Sherlock Holmes may have left it too late to learn that life without connection is a living death, in this beautifully constructed story by writer Mitch Cullin and director Bill Condon.
MR HOLMES
Director: Bill Condon
Cast: Ian McKellen, Laura Linney, Hiroyuki Sanada, Milo Parker, Hattie Morahan
Rating: (PG)
Three stars (out of five)
Ian McKellen (The Lord of the Rings and Hobbit films) is a fabulous, aged Mr Holmes who cannot remember why he has been hiding away in the English countryside for the past 35 years.
His only clue is a half-remembered encounter with a beautiful woman; his only hope a budding friendship with young Roger, deftly played by Milo Parker (Ghosthunters).
This is no action movie, but it has great power to command attention.
Lovely costumes and expert use of form and light make Mr Holmes a pleasure to watch.
The well-paced, engaging story allows time for scenes to be set and faces examined, all the while moving steadily, unrelentingly towards an unexpected climax.
Holmes encounters death at every turn, coming face to face with the strengths and weaknesses of his reliance on logic.
As he struggles to uncover the truth about his last case, will he also connect with both the living and the dead in order to regain his own life?
