Mr. Holmes is a beautiful take on a shrivelling Holmes and his loneliness.
Ian McKellen dons an oldie Sherlock and he does it with a brilliant grace and like a pro. He handles Holmes like an expert, and portrays him superbly in his old age.
Screenplay of the movie is simply outstanding, well-written and executed superbly by the characters. Direction is marvelous too since it was one Herculean task to narrate three different stories that unfurled at three different timelines. Bill Condon isn’t reckless in navigating to Holmes’ past and does it at apt moments, like using a dream, story-telling or taking writing as props. The score is very soothing and well placed too. The moment flick starts the background music captures your attention at once. The melody simply melts you.
Everything on this planet ages. Sherlock was no exception. Mitch Cullin’s story that exemplifies the sorry fate of ageing with hints of forgetting names, facts, faces and stories, is a gorgeous unravelling of the last case Sherlock ever did that wasn’t exactly the way it was penned by Watson. The tale is written in a world without his enemies. This world is void of Mycroft and Watson too. So it is highly advisable to eschew making comparisons. Just feel the timeline and feel for him.
If you are a drama freak, watch out for that brilliant conversation between Ann and Holmes about loneliness. There are amazing lines strewn all across the movie that will rivet you to the tale. The flick doesn’t forget its roots. Occasional deductions do come up and they light you up in nostalgia.
Beware! If you are hoping you will see some mind blowing cases, just stop right there! This movie wasn’t intended to satiate your suspenseful head. It should go into the library of the classics as a brilliant drama that portrays one particular profound timeline of Holmes, where he gets to understand the importance of bending facts and experience the chasm of regret.
Recommended for dramaholics.
Mr. Holmes
Pros
- Brilliant direction
- Excellent screenplay
- Topnotch acting by the cast
- Outstanding music
- Exceptional drama
Cons
- Not for everybody
- Not a suspense movie
- Story box doesn't have much
