Enola Holmes

This is the movie I wish I had at 15. This isn't about Sherlock Holmes. It's not about solving a mystery or surprising the audience. It's about a teenage girl finding out who she is. It was charming, funny, wonderfully acted, aesthetically pleasing, and sweet. If you are a grown man criticizing it, Back off. This wasn't made for you. Or me. This was made for 15 yro girls. And the fifteen year old girl in me LOVED it.

I thoroughly enjoyed this film. All of my preconceived notions of this movie were tossed out from the start. I'm so glad she's not a Mary Sue, with her flaws. 16 year olds weren't here children at the turn of the 20th century, so it's refreshing to showcase this. At the same time, they made an error, in my opinion. They made mention of the Ritz hotel, but it wasn't opened until 1906. Otherwise, everybody did a good job. Breaking the 4th wall was a nice touch as well.

I read quite a few reviews forsaking this movie. While I understand their standings, I don't think they understood the movie. There were several revolutionary women during the time of the movie and before it. Shall I remind people of Joan of Arc?! Anyway, back to the movie. The background was about ENOLA HOLMES NOT SHERLOCK. There are plenty of movies about him even if she did not exist in Sir Arthur's books. While the movie had undertones of feminism, it was mainly about a coming of age story, where society expects you to conform to their standards instead of being an individual, much like today. Also, when Millie was talking to the audience it is a real thing called Breaking The Fourth Wall, which is a term for the invisible wall that exists between the world the play or movie in this case is in, and the audience.

I think Millie did a fantastic job captivating her audience whether you liked it or not. I recommend it to anyone who loves a adventurous tale.

This film stirred up a lot of drama on release and got a bad reputation for it. Much of the noise centered on the historical reimagining that the filmmakers reveled in, which many reviewers took offense to, while another factor that offended viewers was Cavill's portrayal of Sherlock Holmes as both polite and all-too fallible. Both of these issues are unfounded.

The first is unfounded because Enola Holmes in no way presents itself as historical fiction. It's a comedy-adventure film based on a series of stories about a fictional detective. Expecting accuracy here is like expecting it from The Death of Stalin. The second is unfounded because, put simply, this isn't really a Sherlock Holmes film, and were Sherlock as preternaturally intelligent as he is in Doyle's stories, he'd completely overshadow the lead (which is generally not a good thing.)

Visually, the film looks great, with beautiful sets and locations, and a wonderful array of period costumes. Brown's performance really carries the film, especially in the more lighthearted moments. The other cast members were also impressive, though I did find the acting somewhat stilted during the film's exposition-heavy "serious" scenes.

This film's issues mainly stem from its overreliance on expository dialogue. It forcibly leads viewers around by the nose, treating its audience like fools all while being about as predictable as the key change in a pop song. While the 4th wall shenanigans are occasionally funny, they start to slip into the Dorra-esc in the film's back half, and I found them mostly distracting overall. The story is oddly paced and somehow overcomplicated while also being remarkable simple, so, unfortunately, the best way to watch Enola Holmes is with one's brain set to low - which isn't a great sign for a detective story.

Nonetheless, Enola Holmes is two hours worth of lighthearted adventure that many people seem to have taken way, way too seriously. It is not a Sherlock Holmes story. It isn't even much of a mystery. It's a teen adventure film and should be treated as such. If that's what you're in the market for, Enola Holmes is worth the watch, being a good-quality example of the genre. If you're looking for a proper detective flick, I'd consider looking elsewhere.

Enola Holmes is absolutely wonderful, quirky and charming. You'll absolutely love it, unless you're a Sherlock Holmes fan, then it quickly looses its charms. They basically change every character completely to fit the story, rendering them unrecognisable. But, it's made for young teen girls and they will love it. I should also add, that Henry Cavill is one of the worst Sherlock Holmes, I've ever seen. I genuinely like him as an actor, but in this case I think he was terribly miscast.

If you love Sherlock Holmes, you won't love this... but if you don't care about Holmes you'll have a great time.