Mr. Holmes

One of the finest films that I have seen in this year: that's how I would like to describe this film. Unlike other films dealing with Sherlock Holmes, this doesn't deal with Sherlock Holmes undertaking an adventure, preferably accompanied by Dr. Watson. This film is a careful, faithful, and poignant rendition of the book, and has greatly benefited from stellar performance from all concerned. Plus, the direction and narrative has been a slow-burner, that managed to infuse considerable suspense even in such a poignant piece.Highly Recommended.

Excellent, set in 1947, largely in the English country. A human Holmes, who in the winter of his life realises that logic and deduction are not enough, but empathy and spiritual connection are required to live.Mere logical consistency leads to the suicide of a client's wife and Holmes moves to the country to deal with the guilt and grief.A fine film, worth having, for the humanity of a major literary hero.

Awesome movie. Bought it more out of curiosity. Superb script.. Great performances

A nice take on the old Holmes...the mention of the fallout with Mr Watson was not necessary. The actor was very good.

Doesn't play on my lenovo laptop, but (fortunately) played on the MacBook!

Mr Holmes is set in the 1940s, Holmes is in his 90s and his health and memory is failing him. Watson is gone, so is Baker Street, he is very much a man out of his time in a world which has now entered the atomic age. He lives in rural surrey and is long into retirement, beekeeping is his passion. A housekeeper and window live with him along with her young son, the dynamic between the three creates most of the conflict within the film, the boy of course is drawn in awe to the legendary detective while the mother is concerned about this. Holmes himself is all too aware of the inflated view the public has of him and decides he will finally try to write up his own novel in order to get it right this time, but is his memory up to it?I love this film but leave all your expectations at the front door. This isn't your typical Holmes adventure, it's more of a sad meditation on life, loss, guilt, relationships and aging. The makeup work is superb making Ian McKellen a 90 something. In the sequences of Holmes in his 60s, back in the Edwardian period McKellen plays him with much more of the flair you find in the novels. The colour palette is also a bit richer in the Edwardian period.

Saturday night and I could not decide what to watch. We've all been there. So, eventually after much humming and hawing I finally picked Mr Holmes, whilst muttering 'I'll give it the first twenty minutes...'! I watched the whole film, immediately transported to 1947 and immediately enchanted with the film, the plot, McKellen's acting as well as the surprise turn from Laura Linney as his housekeeper. This film really leapt off the screen for me and I loved it. Holmes, at 93, through the onset of dementia, tries to piece together his last case, the one he failed, the one that made him retire from his world and to the English countryside. This film was a complete surprise and one of the best films I've seen in the past few years. It is a tale about failure, loss, being alone and loneliness and a man living up to/in competition with the fictionalised persona in Dr Watson's bestselling books of the real man's exploits. A big recommendation from me.

Possible spoilers.The film is an adaptation of a Mitch Cullin book, depicting Holmes in his 90s. There are some differences in the story, particularly in the fate of the young boy that Holmes is teaching about bees and their habits. I have difficulties, as I did with the novel, in accepting that a 90+ year-old would be capable of a long & arduous journey to and around Japan, just after WWII. However, Ian McKellen is excellent in the role and the overall tone of the piece is 'feel-good', except for the way in which one of Holmes' old cases is resolved.One to pass the time in a pleasant way. I would recommend that you read  A Slight Trick of the Mind , but be prepared for a much less happy ending. A Slight Trick of the Mind

I met Ian McKellan in my hometown Copemhagen i the 1970ties, when he made a guest-performance at our National Museum together with an actress. An evening dedicated to Shakespeare. In my memory a most extraordinary evening. A common friend in London said to me, "Go and see him and say hello from me". I did, and met a very friendly person. Since then I have followed McKellans life and carreer on film and in TV.McKellan as the old Holmes is a wonderfull experience. One of the worlds best actors. You can see it again and again and still experience new things. The production as a whole, the actors, photography, all deserves the greatest praise. I have seen it in Blu-Ray.Hans SkaarupCopenhagen

The acting was excellent, I gave 4 stars because that was so very good. I'm afraid I misunderstood what the story was supposed to be about, I thought it was supposed to be an older Holmes stiil doing his investigations, yes it was an older Holmes but past the investigation stage, my wife and I may have enjoyed it more if we understood what we were about to watch, Mr McKellen was wonderful as he always is and with a good supporting cast, we were let down as we were expecting to see Holmes in action played by an excellent actor.