Review of Sherlock Jr. (1924) by Jeremy T — 30 Aug 2007

Truly reveals both the genius and faults of Keaton. As both an actor and physical comedian, he surpasses contemporaries like Harold Lloyd and even Chaplin for sheer expressiveness and timing. As a director, he is endlessly inventive; the stunts he crafts are remarkable and ambitious.

However, the scripts Keaton works with continually let him down, a flimsy plot on which a string of gags is attached.

The plot concerns the shenanigans that ensue when Keaton becomes an amateur detective, both in the main story and in the film his projectionist hero is showing. Stylistically brilliant, but lacks the depth of Chaplin's films.