A Netflix Original Picture, Written by Jack Thorne, Directed by Harry Bradbeer.
There have been many twists on the famous Sherlock Holmes legend, and it is one of the most adapted page-to-screen properties of all time. However, this is something that is genuinely different, with the story being told from the perspective of a third Holmes sibling. Written by prolific British TV writer Jack Thorne and directed by Fleabag (2016) director Harry Bradbeer, this film follows intrepid teen Enola Holmes (Millie Bobby Brown), who whilst searching for her missing mother (Helena Bonham Carter), uses her sleuthing skills to outsmart big brothers Sherlock (Henry Cavill) and Mycroft (Sam Claflin), help a runaway lord, and uncover a much bigger conspiracy.
On the face of it, making a film about Sherlock Holmes’ younger sister is exactly the sort of thing you would expect Hollywood to do and then it be terrible. However, with the talent behind and in front of the camera being so impressive here, it sounded intriguing, and the result is even better than that. What we get is a rollicking adventure with a great lead character and a world that is ripe for exploring.
The basic story is that teenager Enola lives alone with her mother, until one night where she suddenly disappears out of the blue, leaving Enola confused and immediately ready to investigate and work out where she is. However, this is complicated when her strict brother Mycroft returns, alongside her other brother and famed detective Sherlock, to get the ‘wild girl’ under control and turn her into a proper lady of the time. However, this is not to Enola’s liking and she runs away to find her mother, and on the way runs into Tewkesbury (Louis Partridge), and this draws her in to another mystery.
Whilst the mysteries themselves are not particularly inventive, and the whole story around the mother character and her suffragette movement is frustratingly underdeveloped and tossed aside, in general the plot works as a successful YA spin on Sherlock Holmes mysteries. Much of this is down to the smart screenwriting of Jack Throne, as he weights his script much more in character development and good dialogue, instead of creating an incredibly elaborate and fancy plot that people had to try and follow. A lot of credit should also go to director Harry Bradbeer, already much acclaimed for his work on the likes of Fleabag (2016) and Killing Eve (2020), for the energy he brings to the film and the sharp camera work that really captures the whirlwind that is Enola.
The technical aspects of this film are a real surprise delight, with Daniel Pemberton’s score feeling fresh and organic, and simply one of the best of the year. The production, and especially costume, design is truly impressive here and really makes you buy into this being the time period. In a year where Netflix had less contenders, I think this could have been a surprise below the line player this awards season.
However, without really strong performances, none of this would matter much as the film would still fall flat, and luckily enough they get them. The entire ensemble is impressive, although many of the likes of Helena Bonham Carter, Fiona Shaw, and Adeel Akhtar only appear in glorified cameos. Louis Partridge does a solid job matching Brown’s energy as her new close friend, Tewkesbury, and Sam Claflin is very well cast as a menacing and stuck in his ways Mycroft. When it comes to Sherlock Holmes, one of the last people you would think of to play him is the handsome and hulking actor who portrays Superman. However, playing a much more charming, calm, and all round more personable Sherlock here, Cavill is able to shine. He gets some good moments to shine on his own, but much of the Sherlock staples are stripped away from appearance and performance, and he is able to make Sherlock a real person, and more importantly a key supporting figure in Enola’s story, instead of stealing the limelight, and the genuine connection between the two is one of the films best aspects, and one I hope can be explored further one day.
As for Enola herself, she is portrayed by teenage megastar and Stranger Things (2016) actress Millie Bobby Brown, and she is an absolute delight here. Her performance is exactly the reason the film works, it is a true movie star turn from someone who is still so young, and she perfectly captures Enola’s childlike enthusiasm, whilst also showing off a maturity that we have yet to see from her. Seeing Brown in this role again is the exact reason why I hope Netflix goes against their usual rule and decides to make a sequel from this film.
Overall, I think for fans of young adult content (or just Millie Bobby Brown fans) there will be plenty here for you to enjoy, and I also think fans of Sherlock Holmes will find enough enjoyment here that it manages to be the ideal balancing act for what it needed to do.
Rating = 3.5/5
Howe's World of Film and TV 