Enola Holmes: Relaxing watch during stressful times

A new fictional sleuth is born every second day. Nobody, except perhaps Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot, has come close to matching the popularity of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s creation Sherlock Holmes.

Holmes made his first appearance in A Study in Scarlet in 1887. Well over 100 years later, his character motivates spin-offs and sequels, showing how he stands tall amidst his counterparts even today.

Based on Nancy Springer’s book series of the same name, Harry Bradbeer’s Netflix offering ‘Enola Holmes’ is different from the usual Holmes spin-off. The main character is Sherlock’s spunky and unconventional sister Enola, a sixteen-year-old youngster played with relish by the Stranger Things star Millie Bobby Brown. Incidentally, the 2004-born Brown also serves as a producer of the film, which comes across as one that might have a sequel soon.

So, does ‘Enola Holmes’ merit a sequel? It does. Although the film’s running time is more than two hours, minutes fly with the breezy narrative keeping the viewer engaged.

At the centre of the plot is the charmingly audacious Enola, whose name read backwards is ‘alone.’ The youngster lives with her individualistic mother Eudoria (played authoritatively by the remarkable Helena Bonham Carter). Eudoria and her daughter share a close bond, which is natural because the former’s two sons, Mycroft (Sam Clafin) and Sherlock (Henry Cavill), have left home.

Then, one day, Eudoria goes missing. Where has she gone and why? That is a question Enola must answer, which she can do only if she sets out to find her mother. That, she does, meeting on the way Lord Tewksbury (Louis Partridge) who would develop a soft corner for the attractive girl.

Henry Cavill's Sherlock is not a version with predictable characteristics. Essayed with ease by Henry Cavill, Sherlock, as shown here, is a gentle and caring man who wants his sister to take charge of her life. Mycroft, on the other hand, forces her to go to a Victorian finishing school where she can be trained to become a member of the Second Sex club. Enola hates the idea, which Sherlock understands.

The film’s depiction of the sights and smells of 19th century London is delightful, and attention to the authenticity of costumes is another quality that catches the eye.

Brown is the undisputed star of the show. Her spontaneous performance makes the film far more watchable than it might have been. Cavill and Bonham Carter rise above the screenplay, too, which is impressive considering neither appears on the screen for a long time.

‘Enola Holmes’ will be a fun watch if one doesn’t approach the film with the expectation of watching a complex Sherlock Holmes story. Check it out. It will make you relax and forget your worries during these stressful times.