Ian McKellen
Struggles with "A Slight Trick of the Mind" as an Aging
Sherlock Holmes
By Chris Sabga
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Release Date:
July 17, 2015 – U.S.
Rating: PG
Genre: Crime,
Drama, Mystery
Running Time:
104 minutes
Director: Bill
Condon
Writers:
Jeffrey Hatcher (screenplay),
Mitch
Cullin (novel)
Cast: Ian
McKellen, Laura Linney,
Milo Parker, Hiroyuki Sanada,
Hattie Morahan,
Patrick Kennedy,
Roger Allam
|
There is a mystery in
"Mr. Holmes," but that's only part of the story. This
incarnation of the iconic detective (played by the superb Ian
McKellen) is an old man now. He has given up sleuthing and lives only
with his housekeeper, Mrs. Munro (Laura Linney, with an English
accent), and her young son, Roger (Milo Parker).
Why did Sherlock Holmes
retire, what really happened
during his final case, and whatever became of his assistant
Dr. Watson and brother Mycroft?
This film – based on
the novel "A Slight Trick of the Mind" by Mitch Cullen –
is divided into three equally important sections and switches between
them:
Present day:
Holmes is old, frail, and
losing his memory. He tends to his bees outside, with the help of his
willing little assistant, Roger.
Trip to Japan:
A fan of the Sherlock Holmes
books, Tamiki Umezaki (Hiroyuki
Sanada), wants
to meet the man himself and invites him to Japan for a visit. While
there, Holmes looks for "prickly ash" – a plant that is
said to restore the memory.
His final case:
A younger – but still aging – Holmes is hired to investigate a
case involving a husband and wife, Thomas (Patrick Kennedy) and Ann
(Hattie Morahan).
Because Holmes is ill,
elderly, and his memory is diminishing, he can't remember all the
details of the case or exactly what led to his retirement.
"Mr. Holmes"
has fun with the legend of Sherlock Holmes. It plays around with the
concepts of truth, fiction, and the importance of both. According to
Holmes, the books based on his cases are somewhat embellished –
how, exactly, I'll leave you to discover. On that note, there's a
terrific scene with Holmes watching one of the movies depicting his
younger self – "Sherlock Holmes and the Lady in Grey" –
but don't go looking for it, because it's not real. There's also a
great cameo for eagle-eyed fans of a young Sherlock Holmes – which
I wouldn't dream of spoiling. To be honest, I wasn't even aware of it
until after the fact.
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At the heart and soul
of the movie is the tender mentor-student relationship between Holmes
and the boy. As Roger, newcomer Milo Parker delivers an outstanding
performance that is every bit the equal of Ian McKellen's. That's no
easy feat, because McKellen himself is fantastic as he switches
between the great man with a gleam in his eye to the aging, fading
legend who can barely get out of his own bed. He makes his incredible
acting appear effortless – but it isn't, of course. The makeup
department should also be commended – for somehow masterfully
transforming McKellen into an aging version of Basil Rathbone,
Nicholas Rowe, or whichever Holmes you consider your favorite.
Once upon a time,
Sherlock Holmes was the world's greatest detective. But even the best
of us get old. Soon, all that remain are memories. When those begin
to go too, what else is left? "Mr. Holmes" delicately but
firmly addresses the aging process.
There is a development
in the third act – which may or may not involve Holmes at all –
that had everyone in the theater on pins and needles. I will say no
more.
If you're expecting
simply
another cracklin' crime caper, stick to the books by Sir Arthur Conan
Doyle or seek out the older movies with Rathbone or the multitude of
others who have donned the cap and coat over the years. "Mr.
Holmes" is so much more than that – and so much better for it.
It's a fresh, fun, thought-provoking take on an old classic.
