'Enola Holmes' Review
PG13: Some violence
Runtime: 2 Hrs and 3 Minutes
Production Companies: Legendary Pictures, PCMA Productions
Distributor: Netflix
Director: Harry Bradbeer
Writer: Jack Thorne
Cast: Millie Bobby Brown, Sam Claflin, Henry Cavill, Helena Bonham Carter, Louis Partridge
Release Date: September 23, 2020
When Enola Holmes-Sherlock's teen sister-discovers her mother missing, she sets off to find her, becoming a super-sleuth in her own right as she outwits her famous brother and unravels a dangerous conspiracy around a mysterious young Lord.
A public domain property like Sherlock Holmes can only be expected to receive a variety of interpretations in both TV and film. This includes content that isn’t even centered on Sherlock himself but follows Sherlock Holmes-like figures who exist in his world, such as Basil of Baker Street, for example. Now, Holmes has a little sister named Enola who inherited many of his clever attributes, but what she has that many Sherlock Holmes iterations haven’t received in quite some time is a good movie. Based on the book series The Enola Holmes Mysteries by Nancy Springer, Enola Holmes centers on the younger teenage sister of Sherlock and Mycroft as she embarks on a quest of her own to solve mysteries after her dear mother disappears. With only her wit to guide her, Enola must be sharp, skilled, and ten paces ahead of her clever older brothers, who intend to find her and send her to finishing school so she can become the societal definition of a lady.
There’s no easy way to say this, but Enola Holmes truly took me by surprise. The film takes the “teenage female sleuth” familiarity of Nancy Drew, applies it to the world of Sherlock Holmes, and approaches it in a style very similar to –– and bear with me when I say this –– Fleabag. Yeah, you heard me. Fleabag. Enola constantly breaks the fourth wall and addresses the audience throughout the film. It’s a strange approach, but given its set universe, it’s a very refreshing take.
Man, I hope Stranger Things concludes in the near future so the kids in the cast can finally spread their wings and soar onto other projects and display their talents. Many of the cast members, such as Finn Wolfhard, Natalia Dyer, Joe Keery, and Caleb McLaughlin have already exhibited their talents in starring roles and now it’s Millie Bobby Brown’s turn with Enola Holmes. Millie Bobby Brown is an utter delight as the titular character. She very much carries the entire picture and often acts circles around her co-stars, which includes more experienced counterparts like Henry Cavill. Cavill is great as the infamous Sherlock Holmes, but it felt like he was merely doing an impression of the character while Bobby Brown was embodying Enola.
Given that this is her first starring role in a feature film, Bobby Brown absolutely shines with charisma. She has the vibrant spark of a young Keira Knightley or Hugh Grant. Man, put her in the next Paddington movie. Her delivery and comedic timing are so on point, especially when she’s interacting with the audience, that it feels like she actually studied Phoebe Waller Bridge’s method for the movie. This is fitting considering Enola Holmes is helmed by Harry Bradbeer, the director behind *checks notes* 11/12 EPISODES OF FLEABAG?!
What I love about Bradbeer’s take on this property — aside from the style he incorporates — is his ability to take such a small young-adult novel series and transform it into a fun, grand-scale adventure that works on the level of a Hollywood blockbuster that never boggles itself down just to appeal to a certain demographic. It has the sensibilities of a family film in its writing and wit, but it also earns its PG-13 rating through its action sequences. I was surprised by how dark and violent the action is in the midst of all the high-spirited fun that drives the film. It’s not a disparity in tone by any means, for it does a great job depicting how vicious the world outside of Enola’s home can be. The dangers that she’s warned about by her mother and older brothers are real and the film’s arc is geared towards Enola proving that she can survive on her own. As dark as the action sequences might be, it gives the world a coat of realism that doesn’t stray far from the typical Sherlock Holmes movie.
Considering this is a period piece, gender plays a huge role in the film’s message. It’s not subtle by any means. Anyone who has ever taken a history class is well aware of the context of what was going on during the Victorian era that this is set in. That being said, the setting raises the stakes of what dangers Enola has to face on her adventure. As far as being a PG-13 high-stakes adventure flick about a young woman coming to her own, Enola Holmes has female gender role conversations similar to the recent Mulan, but because of the accurate historical context of this story, that conversation is completely realized.
This movie is two hours long and it doesn’t need to be. It’s well-paced, but you still feel every minute of it. That being said, it’s more bang for your buck than Disney’s Mulan… or any of the previous Sherlock movies for that matter.
Very much like the titular character herself, Enola Holmes attempts to tackle the same forms as Sherlock Holmes, proving itself to be a fun iteration that can stand on its own. It’s stylish, playful, epic, and incredibly fun. It takes the formula of a Sherlock Holmes mystery, styles it like Fleabag, and delivers on being a well-structured swashbuckling action-adventure. Millie Bobby Brown absolutely rocks in this film and I already want a sequel. Ugh, if this film had ended up in theaters like it was originally intended, it would’ve been a perfect crowd-pleasing blockbuster.
