Mr. Holmes

Roadside Attractions | Release Date: July 17, 2015

7.5	USER SCORE Generally favorable reviews based on 160 Ratings

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TVJerryJul 19, 2015

Ian McKellen piles on the age makeup to play Sherlock Holmes in his tentative final years, living a quiet life in the country. He tends bees, befriends the son of his housekeeper and puzzles over his final unsolved case. It starts outIan McKellen piles on the age makeup to play Sherlock Holmes in his tentative final years, living a quiet life in the country. He tends bees, befriends the son of his housekeeper and puzzles over his final unsolved case. It starts out charmingly enough, then flashes back as he remembers clues, finally falling apart as the mystery becomes confusing and disappointing. This is one of those prestige projects (Bill Condon is director) that promises beautiful images, complex characters and rich experiences. It kinda does all that, but gets bogged down with its own importance and becomes frustratingly contrived and downright dull before it's over.… Expand

3 of 5 users found this helpful32

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GreatMartinJul 24, 2015

I first became aware of Ian McKellen as a gay activist when he publicly came out against a law in England in 1988. I was aware of his being an admired stage British actor who occasionally made films and then, after he came out, I saw him inI first became aware of Ian McKellen as a gay activist when he publicly came out against a law in England in 1988. I was aware of his being an admired stage British actor who occasionally made films and then, after he came out, I saw him in “And The Band Played On” and “6 Degrees of Separation” but it was 17 years ago in a movie called “Gods and Monsters”, for which he won an Oscar nomination, that I was really impressed with him. The general movie going public came to know him as Gandalf in “Lord of the Rings” for which he received a second Oscar nomination. He is now regarded as one of the world’s best actors and is widely known as a role model for the gay community all over.

Now, 17 years after “Gods and Monsters”, he is reunited with director Bill Condon to make “Mr. Holmes”, a story about the real Sherlock Holmes at the age of 93, retired, looking at his last case which took place 27 years earlier. McKellan, in his 70s, plays Holmes at 93, 66 and 58 believable at all stages with a lot of help from make-up artist Dave Elsey, and his crew, along with the actor‘s movements at the different ages.

This Sherlock Holmes is not the Sherlock Holmes you know, telling an admirer that it was Watson who fictionalized his character, giving him a deerstalker hat which he never wore and a pipe when he preferred a cigar, giving the readers a wrong address as to where he lived though the detective did and still has that precision and deductions that solved his mysteries and solves a present day situation. He is now a beekeeper in his old age along with following the search for ‘prickly ash’ to help him with his memory which is failing.

Based on a screenplay by Jeffrey Hatcher from a book by Mitch Cullin (Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, who?) it revolves around Holmes, his housekeeper Mrs. Munro, played by Laura Linney, in a role she could have done in her sleep but doesn’t, and her son Roger, (Milo Parker), who lost his father at a very young age, a clever somewhat precocious 10 year old who becomes devoted to Holmes and who Holmes comes to see as a remarkable child. There is a side trip story regarding Japan and a Japanese mother and her son whose husband/father abandoned them to serve England in the war, which really doesn’t bring much to the movie. Another part of the screenplay is Holmes’s last mystery with Patrick Kennedy as Thomas Kelmot who thinks his wife Ann, played by Hattie Morahan, is cheating on him. There is also Nicholas Rowe, who plays the fictional Sherlock Holmes in a film being watched by the ‘real’ Sherlock Holmes and in a wasted role Frances de la Tour as a eccentric music teacher.

Ian McKellen is a delight to watch, Laura Linney, in a dark wig, is powerful in a brief scene near the end with him and Milo Parker has chemistry with McKellen but I found myself walking up the aisle, after the credits, giving it a one word review in my mind, ‘disappointment’, which may be my fault expecting too much from another pairing of Condon and McKellen.… Expand

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HotelCentralApr 28, 2016

If you admire Sherlock Holmes in any way, then, pray, do not see this film.

Yes, those of us fortunate enough to survive middle age are inevitably diminished by old age. And "Mr. Holmes" is proof enough that were the Great Detective toIf you admire Sherlock Holmes in any way, then, pray, do not see this film.

Yes, those of us fortunate enough to survive middle age are inevitably diminished by old age. And "Mr. Holmes" is proof enough that were the Great Detective to grow old and feeble he should be allowed to endure his final years with dignity and in private. This film, unfortunately, dwells on every evidence of infirmity. It is by turns unpleasant, discomforting, and excruciating. I can only conclude that Jeffrey Hatcher, the screenwriter, or Bill Condon, the director, or one or another of the producers, or all of them, must harbor a secret loathing for fiction's most iconic detective and thus provided us with this horrific vision of Sherlock Holmes, not only enfeebled by age, but brought to such a state of mental derangement, or depression, that he rejects logic, embraces emotion, and, in effective, renounces everything that Sherlock Holmes has ever been.

It is really a dreadful story, made all the more nightmarish by the skills of the stellar Sir Ian.

Why didn't they simply buy up every copy of every Holmes story in existence and burn every last one? It would have been less painful to behold.… Expand

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DawdlingPoetNov 27, 2021

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This is a mystery drama film covering themes including independence, memory, anger and seniority. It is a somewhat under stated film, with a slow plot pace and an emphasis on atmosphere, of its historical nature, with fairly quiet classical/instrumental musical pieces played in the background, as we watch Holmes trying to remember details of the case he attempts to solve before things get worse for him.

I found his relationship with the young boy, Roger, quite endearing. He seems to be quite thoughtful in terms of what he says - he seems quite an observant person, which makes sense. I was almost surprised that Roger managed to understand some of what Mr. Holmes said, given he used some particularly long words which I may have struggled to fully understand at Rogers age (around 10 years old or thereabouts, at a guess).

There is a sombre, foreboding feel to it at times, which obviously added to its sense of mystery, an element of darkness perhaps. I liked the dialogue, some of it is relatively witty and it did feel like the script had been thought through relatively well.

Cast wise, Ian McKellen stars as the title character, Mr. Holmes. He comes across as quite dour, a strict person, although not without his redeeming features at times. He is shown to be very thoughtful, a philosophical type, which is (of course) to be expected - I felt that McKellen did well in playing the famous role in his later years. Meanwhile, Milo Parker plays Roger, the young boy who seems quite fascinated in Holmes and keen to learn what he can from him, while being quite witty in himself. Other cast members include Laura Linney, who plays Mrs. Munro and Frances de la Tour who plays Madam Schirmer, plus Phil Davies as Inspector Gilbert.

Content wise, the film contains some mild violence and the topic of suicide is brought up and discussed, although nothing especially graphic is shown as such. There are scenes which show characters smoking and drinking alcohol, although not perhaps excessively. There is one scene which shows a character having suffered from numerous insect stings, which could perhaps frighten young viewers but otherwise it isn't particularly likely to offend or otherwise. It has been given a PG rating to reflect this.

I felt like I mostly enjoyed it, although it seemed, to me, perhaps more like a long TV show, rather than a film, as such. It was an enjoyable watch but it was maybe a little bland - im not sure how to explain that in any more detail really. In any case, the highlight for me was definitely the friendship between Holmes and Roger - the older generation passing on some observations on to the younger generation. I like the fact that it tackles a somewhat taboo issue, that of social care, of how older people deal with the knowledge that they'll likely lose a fair amount of memory in the not-too-distant future. I've always felt like its good to discuss things that maybe make some people feel uncomfortable - such things ought to be addressed more. This isn't a medical film by any means but it does make you think about what it may be like, if the viewer were to be in Mr. Holmes' shoes and the likes - in a sense, its a bit sobering. One other downside is that I noticed some dialogue was quite hushed, so if you struggle to hear things clearly on TV then that may well frustrate you. Its a thoughtful watch - by no means extraordinary of anything like that but for what it is, it is good.

Yes, overall I'd recommend this film. I felt Ian McKellan did particularly well in his role as the title character and it features some good dialogue, interesting characters and its generally an enjoyable watch. However, if you don't much care for slow paced films and are looking for something that has lots of special effects and the like, then you'd be better looking elsewhere.… Expand

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