Enola Holmes movie review by Movie Review Mom

MOVIE TITLE:   Enola Holmes                Now streaming on NETFLIX!

RATING:  PG-13

LENGTH:   2 hours, 3 minutes

Movie Review Mom GRADE:   A-

IN A NUTSHELL:

This charming coming-of-age adventure movie is family-friendly entertainment that was acquired by Netflix shortly after the worldwide pandemic arrived.  It’s based on the Nancy Springer book series called, “The Enola Holmes Mysteries.”  If you enjoy playing the Scrabble Game, you’ll get a kick out of the mystery Enola has to solve with her unique gift of unscrambling ciphers.

Directed by Harry Bradbeer and written by Jack Thorne, this movie comes with a warning.  There is a LOT of social justice warrior messaging.  For some viewers, that will kill the fun journey of the film.  Feminism is one of the movie’s biggest themes, as the movie is set in England in the early 1920s when Woman’s Suffrage was a dangerous endeavor.  For those who don’t mind all of that, it’s a lot of fun.

TIPS FOR PARENTS:

• Some profanity
• Some violence
• People in perilous situations
• Attempts at murder

THEMES:

• “There are two paths you can choose, yours or the one others choose for you.” – Mrs. Holmes  (Helena Bonham Carter)
• Female empowerment
• Respect
• Family
• Power
• Control over others
• Choices
• What you’re prepared to risk for what truly matters
• Find your own path.  Find your purpose.
• Being alone doesn’t mean you have to be lonely.
• “The future is up to us!” – Enola Holmes  (Millie Bobby Brown)

THINGS I LIKED:

• Millie Bobby Brown is absolutely perfect as the spunky Enola Holmes, sister to the famous Sherlock Holmes. She earned a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress for her role in Stranger Things when she was only 13 years old!  She’s also the youngest person EVER to be featured on the TIME 100 list.  Needless to say, she’s talented and an absolute delight to watch in this movie.  Did you know she’s actually deaf in one ear?  She has been trained in boxing in real life, making her believable in the action sequences.  Enola breaks the 4th wall from the very beginning of the movie, which some viewers will think is annoying, but I thought it was endearing.  It kind of reminded me of Matthew Broderick’s banter to the audience in the movie Ladyhawke .  I love that movie.  Some critics have also complained that Millie Bobby Brown overacts in this film, but again, that’s just one of the elements of the storytelling that I thought was cute.
• Helena Bonham Carter is such a talented treasure.  Another movie where she plays an unconventional mother is the fun and quirky The Young and Prodigious T.S. Spivet.  I just discovered it the other night on Amazon!  How did I miss that little gem?
• The exuberant musical score by Daniel Pemberton is spirited in all the right ways and supports the energy of the movie.
• I adore both leading men: Henry Cavill and Sam Claflin.  Sadly, there has been some controversy and a lawsuit involving the Trust of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s estate regarding Henry Cavill’s empathetic version of Sherlock Holmes, from what they say damages the source material and reputation.  That sounds so British, right?  Awwww, Henry.  We love you and your heartwarming smolder.  Unfortunately, I hear that a lot of his lines were cut in the film.  He is a small part of the movie, but I’m glad he’s there when he’s allowed to be.
• If the train looks familiar, it’s because it’s the same make and model used in all of the Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone franchise!  If you’re a fan of those movies (who isn’t?) you’ll also get a kick out of seeing three Harry Potter cast members reunited in this film:  Helena Bonham Carter, Fiona Shaw, and Frances de la Tour.
• There’s one of those Pretty Woman “you’re not good enough to shop here” moments in the movie.
• The movie moves at a brisk pace, providing energy throughout the entire film.
• It’s certainly timely as one of its topics is the importance of voting.
• If you enjoy the movie, you’ll be happy that it ends with a hint of a sequel.
• Fantastic production quality with great costumes and set design.

THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE:

• • The movie has a strong feminist message and gets very preachy.  For example, Enola’s mother counsels her, “Don’t be thrown off by other people, especially MEN!”   It definitely reveals the writer’s and director’s political views or at least their attempts to jump on the female empowerment platform that appears in almost every movie nowadays.
  • Some are upset that this story is vastly different from the famous BBC series Sherlock (2010) or the source material. I don’t know that it was ever intended to share the same world, only the last name.  This isn’t Sherlock’s story, but Enola’s in every way.
  • Some viewers have their knickers in a twist because of all the historical inaccuracies.  Just don’t overthink all of it and enjoy the adventure.
  • It’s pretty predictable and doesn’t take a lot of risks, other than changing the nature of Sherlock Holmes that we have come to know in other movies.
  •  If you’d like a more historical, dramatic movie of the times, I suggest the movie Suffragette.
  • Some critics have complained that the movie is a bit too long.  I enjoyed every minute, but I admit that there were a couple of times I thought the movie was ending, only to have another scene pick up.

INTERESTING LINES:

• “You’re being emotional.  It’s understandable, but not necessary.” – Sherlock Holmes   (Henry Cavill)
• “Try to be excited and not disappointed at the possibilities of something new.” – Mrs. Holmes    (Helena Bonham Carter)
• “There’s no better disguise than fear.” – Enola Holmes   (Millie Bobby Brown)
• “She wants to change the world.”  – Sherlock Holmes    “Perhaps the world needs changing.”  – Enola Holmes
• “Facts don’t distract from hope.” – Enola Holmes
• “You have to make some noise if you want to be heard.” – Mrs. Holmes

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@TrinaBoice