Elegantly executed through sincere emotions, graceful maturity and tremendously striking performances, Mr. Holmes is a wonderful return-to-form for director Bill Condon. Following a series of disappointing efforts like the muddled The Fifth Estate and exasperating The Twilight Series: Breaking Dawn movies, the filmmaker channels what made him such a haunting force, further humanizing Arthur Conan Doyle‘s legendary fictional figure and quaintly extenuating his character’s story with tons of heart, wit and poise.
Based on Mitch Cullin‘s 2005 novel “A Slight Trick of the Mind“, this iteration of Sherlock Holmes (Ian McKellen) finds the notorious detective in 1947, 93-years-old and living under the exaggerated shadow created by his late partner Watson’s pen. With a failing mind and continuously haunted by the one mystery he couldn’t solve, the retired celebrity returns from Hiroshima, Japan to once again live under the care of his housekeeper Mrs. Munro (Laura Linney) and her young son Roger (Milo Parker) in his remote Sussex farmhouse. The ever-thoughtful detective lives as quiet a life as he can, harvesting bee houses in hopes their “royal jelly” will jog his memory once again. Of course, though, his quaint living is far from peaceful.
It’s the memory of that one case he couldn’t solve that he can’t shake and as he sorts through evidence still in his possession, Holmes begins to try and make peace with what happened. His real help, however, will come from Roger. The young boy becomes an unexpected partner for the once world-renowned private eye to discover where he once went wrong, using his young wits and spirits to gather the clues he needs and the information his memory hides as to what transpired those many years ago.
Melancholy, but rarely sullen and fantastically lyrical by design, Mr. Holmes is an entirely charming and fitting tribute to Doyle’s beloved character, and inspired character piece on a legend we’ve seen so many time before, though never in this light. For as guilt ridden as our hero may seem, there’s a breezy atmosphere that carries the story with the same intelligence and persistence the character brought to his best cases. It’s as much a sorrowful examination of desolation as it is a celebration of making peace with your place in this world.
Condon and screenwriter Jeffrey Hatcher (The Duchess) wisely give closure without determining how Holmes meets his demise. It’s not a be-all, end-all departure, but just another hearty late chapter personality examination from the filmmaker who — through Gods and Monsters and Kinsey — once prided himself on making these kinds of films. Mr. Holmes is entirely unsuspecting in all the right ways, thrusting itself not on heavy morals as much as it casually slides in hard-earned lessons through tremendously accomplished performances.
McKellen, especially, shines with confidence, wisdom and wholehearted dedication. It’s master-class work from a performer still very much in his prime after all his years, even when playing a character who doesn’t share the same distinction. He gives this iteration his all, yet still dilates himself to make sure Holmes remains a man with restraint and acute dryness. Likewise, Linney provides another wonderfully sophisticated performance, one sadly a little underused in the thrust of this story, and little Parker more than stands his ground against his experienced co-stars, asserting himself firmly as a youngling to watch for.
Though its final moments lead to the overstated emotions these feel-good dramas tend to fall victim to, Condon’s deft direction and Hatcher’s elevated writing keep everything in check as the finely handled performances compels them. It’s old-fashioned in all the right ways, letting finesse overcome melodrama, and character growth come with elegance and well-catered humor.
For all its predictable, near-sappy emotional cues and unsuspecting overly earnest nature, I was sincerely taken by Condon’s interpretation of the classic character. His tale is refined, rightfully sweet and handsomely filmed, with more than a few gorgeous backdrops courtesy of art directors Jonathan Houlding and James Wakefield — as well as gorgeous work from cinematography by Tobias A. Schliessler — to please the eye as the story warms the soul. Mr. Holmes is as well dictated and enjoyably irresistible as they come, giving the character new life near its end.
