Mr. Holmes (2015)

It's not what you might expect from a Sherlock Holmes movie, and sometimes you think the BBC is just milking the brand for every last ounce, but this movie is worth a watch.The Roger character played by Milo Parker is truly outstanding. Fantastic acting. He gets a 10.You can always count on Ian McKellen and Hattie Morahan.Very poignant piece. Some good Life introspection.

While Robert Downey Jr is absent from the iconic role of the World's Greatest Detective on the big screen, legendary British actor Ian Mckellan steps in those shoes. From achieving international success and critical acclaim from playing franchise-favourite roles like Erik Lensherr/Magneto (X-Men) and Gandalf (Lord of the Rings Trilogy/The Hobbit Trilogy), Mckellan has just about what fans or moviegoers might expect from taking on the role of Sherlock Holmes. Mckellan fits the role brilliantly, but if one was expecting a crime thriller they may be disappointed. The story takes off with an elderly Holmes, age 93, as he lives under a roof of a countryside house and cared for by a housekeeper and her intriguing son. The point is: Holmes is old and unable to come out of retirement to solve one last crime, as fans may have hoped for; but he suffers from memory loss as he tries to recall a recent case he was working on several years prior. This is followed by flashbacks from that case, which may give fans a bit of comfort, but the real attraction is the performance of Mckellan and his relationship with the boy, which develops a situation of importance to the story. In comparison to other recent adaptations of the World's Greatest Detective like BBC's Sherlock, Starring Benedict Cumberbatch, and the 2009 movie Sherlock Holmes and its 2011 sequel Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, both starring Robert Downey Jr, Mr Holmes probably isn't the crime thriller most were hoping for, but shines a bit of light with great performances and a heart-warming story.

This was a very enjoyable film, and one that brings back the Holmes character for other reasons than to play around with his powers of deduction. And the times it references to tropes and plots from Holmes books, it's not made a big deal of. Instead, this is an exploration of some very human themes and emotions, using a familiar character as a tool to explore these.Ian McKellen is, as always, exceptional at being tender and intense at the same time. The make up is spot on, and aided by his acting you can clearly tell when each scene is set. The supporting cast also does a great job.The highlight of the movie is the way it explores human connection, growing old and memories in a sad, but warm way. The sentimentality does not feel forced, and you can relate to the characters on a pure human level.The "mystery" never gets all that interesting, and while it is in no way the center of the movie, it's still given enough time for it to be a bit more interesting than it is. But the movie still works well.

The opening scene of Mr. Holmes is affecting, quirky and memorable, albeit in a quiet and subtle way. It's a portent of things to come. As one would expect with a film with Sherlock Holmes as the title character, off-hand utterances and seemingly random, passing moments are pregnant with meaning and possibilities that are not apparent at first, or even third glance. Not, that is, unless you happen to have (super) powers of observation, which Mr. Holmes does, in excess. The comment made in this opening scene refers to bees and wasps... specifically their ongoing contentious relationship in nature. It all comes back around in the end, after a quietly rollicking, tender and affecting story which outlines the later winter of a cleverly hybridized version of the life of this famous detective.Everything about this production is top notch, from the writing and acting to the cinematography, set design and costumes. It's Ian McKellen's performance that centers the entire thing though, like a sun centers a solar system... with gravity and brilliance. Of course, you pretty much expect genius level work from an actor like McKellen but seeing him in action here is a sublime pleasure. Some actors make acting look easy. McKellen is one of the rare actors that makes you forget he's acting and transports you to a dimension of total immersion where you really feel like you're a fly on the wall of these characters' lives. Everyone around him is also superb here, especially his three main co-stars, Laura Linnney, Hattie Morahan and Milo Parker, who plays Roger, the young son of his housekeeper and steals many of the scenes here. Holmes and Roger forge a genuine and touching friendship that in many ways is the heart of the film. Many actors, I'm sure, would be a bit frazzled by the prospect of trying to keep up with a thespian of such legendary stature and renown, but Milo Parker seems to take it in stride and gives as good as he gets. It's fun to watch.Also, as you would expect in any story about Sherlock Holmes, there is a great mystery... accentuated by Mr. Holmes' advancing age and the mental decline that sometimes accompanies the process of growing older. It's a great dramatic device that the screenwriter employs expertly. The dialogue is witty, understated, intelligent and also echoes the mystery as it unfolds. The story folds back in on itself and jumps through the looking glass in a couple of interesting ways, with Holmes here being an amalgam version of his fictional self married to an alternate universe version where he is an actual historical figure, who has been immortalized in story form by Watson. We are treated to Sherlock Holmes standing in line for and then attending a filmed version of one of his real cases, that has been fictionalized then projected on a screen while he watches... in order to help stir his memory of the real case. Wow.Fair warning - this is a quiet and somewhat "slow" film. It's never boring though. If you are into explosions, car chases, loud music, etc. in your cinematic fare, you won't find it here. What you WILL find is top notch writing and acting. This is a film for people who love movies that make them think and feel deeply. It's not confusing or hard to follow, but you do need to pay attention since things that seem like small insignificant details, end up being crucial to the overall narrative and where the characters end up. It's an exceptional piece of work and one of the best films of 2015.