By Staci Layne Wilson
@StaciWilson

I don’t know why everything has to be “a new twist!” – but sure enough, Mr. Holmes is being touted as such. There’s nothing wrong with the old Sherlock Holmes as far as I’m concerned (thinking fondly of the Basil Rathbone and Jeremy Brett portrayals), but there is a lot wrong with the “old” Sherlock in this film by Bill Condon. Poor Mr. Holmes is in his 90s and his once sharp mind is dulled with senility. He can’t remember a thing, his frail body is at times bedridden, and he’s rather a doddering sad-sack.

When I saw the trailer, I didn’t want to see the movie. I thought it would be too sad, too depressing. It is sad and depressing, but not overly so; I’d describe it more as melancholy and poignant. The fact that the incomparable Sir Ian McKellen is playing Mr. Holmes, and that he’s reunited with the director of one of his best onscreen performances (Gods and Monsters, 1998), makes the sentimental journey worthwhile.

The film is set in 1947, shortly after Holmes’s return from an arduous journey to Japan. He’s returned with the powdered root of a rare plant supposedly imbued with powerful restorative qualities, which he hopes will refurbish his mental agility. Ensconced in his remote Sussex seaside cottage, Mr. Holmes faces the end of his days tending to his beloved honeybees, with only the company of his housekeeper Mrs. Munro (Laura Linney) and her precocious young son, Roger (Milo Parker).

Sherlock and Roger become friends, and the World’s Greatest Detective comes to rely not only on the magical powder, but upon the boy, as he revisits the circumstances of the unsolved case that forced him into retirement. Don’t get too excited about the mystery and suspense, though – it takes a definite backseat to the melodrama.

Beautifully shot, and incredibly acted (McKellen’s performance is nicely augmented by aging makeup applied by Oscar winner Dave Elsey), the story blossoms slowly, like windflowers in summertime. The nature-centric subplots (bees, wasps, restorative roots, ladies’ fragrances) are interesting, as well.

Mr. Holmes is more character-driven than story-driven, and it’s less about the mystery than it is about the human condition. Slow, but definitely worth investigation.

Rated PG
1 Hour  45 Minutes

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