Mr. Holmes

When I first heard that Ian McKellen landed the role of Sherlock Holmes in a film about the end of the great detective's life, I knew he would be perfect for the part, and indeed, he was. "Mr. Holmes" (2015), based on a novel by Mitch Cullin called "A Slight Trick of the Mind", is a delightful film, full of humor and sadness as Mr. Holmes revisits his last case, and finds his memory isn't quite what it used to be. He has retired to his cottage by the sea and taken up his well known hobby of beekeeping or apiculture. With him are his housekeeper, Mrs. Munro (Laura Linney) and her son, Roger (Milo Parker), a precocious young boy. The on screen dynamic between these three is astonishing. More is conveyed in one glance than could be said in lines of dialog.

The sets were detailed with precision, the scenery was vibrant and gorgeous (except one scene which was perfectly moody and dark), and the cinematography was stunning. The score was perfectly understated and captured the sentiment of the scenes with finesse.

"Mr. Holmes" is a very different kind of Sherlock Holmes story. It is sentimental without being saccharine and I believe it is a fair representation of the greatest detective in fictional history. The movie is set to be released in Great Britain on June 19 and in the U.S. on July 17. I recommend it highly.

I genuinely had no idea what to expect from this film as I knew so little about it. OK, so it has Sherlock Holmes as the lead character and I naturally assumed that it would be some crime solving caper. Boy was I wrong, but pleasantly so. The premise of the film is simple - what happens to the famous Sherlock Holmes in his twilight years, if he were to suffer from senility... and no it's not a comedy nor is it a depressing film. It's an evenly-paced, gentle, well-written character study of a fiercely intelligent man trying to hold on to the use of his brilliant mind to recount the details of his final case. If I could use one word to describe this film - contemplative. It's a series of vignettes, each with its own little mystery, all seemingly unconnected at first, until it gradually all comes together. Ian McKellen is, as always, fantastic and perfectly cast in the titular role but the most intriguing character is the subject of Holmes' final case, wonderfully portrayed by Hattie Morahan as Ann Kelmot. Also love the moody soundtrack by Carter Burwell. Very good film, thoughtful with striking images of the British countryside.

A nicely understated film, which has all the twists of a Holmes story that you might expect, wrapped up in a warm hearted kitchen sink drama about an aged detective, and the relationship between him, his housekeeper and her son. All linked in with bee keeping. The story has a number of strands, but they are all interwoven seamlessly, so you don't become so engrossed about one that you forget the others.

Ian McKellen plays Sherlock Holmes as a 60 yo and a 93 yo. Both are excellent as without layers of makeup he gets the physicality of both roles perfect.

This movie is all about Ian McKellen and his acting ability... and it is a masterclass. Laura Linney is fine in this very small cast, though I question whether she was right for the role. Too upright and groomed for a middle aged war widow. Not her fault, but she was meant to be the foil for the son who is bright and full of potential and she is offering to bring him to Portsmouth to follow in her footsteps.

Beautifully shot, lots of external shots and small cast show off the small budget But the acting is superb. Definitely bound to be a favourite in the boutique cinema.

No spoilers, I promise The first thing that struck me about this movie was how different it is to other adaptations of Sherlock Holmes. It is very far from Robert Downey Jr's interpretation, which I thought was very good. It is so similar to Conan Doyle's books (even with Watson's romanticised twists on things) that I would advise fans of the BBC's Sherlock to steer clear, as it is a very different Holmes to the one they love.

I would recommend this for a 10+ age group, as anyone younger may not understand the complex messages that are being conveyed - they also might find two scenes in particular too frightening.

Ian McKellen is an outstanding actor, and this performance shows it. He is engaging throughout the entire run time and provides us with some very touching moments that leave us thinking long and hard. The story is very intriguing, and the ending very satisfying, even if it is a little heart-breaking.

I conclusion, I suggest you go and see this film if you are a fan of the Sherlock Holmes stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle