Enola Holmes is an excellent movie with a fresh view of the Holmes Family. It is a 2020 mystery film based on one of the books in the Enola Holmes series by Nancy Springer. The movie, directed by Harry Bradbeer and written by Jack Thorne, focuses on the teenage sister of the well-known detective Sherlock Holmes. The actors delivered their performances quite well, with Millie Bobby Brown bringing a fresh view of an individual, intelligent, and outstanding Enola Holmes. Henry Cavill, as Sherlock Holmes, plays a toned, carrying, and fun-to-watch sleuth. Sam Claflin, on the other hand, portrays the strict and self-centred Mycroft Holmes, who thinks he knows what’s best for Enola. Helena Bonham Carter plays Eudoria Holmes, the full-of-mystery mother of the Holmes siblings. And finally, the resourceful, soon-to-be Lord Tewkesbury played by Louis Partridge. We also meet Burn Gorman as the ruthless Linthorn, Adeel Akhtar as Scotland Yard’s Inspector Lestrade, Susie Wokoma as the Jujitsu Master Edith. Hattie Morahan as Lady Tewkesbury, David Bamber as Sir Whimbel, Fiona Shaw as the strict headmistress – Miss Harrison and Frances de la Tour as the Tewkesbury’s matriarch.
Enola Holmes captures the charm of Victorian England, contrasting sceneries of the Holmes and Tewkesbury estates, and the lively London. The story begins with Enola (which in backwards spells as Alone) presenting her family, her famous brothers, her mother, who plays a significant role in her early life. She guides her on how to solve riddles, read books, play with science, all sorts of sports, and the art of disguise. It looks like through various games and tasks, Enola’s mother is trying to prepare her for adulthood far from being dull. On one occasion, Enola gets a glimpse of, what it looks like, a secretive meeting of various women including Eudoria Holmes and Edith. Then comes the day, when Enola wakes up and realizes her mother is gone. Very soon, her brothers arrive at the Holmes estate to take care of Enola. Mycroft, who is now responsible for her upbringing, pronounces that the best idea is to send Enola to Miss Harrison’s finishing school. There she can learn how to become an adult woman, and a good wife, and most importantly, not to influence Mycroft’s career. Enola, on the contrary, has a very much different idea about her life, which leads to an assemblage of exciting events and adventures brilliantly captured in this movie.
Enola Holmes is a PG-13 movie with occasional ‘bloody’ words, characters in a corset, and scenes of fights. The film is an excellent introduction to Enola Holmes lore, with a fair amount of humour. What seems to be an adventure movie for families, carries a robustly feminist message. It also brings a new view of Sherlock Holmes – very much different from the stereotypical image presented in the books and movies (portrayed by Robert Downey Jr or Dominic Cumberbatch).
Overall, Enola Holmes is a movie with a great message about England’s adherence to tradition, the role of women and the fight for women’s right and breaking out of stereotypes. I sincerely advise this movie for a Family Evening in front of a TV screen.
Netflix released Enola Holmes on September 23, 2020.
