Tuesday, August 11, 2015

"Mr. Holmes" Review


Title: Mr. Holmes

Directed by: Bill Condon

Screenplay by: Jeffrey Hatcher

Year: 2015


For some odd reason, the character of Sherlock Holmes has had somewhat of a revival over the past few years. It all began with the Guy Ritchie directed film, Sherlock Holmes (2009), which was then followed by a sequel film, and two television shows; the superb BBC series, Sherlock, and the american show Elementary, both of which bring the character to modern time. Sherlock Holmes is the most portrayed character in film, with over 70 actors playing the role. It is now Sir Ian McKellen's turn to take up the pipe and deerstalker. Is this movie as brilliant as the fictional character, or is it an elementary attempt to cash in on his recent popularity?

The year is 1947, and Sherlock Holmes, a very elderly man now, has retired to the English countryside, where he tends to his bees. He is slowly losing his memory and mental capacities. His housekeeper's son, Roger (Milo Parker) wants to learn more about Mr. Holmes and his methods, and the two begin to build a fine relationship. Holmes rediscovers a memento from his final case, which he was never able to solve. With Roger's help, Holmes tries to remember the case and rewrite what his biographer, John Watson, lied about.

As a massive Sherlock Holmes fan, I was eagerly anticipating this film. It has the always talented Ian McKellen as the most famous fictional detective of all time. It is set in Holmes' retirement years, which we haven't really seen yet. One of the main plot elements is Holmes losing his memory while trying to solve a case. This is not like any other Holmes film we have had yet, and I can honestly say that it is a winner.

Let's get the obvious out of the way; Ian McKellen knocks it out of the park in this one. He plays Holmes at two ages; in his sixties and in his nineties. The makeup used to make McKellen look younger and older is outstanding and seamless, and above all believable. But making him look younger and older cannot work alone. McKellen must sell the difference in age with his physical acting, and he does just that. Having McKellen play Sherlock Holmes seems like a match made in Heaven. He is just so perfect for the role, and he brings a new take on the character while also remaining rather faithful to the source material. Milo Parker is also a great child actor. Much of the film relies Roger and his connection with Holmes. Luckily, the chemistry between Parker and McKellen is magnificent. They really sell the father/son-that-neither-of-them-had aspect without spelling it out for the audience. Laura Linney as Mrs. Munro is also spectacular casting. She is Roger's mother and doesn't take kindly to his spending time with Mr. Holmes. She faces the dilemma of having to take care of both her son and her employer. Her character is crucial to the plot and often offers some well wrought emotion.

The cast is impeccable, but how about the story? Well, I can easily say it is the most complex Sherlock Holmes story in recent memory. There are many facets to it. Holmes is losing his mind, he just came back from Japan with an herb to help his memory, he is teaching Roger about the bees as well as recounting his final case to him, Mrs. Munro wants to take employment somewhere else and move away from Mr. Holmes, etc. There is a lot going on in this film, and yet it never gets muddled or overcrowded. Mr. Holmes is paced well enough to give each plot point proper screen time and development. The movie is slow, let me get that straight. It is very slow, but it is equally engaging, making the journey an enthralling, if patient, one.

One of the most distinguishing factors of Mr. Holmes is how the character is presented. He is universally famous for his deerstalker and smoking of pipes, but in the movie he claims to have never worn a deerstalker cap and prefers cigars. (Strangely enough, he smokes cigars as much as pipes in the stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.) Hell, even the address of 221B Baker Street was made up, to keep unwanted attention away. Holmes actually lived across the street from the famous address. The film brilliantly illustrates that the Holmes we are acquainted with is the one Dr. Watson told us about, and Watson is known for embellishing stories. Mr. Holmes explores a version of the character we are not quite familiar with. He is still a genius sleuth, but not the same one found in Watson's stories.

Baker Street aficionados will find a lot of easter eggs and references to rejoice about. We learn that Sherlock's older brother, Mycroft has passed away (with the Diogenes Club making a brief appearance). We see that the retired Holmes is a bee farmer (as he was in the books). A version of A Study in Scarlet actually plays an important role in a subplot taking place in Japan. This film might also contain my favorite iteration of the Baker Street flat, as it is very cozy and welcoming. There are many other references and throwbacks but my personal favorite was the movie theatre. We learn early in the film that Holmes is very popular with the public. So Holmes decides to see one of the films made featuring himself. The movie he sees is called "The Woman in Grey," which is an allusion to the 1945 film, The Woman in Green. Even the poster is nearly identical to the one of the real film. And what's more, the actor playing Sherlock Holmes in the film is Nicholas Rowe, who also played Sherlock Holmes in Young Sherlock Holmes. This was a very nice touch. Seeing the weathered Holmes watching a movie about himself and scoffing at the dramatics overacting is very funny and cleverly done.

The screenplay by Jeffrey Hatcher is fantastically interesting. The ideas he came up with about illustrating this famous character were brilliant. And the dialogue is very engaging. Despite this film's slow pace, it never becomes boring, and that is due to the dialogue the characters speak and how damn intriguing the story is. There are three different parts to the movie; there is Holmes' visit to Japan, his living with Mrs. Munro and Roger, and then the flashbacks involving the unsolved case. Not one of these plots outdoes the other, which is what makes Mr. Holmes such an engaging watch. These plot threads are woven so intricately well, as we get scenes of each a little at a time, with the majority of the film taking place at Holmes' country home.

In addition, Mr. Holmes is emotionally resonate. This is a powerfully moving film that might wring out a couple of tears from viewers. We understand why Mrs. Munro feels the need to escape Mr. Holmes, we understand why Holmes needs Roger as well as why Roger loves spending time with Holmes. This is just scratching the surface, but this trio of characters provides for some masterfully executed drama and emotion. We sympathize with each of them, and though Mrs. Munro can come off as a bit of an enemy at times, we understand her position. She just wants to do what she thinks is best for her child. The picture is quietly moving and only gets more powerful upon reflection.

Although I have done nothing but praised Mr. Holmes, it pains me to say that it does have one minor issue. The resolution of the unsolved case. I will get into it more in the following spoiler paragraph, but to put it simply, the conclusion to the Ann Kelmont case is rather underwhelming. Yes, it makes sense in the film as to what happened and why it affected Holmes. It works logically, but not emotionally. This case just doesn't seem like the one to end Holmes' career. Again, I can see why it would be the case to make him quit, but I feel a better case could have been easily constructed.

*SPOILERS AHEAD* So we find out in the end that Holmes actually did solve the case, as he found out what Ann Kelmont (played by Hattie Morahan) was planning on doing. What happens is that Holmes brings to light all her despair and anger, making it clear to her what she is really thinking. Holmes thinks he has helped her, but has instead caused her to commit suicide. As a result, he ends his crime-fighting career. Now, on paper, this works, this works extremely well. But something about the execution of it didn't click. I will admit that it was disappointing that the case turned out to already have been solved, but that is not what the issue is. The problem is that the way it was presented didn't really have the impact that was expected.

*SPOILER FREE* But putting that aside, there really is little to complain about with Mr. Holmes. Ian McKellen is a revelation as the iconic character and does Doyle's original concept of Sherlock Holmes justice. We are treated to delightful acting on the part of Milo Parker and Laura Linney, as well as some well paced, well thought out pathos. The story is intriguing and will not hesitate to throw a joke or two in there, which helps to keep things refreshing. The sets and costumes are believable and charmingly designed, and the music by Carter Burwell is beautiful, simply beautiful. This is a wonderful addition to the Sherlock Holmes film library and one that I think will stand the test of time very well, much like the titular, immortal character.

Grade: A

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