Review: Enola Holmes

Enola Holmes is a charming little movie that brings a refreshing perspective to Baker Street. Actor Millie Bobby Brown also helps elevate the film with a more progressive message and image.

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Enola Holmes is a breath of fresh air one can enjoy from the comfort of their home on a Saturday afternoon. This new film narrows down its focus from the expanding Holmes family and universe — giving us the point-of-view from the youngest sibling in the Holmes family, Enola (a wonderful Millie Bobby Brown). 'Alone' — spell this word backwards, and you get Enola. Yet, her mother (Helena Bonham Carter) has taught her not to be defined by that meaning, teaching her everything from chess to jujitsu. Brown gives us a lively, spirited, and intelligent performance as the youngest of the Holmes. While she constantly breaks the fourth wall throughout the picture, we see a coming-of-age story of a young woman searching to find her place in the world. Brown's committed performance continues to prove that she has a bright future ahead of her. Enola Holmes is based on a series of Young Adult novels by Nancy Springer and was originally set to make a theatrical release by Warner Bros. Pictures but was, instead, sold to Netflix due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Our story follows Enola as she awakens on her 16th birthday to discover that her mother is missing.

Eudoria Holmes (Carter) is an eccentric but brilliant intellect and suffragist; who has left a series of clues for Enola to follow. Enola follows this sequence of clues involving anagrams and ciphers as she sets off to London to find her. During this journey, Enola is also attempting to escape her older brothers Mycroft (a stern Sam Claflin) and Sherlock (a brawn Henry Cavill) from carting her off to a finishing school. A finishing school is "a school for young women that focuses on teaching social graces and upper-class cultural rites as a preparation for entry into society" — hindering her independence, Enola wants nothing to do with that life style and I don't blame her. Along the way, Enola runs into a boy named Tewkesbury (Louis Partridge), who engulfs his own family badge onto her. Enola Holmes was a pleasure to watch and an easy film to pass the time on — there were some luscious shots, extravagant costumes, and a lighthearted story at the center of this film. Enola Holmes is an enjoyable feature digging deep into familial bonds and shows us the opportunities waiting a changing world that's determined to stay the same. It's a fun and warm movie anyone could cozy up to, bubbling over for a franchise eager to be told.

Enola Holmes is rated PG-13 (Parents Strongly Cautioned). Some Violence.

Directed by Harry Bradbeer

Starring Millie Bobby Brown, Sam Claflin, Helena Bonham Carter, Fiona Shaw, Adeel Akhtar, and Frances de la Tour.