Enola Holmes arrives with a pedigree that should make it count. Based on the Moriarty books by Nancy Springer, directed by Harry Bradshaw, and starring Millie Bobby Brown as the titular detective, it promises a fresh angle on Sherlock Holmes’s world. Instead, it settles for a competent, occasionally charming period piece that never quite earns its ambition.
The premise is simple: Sherlock’s younger sister Enola, raised by her mother, inherits a letter and a mission after her mother disappears. She must find the sender of the letter and uncover a conspiracy involving aristocratic families. Along the way, she meets Tewkesbury, Lestrade, and Mycroft Holmes, and learns that her mother’s disappearance is connected to a larger scheme threatening the British Empire.
Brown carries the film with a natural energy that suits the role. She plays Enola as clever, impulsive, and untrained—everything her brother is not. Her chemistry with Susanne Wega, who plays her mother, is the film’s best asset. Their scenes together carry weight, while the rest of the cast, including Louis Partridge as Tewkesbury and Helena Bonham Carter as Mrs. Turner, feels like window dressing.
Trailer, via Netflix.
Millie Bobby Brown as Enola
Brown is the reason the film works at all. She has presence, timing, and a physicality that sells the action sequences. Her performance is most effective in the quieter moments, when she is trying to understand why her mother left or why her family treats her as a burden. Those scenes land because Brown commits to the emotional beats without overplaying them.
Her chemistry with Wega is genuine. The film leans on their relationship to ground the story, and it pays off. When Enola discovers clues about her mother’s past, the stakes feel personal rather than abstract. The film could have made this a cold case; instead, it makes it a family tragedy.
Susanne Wega and the Missing Mother
Wega is a revelation. She brings warmth and intelligence to a character who could have been a caricature. Her scenes with Brown are the film’s high points, and they justify the entire enterprise. The mystery of her disappearance is central to the plot, but the film spends more time on action than on the emotional weight of her absence.
The film’s handling of the missing mother is uneven. Some scenes explore the grief and confusion Enola feels, while others treat the investigation as a game. This inconsistency undermines the central tension. The film wants you to care about Enola finding her mother, but it doesn’t always give you enough reason to.
Louis Partridge and the Romantic Subplot
Partridge plays Tewkesbury, the young man Enola helps along the way. His character is meant to provide a romantic subplot, but it never quite takes off. The film introduces him as a potential love interest, but the romance is underwritten and underdeveloped. The relationship feels like a placeholder rather than a meaningful arc.
Partridge is pleasant to look at, but he lacks the screen presence to carry a subplot on his own. The film tries to build tension between them, but it keeps getting pulled back to the main mystery. By the end, their connection reads more as a convenient ally than a fully realized character.
Helena Bonham Carter and the Villain
Bonham Carter plays Mrs. Turner, the villain of the piece. She is a wealthy aristocrat whose schemes drive the plot forward. Her character is a caricature of greed and power, but Bonham Carter gives her a theatricality that makes her memorable. She is the film’s most flamboyant performance, and it works in the context of a story that is otherwise grounded.
The villain is a problem. She is introduced early and explained late. The film spends more time showing her actions than explaining her motives. This leaves the audience confused about why she is doing what she is doing. A better script would have spent more time building her backstory.
Millie Bobby Brown and the Action Sequences
Brown handles the action sequences with aplomb. She is athletic and capable, and the film shows her swinging through trees, dodging guards, and escaping traps. These scenes are choreographed well and edited cleanly. They are the film’s most visually impressive elements, and they keep the pacing brisk.
But the action is also where the film’s weaknesses become apparent. The fights are exciting, but they are often disconnected from the story. They exist to show Enola’s skills rather than advance the plot. The film would benefit from trimming some of these sequences and focusing on the mystery.
The Plot and the Letter
The letter Enola receives is the key to the mystery. It leads her to a series of clues that reveal the conspiracy. The plot is competently constructed, with twists that are mostly predictable but still entertaining. The film moves at a steady pace, and it knows when to hold back and when to accelerate.
The central mystery is the heart of the film. It involves aristocratic families, political intrigue, and a threat to the British Empire. The film handles this with a light touch, avoiding heavy-handed moralizing. It is a fun puzzle, even if it is not a deep one.
The Setting and the Period
The film is set in the late Victorian era, and the production design is excellent. The costumes are lavish, the sets are detailed, and the cinematography captures the era’s aesthetic. The film is a visual feast, and it does justice to the period.
The setting is also a character. It is a world of privilege and poverty, of grand houses and squalid streets. The film contrasts these worlds effectively, showing how the conspiracy affects people across the social spectrum. It is a smart choice that adds depth to the story.
The Final Word
Enola Holmes is a solid, enjoyable film that falls short of greatness. Brown is a revelation, and the production values are high, but the plot is thin and the villain is underdeveloped. It is a good entry point for audiences unfamiliar with the Sherlock Holmes universe, but it will disappoint those looking for a deeper exploration of the characters.
“She is clever, impulsive, and untrained.”
The film’s strengths are its performances and its setting. Its weaknesses are its plotting and its villains. It is a film that is worth seeing, but not one that demands repeat viewing.
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