Mr. Holmes

As a huge fan of the Jeremy Brett and Benedict Cumberbatch version of Sherlock Holmes, I'll admit that I was extremely hesitant to watch this movie. I love Ian McKellan, believe me, but I wasn't sure if his Sherlock would match my image of such an iconic character. I was pleasantly surprised to find that he did a good job at portraying Sherlock in a way that fit the character (especially as he is described in the books) but with his own twist. Also, Ian was able to play with it because he had the advantage of being able to portray an aged Sherlock Holmes, which is something we never really get to see.
Mr. Holmes sees Sherlock late in his life, where he is enjoying retirement practicing beekeeping in Sussex. Watson has passed away, and Sherlock decides that he would like to write down his last case, so that he can tell it from his own perspective. He is also doing this because he is losing his memory, and wants to make sure that this case does not escape him. 
His struggles to remember things and to keep track of his thoughts get worse throughout the film. The case, however, slowly comes back to him, but it seems that there are some things about this case and his recent visit to Japan that perhaps he doesn't want to remember.
During his struggles, the housekeeper's son, Roger, tries to help Holmes remember his last case while learning how the detective works. The two become very close, and the housekeeper learns that perhaps the aged Sherlock is not as cruel or hard as he seems when he takes on a fatherly role to the boy, whose father has passed away.
In his searches, Sherlock remembers the sad truth about his last case and why he went into retirement. Regretfully, some of his actions in helping others did not have the desired outcomes.
This movie was really interesting, and I enjoyed the dynamic between Roger, his mother, and Holmes. As always, Ian McKellan was fabulous. The story was fascinating because it showed the human, fall able side of the detective who always appears so perfect in Watson's telling a of his cases (the books, and the material based on them). His struggle with memory loss was heartbreaking, but it showed his reliance on others and brought him closer to those looking after him. If you are a Sherlock Holmes fan, this really is a good addition to the Sherlock canon.

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