Review of Mr. Holmes (2015) by Lisa M — 06 Aug 2015

While I only saw this movie for the character and the actor, my choice was justified. I had finished reading the complete works of Sherlock Holmes last year and have similarly invested time in Downey Jr's and Cumberbatch's performance of the character at his height.

All of these men have given a unique but faithful perspective to the written character. Mr. Holmes, the character is amazing and sad and arrogant, often at the same time. This a very different perspective.

He is no longer at his prime, but his mind is still quite active and he can still "do the thing." But now his body and parts of his mind are failing him. It goes beyond the character and illustrates the the emotions that come with witnessing an elderly person suffering from dementia and frailty.

I also saw the great value the elderly and the young find in each other. The Elder has so much knowledge and experience to share and the Younger wants to know and discover it all. Parker and McKellan are brilliant here.

And Linney is the one in the middle trying to care for both. Great performances. I also appreciated the complexities in the choices made by Holmes, Mrs. Kelmot and Mr. Umezaki. It wasn't just a case to see the workings and failings of Holmes.

It was also about parents and children and the horrors of war.