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Mr. Holmes
2015 104 min United Kingdom, United States of America PG 18+
★7.0
Drama, Crime, Mystery
Director: Bill Condon
🎭 Based on
«A Slight Trick of the Mind»
byMitch Cullin
Trailers
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Description
In 1947, long-retired and near the end of his life, Sherlock Holmes grapples with an unreliable memory and must rely on his housekeeper's son as he revisits the still-unsolved case that led to his retirement.
Budget:
$11M
US Gross:
$17.74M
Worldwide:
$29.36M
Starring
Ian McKellen
Actor
Laura Linney
Actor
Hiroyuki Sanada
Actor
Awards
Saturn Awards 2016
— Best Thriller
Saturn Awards 2016
— Best Young Performer
Key opinion
Mr. Holmes is widely appreciated as a thoughtful, melancholic character study that trades traditional detective thrills for a poignant exploration of aging and memory. While some viewers feel the film lacks the deductive rigor associated with the source material, most audiences find Ian McKellen's performance and the film's gentle, reflective tone deeply moving.
| Cinematography | The film features strong, evocative cinematography that highlights the contrast between the tranquil, vivid rural scenery and the theme of the protagonist’s physical and mental decline. | |
| Score | The score is frequently cited as an excellent, atmospheric accompaniment that bolsters the film's emotional weight. | |
| Pacing | The pacing is deliberate and unhurried; it rewards viewers seeking a philosophical drama but risks feeling tedious or boring to those expecting a high-stakes mystery. | |
| Acting | Ian McKellen’s performance is polarizing: many see his portrayal of an elderly, fragile Holmes as a career-defining embodiment of grace and vulnerability, while others perceive it as a miscast, vague, and unengaging interpretation. | |
| Screenplay | The screenplay splits viewers regarding its narrative direction; some appreciate the shift to a character-driven drama about loss and legacy, while others criticize the lack of traditional deduction and find the plot fragments, such as the Japanese subplot, to be aimless or incoherent. |