kind of film that's right up my street.
However, it must be said that it has to do quite a bit to justify
its own existence. There are currently countless adaptations of the
famous detective on our screens, such as Robert Downey Jr.'s more
action-oriented take on the character, or Benedict Cumberbatch's
modern take on Sherlock in the popular BBC series of the same name.
So can Mr. Holmes do enough to set itself apart and
justify existing in such a crowded landscape?
93
year-old retired detective Sherlock Holmes is living in his
countryside home with the company of just the housekeeper, Mrs.
Munro, and her son, Roger. Having recently returned from Japan,
during his search for a herb designed to improve the memory, Holmes
is busy trying to recall and write the story of his final case from
almost thirty years ago. His failing memory has clouded the details
of exactly why it was his final case, and before he dies, he is
determined to remember what could have gone so badly that he sent
himself into exile.
The
most interesting thing about Mr. Holmes lies in its
three-pronged script. The film tells and balances three separate
strands of story very well. The majority of it is focused on Holmes
as a 93 year-old in 1947, but being told alongside that are
flashbacks to thirty years earlier with Holmes solving his final
case, as well as flashbacks to a more recent time where Holmes
travelled to Japan to find the prickly ash herb. The skill with which
screenwriter Jeffrey Hatcher balances and structures these three
stories is commendable, and because it's established that Holmes is
struggling to remember his last case, the mystery is prolonged and
the audience are completely engaged. While there's few elements to
any of these stories that fall short (with the exception of their
resolution), the most entertaining strand by far is the relationship
between Holmes and the housekeeper's son, Roger. It's full of charm
and moments that will make you smile, and brings out some strong
acting talent from both Ian McKellen and Milo Parker.
By
the end of the film, you start to get why it's been structured the
way it has, and it takes each strand and links them together in an
(almost) satisfying way. Going back to my original concern, it also
justifies its own existence and sets itself apart from the
competition of other Sherlock adaptations. We not only spend most of
the film with an aged and retired Holmes, in this version it's
established that the famous Sherlock books were printed and became
popular, but that they were written and exaggerated by Holmes'
sidekick Watson (who exists off-screen in the film). This Holmes also
doesn't live at 221B Baker Street, nor does he smoke a pipe or wear a
deerstalker. Not only is Mr. Holmes well-structured and
distinct enough from its rivals, but it also has a worthy tale to
tell about the complexity of the human mind. Holmes spends a lot of
time telling us of his love of logic, and how he believes fiction to
be trivial, but while a logical realist mind is all well and good,
Holmes himself has to learn that not everything works and can be
solved that way. The complexity of emotions such as grief or love
can't be broken down into such simple terms, and are difficult to
adequately explain.
However,
while Mr. Holmes may get a lot right in its first and
second acts, there are still a couple of issues to be found,
particularly in the flashbacks to Holmes' final case. Don't get me
wrong, the mystery plot kept me intrigued and like any good mystery,
we were given little clues and hints at a gradual and steady pace.
But still, it's not quite as compelling as it could've been and it
lacks the thrill of many great Sherlock stories. It's for this reason
that fans of Guy Ritchie's or Steven Moffat's take on Sherlock Holmes
may be left feeling cold by this particular film adaptation. The
resolution to the mystery itself also left me with some mixed
feelings. On the one hand, the resolution did come with plenty of
meaning as I discussed earlier, and that I really enjoyed. However,
the outcome itself doesn't quite justify exactly why Holmes sent
himself into exile. The outcome may have been tragic, but I can't see
it having such a powerful effect on Holmes to the point where it
would cause him to live alone and isolated for thirty years.
But
while the third act may be a mixed bag, I can at least say that Mr.
Holmes looked great throughout. This is a production that had
involvement from BBC Films, and I'm coming to realize that they
really excel when it comes to making films with a historical setting.
Everything looks incredibly tranquil, calm and really just beautiful,
whether we're on the Sussex coast, the shops around London, or even
on Holmes' expedition to Japan. The make-up used to age Ian McKellen
into a Sherlock Holmes in his nineties is incredibly good, and
combined with the more doddering and less mobile performance he
gives, you honestly wouldn't know that any prosthetics had been
applied if it weren't for the immediately recognizable Ian McKellen
in the role.
Speaking
of Ian McKellen, he is every bit as suited to the role of Sherlock
Holmes as you'd expect. While his performance as the nonagenarian
Holmes is fantastic, he really gets to throw his deerstalker
(figuratively speaking) into the ring when shown solving his final
case. He's every bit as brilliant as you'd imagine and certainly
looks the part in the Victorian-era suit. Considering how much of an
acting veteran he is, he also works incredibly well with relative
newcomer Milo Parker, as I mentioned earlier. It would be very easy
for any child actor to be intimidated or overshadowed when acting
next to Ian McKellen, but both pull it off and you get the sense
there's an off-screen as well as an on-screen friendship between
them. The rest of the film's acting talent comprises of some fairly
big names and great performance to match, all from actors such as
Laura Linney, Hiroyuki Sanada, Hattie Morahan, Roger Allam, Phil
Davies, Frances De La Tour etc. etc., and no one lets the side down.
In
conclusion, Mr. Holmes is another great interpretation
of such a legendary character, and the role fits Ian McKellen like a
glove. It may lack the thrills and adrenaline of many of the more
popular adaptations right now, but Mr. Holmes is still
a gentle and quaint piece of work. It's the perfect kind of thing to
sit down and watch on a lazy Sunday, and I can see it becoming
popular with viewers looking for that kind of thing. Well-written,
well-acted and well-made, Mr. Holmes is a really solid
film.
Mr. Holmes
7/10