Review: Enola Holmes is far from elementary

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I wonder what Arthur Conan Doyle would have thought of theories linking a person’s personality with their birth order.
These are the theories that claim the eldest child is the go-getter, the middle child is the needy attention seeker and the youngest is confident and spoilt.
I’ve long suspected they were devised by an eldest child with an axe to grind who watched far too many re-runs of the Brady Bunch and just had it in for Jan Brady.
Conan Doyle endowed his famous sleuth, Sherlock Holmes, with an older brother Mycroft, and modern adaptions like Sherlock and Elementary play up their petty squabbles and underlying affection.
This is taken even further in Enola Holmes, with the adventures of a third sibling, a much younger sister. Originally intended as a cinematic release, Warner Brothers has made it available on Netflix.
Enola (Stranger Things’ Millie Bobby Brown) is raised in the family’s country estate by their free-spirited suffragette mother (Helena Bonham Carter), who trains her daughter to be a deductive thinker and a martial arts exponent, rather than a simpering miss waiting to be married.
But when her mother mysteriously disappears the morning of Enola’s 16th birthday, her world comes crashing down.
First, her long-absent brothers Sherlock (Superman’s Henry Cavil) and Mycroft (Sam Claflin from The Hunger Games) arrive to take charge and pack her off to finishing school.
Determined to find her mother, Enola runs away disguised as a boy and saves another young runaway, the aristocratic teenage Lord Tewkesbury, from a ruthless pursuer.
Over two hours Enola attempts to locate her missing mother and help Lord Tewkesbury find out who is trying to kill him, all the while evading her brothers and the dreaded finishing school.
This is a charming romp appropriate for young teenagers and period drama fans, although Holmes purist may be immune to its appeal.
The scenes of the siblings together have an undercurrent feeling of grief, their father died more than 10 years previously, Enola barely remembers him but Sherlock and Mycroft both seem to feel his loss.
I found it an interesting emotional level to include, and one that helps account for the sibling’s estrangement.
Under the skilful direction of Harry Bradbeer (after his work on Fleabag and Killing Eve this must be his most PG-rated material), it is extremely filmic.
Like Fleabag, Enola breaks the fourth wall to talk directly to the audience. Millie Bobby Brown handles these with aplomb, and her innocent glee as she announces “Tis I!” to viewers from beneath a heavy black veil is utterly delightful.
She is also an executive producer and wanted to bring the character to screen after reading the YA novels it is adapted from.
I’d been excited about this film as soon as I saw the trailer on Netflix (who wouldn’t have to spend two hours with a Victorian-era Henry Cavil?). While I waited for it to drop, I listened to audio recordings of the books and unfortunately, I found these poorly researched and written.
My enthusiasm for the screen version diminished but I needn’t have worried—I thoroughly enjoyed it. That’s entirely due to the excellent cast; it’s Millie Bobby Brown’s show and you get the feeling she brings out the best in everyone around her.
Henry Cavil is by far the most classically handsome Sherlock Holmes that’s appeared on screen to date (sorry, Benedict Cumberbatch, Robert Downer Jnr and Johnny Lee Miller). It’s an interesting take, this appears to be Holmes before his friendship with Dr Watson and he although he is aloof and intellectual, there is a wistfulness and sadness when he talks to his little sister.
I’ve long been a fan of Sam Claflin, and he is having so much fun as the stuffy Mycroft. He sneers and schemes from behind an elaborate moustache, exasperated by his unconventional mother and sister.
Maybe I’m biased (I like how Mycroft has been played by Mark Gatiss, Rhys Ifans and Stephen Fry) but I hope he ends up supporting Enola in her adventures.
It’s technically possible for the wonderful Helena Bonham Carter to be Henry Cavill and Sam Claflin’s mother, although it’s far easier to imagine her playing their lover. She is memorable and charismatic in her limited scenes, and the role was expanded to make the most of her presence.
Although the focus is on Enola, even the supporting characters are brought to life. Burn Gorman is sinister as an assassin who thinks history is on his side, Louis Partridge gives surprising depth to Lord Tewkesbury, Frances de La Tour is regal as his grandmother, and Adeel Akhtar’s Inspector Lestrade is willy and hilarious as he fanboys after Sherlock.
My one complaint is there needs to be more of Susan Wokoma’s tea shop proprietor and martial arts instructor. If there is a sequel, I hope her role is given more prominence. She is also marvellous in Year of the Rabbit (on iView) and Truth Seekers (on Amazon).
I hope there is a sequel as I want to spend more time in the characters’ company. In the meantime, I’ve immersed myself in the extras on Netflix’s YouTube channel, including Millie Bobby Brown, Henry Cavil and Sam Claflin guessing Victorian-era slang and other games. They seem to genuinely enjoy each other’s company and their gentle teasing is a sibling highlight.
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