Movie Review: Enola Holmes

 Enola. Spelt backwards -Alone. 

Or Eniola Holmes.... Like my sister calls it 😉

Chillsssss....

I almost didn't watch this movie.

Saw the trailer about a month ago and set a reminder to watch on Netflix, but when it came out, a few spoiler goose told me it wasn't worth the hype. 

However, I later saw that if you don't love a good mystery, thriller, or detective movie, you may not enjoy this.  

Curiosity made me go back to see a few scenes, and I ended up finishing the movie. Harry Potter fans might love to see Lestrange again in another kinda spooky movie... I sure did. ;) 

Let's talk about the major cast:

Enola Holmes, played by Millie Bobby Brown: She's the 16 year old (she's actually 16 in real life!) baby sister of the popular Holmes family. She goes to London in search of her mother who has disappeared, connecting with her brothers in the process. Millie also served as a producer in this movie. Quite a commendable feat for a 16 year old. 

Her narrative In the beginning almost seemed irrelevant to the story, but at it progressed, I started to enjoy it. 

One has to admire the character's spunk and street smartness, vast knowledge, Jujitsu skills and her ability to swap from street rat to classy lady of that time. Her energy is contagious and her maturity made her feel much older than a teen. 

Sherlock Holmes, played by Henry Cavil: My, my, Robert Downey jnr (who's previously played Sherlock) has that aloofness and roguish looks, but dayum.... Cavil is fiiiiiine! Makeup, hair and costumes were designed to make everyone look 18 centuresque, and Cavil looked every inch in place (Like he wears breaches and wigs everyday 🤔😁) 

His fine looks aside, Sherlock definitely lived up to the reputation his predecessor Downey left (and those are quite some big shoes to fill..... could make or mar the movie) behind. He owned the role and was the perfect adviser, and big brother and even father-figure to Enola. His advise was what helped her crack the Tewkesbury case.

Mycroft: My, who's this uncultured girl?

Mycroft Holmes, played by Sam Clafin: This guy was the perfect evil brother. I had to go check him out after the movie like "bruv, why so mean?". Then I remembered he was just being a good actor 😁. His costume, hair and make up suited his role well. Tho, made him look way older (and sinister 😉) but necessary for the film. I enjoyed that the characters owned their personalities and were firm in their beliefs. Yes, Mycroft might have been mean, but he did what he thought was the only 'option' for a woman by sending her to a finishing school.  

Lord Tewkesbury played by Louis Partridge: The "useless" Lord, as Enola calls him at first, definitely gave us romantics a bunch of "Awwwwww" moments. He runs away from home and has to escape a train with Enola. 

He's an intelligent character, who knows what he wants and may be shy, but asks for it anyway. Turned out to be street smart, courageous and noble as well, (Tewkesbury: I don't want to leave you Enola. RHD: Oga, go jor! Make dem arrest the two of you? 🙄)  despite being a titled young man with all tendencies to be a spoilt brat. 

I liked his scenes, especially the one where he broke Enola out of Finishing school and stole Ms Harrison's automobile. Awkward. But funny. 

Miss Harrison played by Fiona Shaw: The stern headmistress of the Finishing school for girls and friend to Mycroft, Enola's brother. She specialises in training women to become 'proper' ladies and ready for marriage. She believed that Enola would someday 'thank her' for learning how to sit up straight and eat quietly once she's married with kids. Gag. She's the image of society all over the world as they regard women. 

While we romantics would have loved if Enola just went home with Tewskbury at the end, but as level headed people, we love that she decided to follow her passion to be a detective even better than her famous (and handsome brother) Sherlock.

  

The Dowager, played by Frances de La Tour: Her determination to remain in the past and the levels she'd go for her stand shows that age, title, and education is no barrier to a backward mindset. Her character is cunning with unexpected twists for an elderly matriarch who's expected to be a voice of reasoning.

 

Edith played by Susie Wokoma: The only black woman (well, Nigerian-British actress) in the movie. Yes, we noticed. She's a martial artist and a restauranteur. She's also friends with the elusive Eudoria (Enola's mother) and she trained Enola as a child. She strongly believes in self sufficiency and won't take a threat from anyone (not even Sherlock).  She's a woman who won't take defeat laying down, one definitely has to admire her spirit in the film but I wonder if black women had that much ground in a white dominated town, In the real 18th century. Was Edith's character possible in real life?

Eudoria Holmes played by Helena Bonham Carter: Eccentric, Intelligent, scheming, word loving matriarch of the Holmes clan. 

"You don't have to be lonely to be alone".... Her training and words helped her children through the movie (except Mycroft who thinks her crazy). She was the perfect  piece to complete the complicated Holmes puzzle. Her strong beliefs led her away from home. Her character always had an agenda. (Remember she was a Death Eater in Harry Porter) beliefs and agendas seem to be her strong suit, and her propaganda type of schooling enabled Enola become quite the detective at the age of 16.

The movie definitely preached that Marriage is not see all and be all for women. You're supposed to choose your path. If it involves marriage, so be it. If it doesn't, that shouldn't make you less of a person.

She's one to look out for in the movie. She just might disappear on you ;)

Rated PG-13 for the action sequence and dash of violence, and a whopping 6.7 on a scale of 1-10. 

Have you seen Enola Holmes? What were your thoughts? Please share with me in the comments section below. 

Haven't seen it yet? Well, would you be interested in watching it? Share with me as well. 

Till next time:

XoXo: RHD 💜💜