Enola Holmes (2020)

Directed by: Harry Bradbeer | 123 minutes | action, adventure | Actors: Millie Bobby Brown, Henry Cavill, Sam Claflin, Helena Bonham Carter, Louis Partridge, Burn Gorman, Adeel Akhtar, Susan Wokoma, Hattie Morahan, David Bamber, Frances de la Tour, Claire Rushbrook, Fiona Shaw, Gaby French, Paul Copley

Enola Holmes is good at fighting, playing tennis, sword fighting, jiu-jitsu, super deep thinking and much more. The energetic 16-year-old lives with her mother in a dilapidated country house in the English countryside. The 19th century is approaching its end, British society is restless and rebellious, but Enola and her mother are not bothered by that. Or is it? When Mother Holmes suddenly disappears one day, Enola goes to the great London to look for her. On the train to London she meets Lord Tewkesbury, an attractive young viscount who in turn disappears without a trace. What to do then?

Then it is fortunate that Enola is good at fighting, playing tennis, sword fighting, jiu-jitsu, super deep thinking and much more. Also not unimportant: Enola is the smart sister of the famous detective Sherlock Holmes. The only question is whether that will be enough to find Mother Holmes, save Tewkesbury and make it out alive.

The sparkling ‘Enola Holmes’ is known as a young adult adventure film, but is above all a comedy and coming-of-age film. The cheerfulness of the film is mainly due to its playful form. Funny fröbel animations break up the action and tell us what we didn’t already know. Even nicer is that Enola regularly addresses the viewer (or winks at him). And if she really gets stuck, she asks us what we would do in her place.

Besides the fine story (based on the first part of Nancy Springer’s novel cycle) and the humor, the acting stands out. Millie Bobby Brown was already a standout actress in ‘Stranger Things’, but as Enola Holmes she is rocking the roof. She shows with great comedic timing, facial expression and self-mockery that, in addition to dramatic roles, she is also perfectly at home in comedic work. In addition, she gets nice counterplay from Henry Cavill, Helena Bonham Carter and Louis Partridge.

The fact that the film falls asleep at three quarters does not detract from the whole. ‘Enola Holmes’ is a cinematic party for young and old, which you can watch with a big smile for 2 hours. Looks like a sequel is on the way. In the case of ‘Enola Holmes’, that only makes us happy.