Review of Mr. Holmes (2015) by Rendan L — 31 Jul 2015
"Mr. Holmes" is a character study of the fictional Sherlock Holmes, created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. This movie finds him in the twilight of his life, living in the countryside in England after he goes into a self-imposed exile following a disturbing case.
In the movie, Holmes (Ian Mckellen) lives with his housekeeper (Laura Linney) and her precocious son. Holmes forms a bond with the boy, much to Linney's dismay. I found this movie to be authentic and heartfelt.
Though the characters are presented as a bit overdramatic, the director paints a nice picture of what Holmes would have been like in his later years, reclusive but witty. We are given flashbacks in the movie to time he spent in Japan following the end of the war and his final case that caused his self-imposed exile.
It involves a woman who was unhappy in her marriage and was plotting to murder her husband. Holmes comes in and tries to show her the light. I thought the script in this film was smart, and the directing is equally smart.
McKellen fits the bill for an older Holmes perfectly, and this film is a very good character study ------------------------------------------------------------------- B+.
This review of Mr. Holmes (2015) was written by Rendan L on 31 Jul 2015.
Mr. Holmes has generally received positive reviews.
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