Popular reviews

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  Review by A. J. Black ★★★½ 8

  When you think of Sherlock Holmes, arguably one of literature's greatest characters and the world's finest literary detective, what comes to mind? The deerstalker and pipe, perhaps? The quick witted deductions, the eccentric interests, suggesting to Dr. Watson how "the game is afoot...". In the last century, thanks to countless cinematic and TV characterisations, Sherlock has become a iconic, symbolic representation, more perhaps than a character himself. Mr. Holmes approaches the great man of 221b Baker Street from a different angle, the context of an aged, ailing figure no longer able to recall his greatest victories and his most devastating defeat. Sir Ian McKellen, in a vision of casting as perfect as you're likely to get, becomes Sherlock in his…

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  Review by davidehrlich ★★½

  bees are cute. wasps are satan.

  that was my big takeaway. convoluted claptrap that tries to spin 4 mediocre mysteries when 2 good ones would have done the trick just fine (the emotional through-lines don't connect, too much is lost in the muddle), Ian McKellan is just so dang good as Holmes twice over that he muscles it along. and those English cliffs don't hurt none, along with Carter Burwell's best stuff in quite a while.

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  Review by Matthew L. Brady ★★½ 9

  All the best Sherlock's in order:

  Nicholas Rowe - Young Sherlock.

  Jeremy Brett - The classy Sherlock.

  Christopher Lee - The sharp Sherlock.

  Robert Downey Jr. - The Hollywood version of Sherlock.

  Johnny Lee Miller - American Sherlock.

  Benedict Cumberbatch - The modern day Sherlock.

  Ian McKellen - The old Sherlock.

  Mr. Homes show's it's version of Sherlock Holmes is in his twilight years - but looking back on his long, storied career, there is still one case that eludes him and he will not rest until he can unravel its mystery.

  I was interested in the idea of a old Sherlock Holmes, I mean it's different from most Sherlock stories and I thought they doing one of those stories…

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  Review by João Caetano ★★★

  Mr. Holmes is a heartwarming tale of an old man who happens to be Sherlock Holmes.

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  Review by panos75 ★★★½ 2

  After a trip to post-WW2 Hiroshima, nonagenarian Sherlock Holmes arrives at his Sussex country home and tries to remember his last case and attend his apiary. He is helped in both tasks by the young son of his housekeeper who aspires to become a detective himself.

  Pretty enjoyable work of historical fiction which treats its famous character as a real-life person suffering from the consequences of his (in)actions and the toll time has taken on his body and mind. Bill Condon manages to mix Holmes's character study with a couple of low-key mysteries (in both past and present) whose seeming insignificance betrays the momentous role their outcome will play in his life. The film also handles effectively Holmes's worsening dementia…

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  Review by Rafael "Parker!!" Jovine ★★★★ 10

  I knew Holmes always had always an inclination to tease Watson, but the level of shades in here are so abundant old Holmes could open a retail store.

  But yeah, this was pretty good. Taking an eternal young iconic character as it tends to be the case of Sherlock Holmes and explore his days past his glory could go into many different directions. They pulled it off very well, the whole case in Japan and all was OK, but when they focused with him and his housekeeper and son's relationship the film takes a great endearing approach that had me more invested because of the many things of the character we could learn about and also it made for some…

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  Review by megan ★½

  gandalf is doing his best

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  Review by Travis Lytle ★★★

  "Mr. Holmes," Bill Condon's portrait of an aged Sherlock Holmes, profits from a stellar performance by Ian McKellen as Arthur Conan Doyle's famed detective at the end of his famous life. The story, a drama where Holmes pieces together some ill-remembered mysteries, may sag, but McKellen and castmates provide the film a vibrant burst of life.

  Revolving around a late-in-life Sherlock, "Mr. Holmes" follows the now-retired detective living out his last years in the English countryside. Surrounded by his housekeeper and her son, Holmes wiles away his days, rethinking a mystery or two while tolerating the folks with whom he spends of his days.

  The drama feels lethargic and is more notable for its premise, commentary on Holmes' meta-celebrity, and…

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  Review by MrPPeeps ★★★½ 1

  Mr.Holmes showcases the phenomenal Ian McKellen delivering a typically fantastic performance as a retired and ageing Sherlock Holmes, trying to solve one (maybe more) last mystery, despite his memory, among other things rapidly failing him. I'd argue that Mr. Holmes gets a little lost trying to do more than what was necessary, and therefore doesn't quite reach its potential considering the interesting story and great cast. But it's still an enjoyable, easy watch that kept me engaged, and I'd have no issues revisiting this again at some point.

  My Last Review: | A Walk Among the Tombstones |

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  Review by TajLV ★★★ 3

  "It isn't a bee, it's a wasp. Different thing entirely." ~ Sherlock Holmes

  My wife was a huge fan of Sherlock Holmes stories. On our first trip to London together, she insisted that we visit the home of the great mythical detective at 221B Baker Street. This was in the mid-1980s, and all we found there was a sign marking the spot where it would have been, if the address even existed. This was several years before the Sherlock Holmes Museum opened near the north end of Baker Street in 1990, between #237 and #241. Anyway, disappointed, she bought a miniature metal souvenir replica of the street sign "Baker Street," and it hung beside our front door in Tokyo for…

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  Review by matt lynch ★★★

  Pretty alright, although for some reason I'd assumed this was the final adventure of an elderly John Holmes, so a bit disappointing.

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  Review by Mr. DuLac ★★★★

  There seems to be an outbreak of mortality.
  -Sherlock Holmes

  My earliest memories of Sherlock Holmes consist of what I remember as the first "real" book my mom bought me, "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes" which consisted of a dozen short stories and watching Jeremy Brett portray the character on TV, which most people consider the greatest portrayal of the world's most famous detective, and rightfully so.

  Still though I've enjoyed seeing different less traditional takes of the character through the years from Young Sherlock Holmes to Guy Ritchie trying to turn the character into an action franchise with an American actor to boot. No need to mention how much I love the TV show Sherlock, and yet have so…