Enola Holmes Review

Enola Holmes Review

-Nicola Johnson

 

                As a fan of Millie Bobbi Brown’s work in the Netflix Science Fiction phenomenon Stranger Things, I was very excited when I started seeing previews for the latest Netflix production featuring Miss Brown, Enola Holmes.  I was not disappointed. 

                Featuring Millie Bobbi Brown as the titular character, the cast is made up of a host of familiar faces.  Sam Claflin, who typically plays romantic leads, was almost unrecognizable as the notoriously uptight older brother of Sherlock Holmes.  As Mycroft, Claflin delivers a seamless performance, leaving his leading man persona behind in favor of the standoffish eldest Holmes sibling.  Playing the notable detective Sherlock Holmes, Henry Cavill takes away the peculiarities the famed detective is known for, replacing them with obvious fondness and gentility towards his younger sister.  Helena Bonham-Carter rounds out the Holmes’ family as the matriarch whose disappearance pulls Enola into an amazing adventure, despite her brothers’ disapproval. 

                Enola breaks the legendary fourth wall, speaking directly to the audience, imparting much needed background to this new character, Sherlock’s 20 years younger sister. Enola was first mentioned in 2006 in a YA series written by American author Nancy Springer. The movie has a host of producers, including none other than Millie Bobbie Brown.

                A carefully crafted mystery within a mystery, shortly after Enola embarks on her mission to find her mother, she finds herself caught in the middle of a second adventure when a runaway slides into her train car.   Enter Louis Partridge playing Twekesbury, otherwise known as the Missing Marquess.  Partridge gives an amazing performance, holding his own with Brown.  Twekesbury also holds his own with Enola.  She decides to help him stay hidden. The actors play off each other brilliantly, and the characters inspire a “who’s saving who?” mentality, as they morph into partners. 

                One more familiar face is Fiona Shaw as the villainous Miss Harrison, head mistress of the finishing school Mycroft Holmes is insistent that Enola attend.  Shaw makes her characters easy to hate, which, in this writer’s humble opinion is the trademark of a great actor.  Hate is a strong emotion, and from Shaw’s performance in True Blood and Harry Potter to Enola Holmes, she consistently manages to inspire strong feelings from her audience.

                Enola Holmes proves that Netflix productions continue to impress and adds to their growing library of notable films and series.  However, the best part of Enola Holmes is that it followed the first of Nancy Springer’s series about the sixteen-year-old detective, who gives her elder and legendary sibling a run for his money.  Sherlock Holmes may have, at last, met his match with his clever, much younger sister.  And I hope Netflix continues working with this all-star cast to bring all of Ms. Springer’s books about Enola to the screen.  As always, Netflix has produced a film that leaves its viewers wanting for more.