Mr Holmes

Since Sherlock Holmes is (somewhat in) the public domain, everyone has their own idea for a Sherlock adventure. And director Bill Condon is here to realize one such adventure on-screen. Mitch Cullin's 2005 novel, A Slight Trick of the Mind, is now Mr. Holmes.

It's 1947, and Sherlock (Ian McKellen) had his last case 30 years ago. He's now retired in Sussex, taken up beekeeping and cared for by housekeeper Mrs. Munro (Laura Linney) and her son Roger (Milo Parker). Sherlock dislikes Dr. Watson's fictionalizations (Doyle's novels) of his cases. So he decides to write the truth behind his last case ... before his trademark mind fades away.

Holme's last case was to investigate gentlewoman Ann Kelmot (Mattie Morahan), who seemingly went insane. That didn't end well. Meanwhile, Sherlock recalls a recent visit to a Japanese fan, Umezaki (Hiroyuki Sanada). These events help him come to terms with his life.

Jeffrey Hatcher's screenplay goes back and forth in time. The Kelmot case was the most intriguing. Each flashback visualizes Sherlock's writing and stops where it stops. At the end of each "roadblock," you're eagerly wondering where the story goes next. The conclusion was appropriately shocking. The rest of the movie is about Sherlock's retirement. And that's where McKellen's performance resonates.

McKellen shows that Dr. Watson got one thing right: his genius. Sherlock is a master of deduction but not a master of human interaction. That latter quality causes him grief. He initially views his print and screen adventures with disdain, but he later recognizes their worth. Throughout the movie, the audience both admires and sympathizes with him.

And also, props to the movie for making me think the Kelmot case was an actual Sherlock story. It was not. Sherlock sees the movie version of said case (where he's played by Nicholas Rowe, star of Young Sherlock Holmes). Goes to show how the movie keeps the audience invested in the story.

Mr. Holmes is a good character portrait of an aging genius. The star is great and so are his supporting players. Find it at your local arthouse theatre. It's worth the watch.