REVIEW: Enola Holmes is Another Feel Good Win for Netflix
Millie Bobby Brown made a name for herself as Eleven in Netflix’s hits series, Stranger Things, and now she stars in a brand-new movie for the streaming platform, Enola Holmes. Based on the The Case of the Missing Marquess: An Enola Holmes Mystery by Nancy Springer, Brown plays Holmes, the younger sister to the infamous, Sherlock Holmes (Henry Cavill).
Enola has had an unusual upbringing, raised by her single mother, Eudoria (Helena Bonham Carter), she’s never attended a formal school instead learning everything she needed to know from her mother. When her mother goes missing, leaving behind a note only Enola can decipher, she sets off to find her mother. Before she can truly begin searching, her brothers, Sherlock and Mycroft (Sam Claflin) return home, to care for their new ward.
Enola hopes her famous sleuth of a brother, Sherlock can help; however, her conniving brother, Mycroft has other ideas. Before Enola knows it, he has sent her off to boarding school prompting Enola to do everything in her power to escape her brothers’ clutches and find her mother before it is too late.
Enola Holmes is a feel-good movie, with quickpacing, an engaging heroine, and intriguing mystery. This movie is aimed more towards a younger audience, but adults will love it, too. The character Enola is not only smart, but she is a fighter. She will likely have many young boys and girls pretending to be her after they check out the movie. Adults will also love the campy comedy featured throughout and everyone will leave the movie with a smile on their face. The movie does feature Enola breaking the fourth wall every now and then, but after the first few times, you come to enjoy her witty banter with the camera.
Brown is fantastic as the young sleuth. Bringing excitement and joy to the character, not only is she funny, but she finds a way to make the breaking of the fourth wall technique acceptable. Cavill is charming as the legendary Sherlock. He and Brown are wonderful together, even though we don’t get to see them in too many scenes together. The scenes we do see them in will leave you wanting to see them in a whole movie together.
Claflin’s performance as Mycroft is simply dastardly. He does everything in his performance to ensure viewers will hate the character just as much as Enola does. Helena Bonham Carter is as wacky as Eudoria as she is in a majority of her other roles. She and Brown play mother and daughter with ease, creating a fun relationship between Enola and Eudoria.
In the midst of all the darkness currently clouding over the world, Enola Holmes is a refreshing bright light. The movie doesn’t take itself too seriously, which works out in its favor. This is the perfect movie to watch with friends and family members of all ages. Here’s hoping we get another movie based on the young detective in the years to come.
Grade: A