By Jason Guyer
By Jason Guyer
What makes a film charming?
Often it is the audience’s relation to the character and, to be even more specific, a desire to be like or understand that character.
This can be a tough aspiration to accomplish with a character who has either a particular sort of innocence or one with a rebellious nature to them.
One film’s largest charming characters is the one and only Ferris Bueller. Ferris is an enviable and charming character that almost everyone forms an attachment to, even though the majority of us are more like Cameron.
Charming characters often stand out and make the audience love them and want to be them.
In Netflix’s newest film, Enola Holmes is a wonderfully charming character.
Enola Holmes is the sister to the world famous Sherlock Holmes, who was created and first penned by Sir Artur Conan Doyle.
In Doyle’s originals I do not believe Sherlock ever mentioned a sister, but over the years — and since the publication of Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes stories — the universe has expanded to include Enola Holmes.
Enola even has her own YA book series called “The Enola Holmes Mysteries” written by Nancy Springer. These are the books that Netflix’s “Enola Holmes” is based on or the character in the film represents.
To me, charm is an understated quality in a film. The more charming the character or characters, the more I like the film.
Obviously, Ferris Bueller is an iconic character. And I am not saying Enola Holmes is or will be as iconic, though. I will say, however, that she has a chance to be.
This is all because of Millie Bobby Brown.
The majority of people will know Millie Bobby Brown from her role as Eleven on Netflix’s “Stranger Things.” Just as she does in “Stranger Things,” Brown steals the show in “Enola Holmes.”
As Enola, Brown charms her way into the viewers hearts from the very first frames of the film. Brown’s Enola is at her finest and her wonderfully charming best when the fourth wall breaks in “Enola Holmes” and Enola is talking to you, the audience.
Enola’s interactions talking to the audience are what make “Enola Holmes” a great film and without this film would not be able to stand on its own.
The story is not as engaging as a mystery or crime-solving film should be.
This is because mysteries or crime-solving films are at their best when the mystery or crime involves the viewer. The viewer should be involved in solving the story and this is not the case with “Enola Holmes.”
In “Enola Holmes,” the character of Enola is always the one (except when Sherlock is) solving the mysteries or crimes.
Enola is the one who is ahead of the viewer and the viewer never catches up until Enola explains.
This is not the best way to do any Holmes mystery, whether it be Enola or Sherlock.
You should always give the audience a chance to be ahead of the lead mystery solving character.
For an example, see Rian Johnson’s “Knives Out.” The mystery is done correctly in that film.
It is just more fun when the audience is involved and has the chance to be ahead of any characters in the film. This, to me, is a shame because of how charming and wonderful the actual character of Enola Holmes is and how good Millie Bobby Brown’s performance is.
“Enola Holmes” had the opportunity to be great, as great as Ferris Bueller but the film’s story let the character down.
The story the film follows is that while Enola is searching for her missing mother, Holmes uses her sleuthing skills to outsmart big brother Sherlock and helps a runaway lord in the process.
The runaway lord story is okay except the forced “romantic” angle that never quite feels right for the self sufficient and self reliant Enola Holmes character.
The better character interactions are between Enola and Sherlock.
In “Enola Holmes,” Sherlock is played by Henry Cavil. Cavil is okay as Sherlocka and matches Enola with on screen charisma but Sherlock’s character never really gets to stretch his legs as this film is about Enola.
Lord Tewksbury, the runaway lord, is played by Louis Partridge who is good as his own character Lord Tewksbury but is not very good when his character is matched against Brown’s Enola Holmes.
The pair do not have as good of an on screen chemistry as Brown’s Enola does with every other character in the film.
This is what makes the forced “relationship” of the pair a waste of time in the film. Enola, and this goes for any film character, can save someone without the characters having to be “attracted” to one another.
This is why Sherlock and Enola’s screen time is better spent. Their brother/sister relationship is defined and the pair are charming together. There is no forced pretense.
The forced pretense takes away from the film and character and not even the great acting of Millie Bobby Brown can overcome that.
Still, Brown’s on-screen presence and charm is something that everyone should watch and experience.
As stated above, the fourth wall interactions bring to life the audience and actor relationship and shows the viewer just what a wonderful acting experience can do for the audience.
This is not an experience to be missed, especially since “Enola Holmes” is a wonderful family film the whole family can enjoy.
I would encourage any family to sit back and let Millie Bobby Brown charm the family’s proverbial pants off.
IRATE SCORE: 3.5/5
Jason Guyer is an avid moviegoer and works in the graphics department at the Eagle Times. For questions or comments he can be emailed at [email protected].
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