My wife and I decided to catch a movie when we had a break in our schedule. We looked up what was playing, and she mentioned a movie that I had not heard of before – Mr. Holmes.
I thought the title was unusual, but what is more unusual is that I had not heard about this new movie about Sherlock Holmes. I am an avid Holmes fan and watch almost anything that comes out about the famous British detective.
The movie stars Ian McKellan, most notable for his roles in The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit and recent X-Men movies.
McKellan plays an elderly Holmes that is in the twilight of his life. Holmes has retreated to the country and no longer resides at 221B Baker St. but he can’t remember why.
The audience soon discovers that Holmes is on a journey to remember his last case, The Woman in Grey but because of his advanced age, he is finding it difficult. He wants to write the story down, so that he can understand why he left the detective profession. The former detective is now trying to solve his last case again.
In order to help give his ailing memory a jolt, Holmes has taken up to eating Royal Jelly and tending to bee hives on his country estate. When that isn’t enough, he takes a trip to Japan in search for an advanced method to help him remember.
This story is not complete without the mention of the housekeeper and her son, Roger. They take care of everything on the property for Mr. Holmes, except for tending to the bees. When Holmes returns from Japan, Roger takes an interest in the bees and begins to develop a close relationship with the aging Holmes. In fact, because of the boy’s inquisitive nature, it spurs Holmes to finish his account of the last case.
This is not a spiritual movie, although there is a terrific analogy for sacrificing one’s self for others towards the end, but to offer more detail would spoil the plot. Ultimately, the movie reflects on our past actions and the profound impact it can have on our future. I would highly recommend this film. I will probably purchase the movie when it is released. I give it 4 out of 5 stars.
Photo: http://www.mrholmesfilm.com/gallery/