Millie Bobby Brown is well known for her breakout role as everyone’s favorite psychokinetic teenager in “Stranger Things.” Recently she has graced the Netflix screen again, only this time in her new role as Enola Holmes in the film of the same name. A late-September release, “Enola Holmes” features a star-studded cast and a new twist on the long-beloved tales of Sherlock Holmes.
The film is adapted from the young adult series “The Enola Holmes Mysteries,” which stars the famous detective’s younger teenage sister and tells of her adventures solving mysteries in twentieth century England.
“Enola Holmes” follows Enola (Millie Bobby Brown), who, on the morning of her sixteenth birthday, discovers that her mother (Helena Bonham Carter) has disappeared. Left without a legal guardian, her older brothers Mycroft (Sam Claflin) and Sherlock (Henry Cavill) are forced to return home after many years to see after their kid-sister. Mycroft intends to send Enola off to a finishing school since she does not fit the mold of a “proper young lady”— she had been educated by their mother’s “unorthodox” teaching. Enola, upset with the idea of being sent away, takes it upon herself to find her missing mother and sets out on a journey to find her.
The film is a breath of fresh air, balancing comedic, playful, and dramatic elements that results in a movie that is perfect for the whole family. Enola escapes to London where she searches for her missing mother, while also embarking on a mission to save her new friend, the young Viscount Tewkesbury, from a killer assassin. Brown breaks the fourth wall and talks to the audience countless times throughout the movie, resulting in perfectly-timed comedic breaks. This is the genius of director Harry Bradbeer, who mastered the art of fourth wall breaks in his other project, “Fleabag.”
While the film seems to be an overall success, the biggest takeaway from “Enola Holmes” has to be the amazing performance of Millie Bobby Brown. Critics from all over are applauding her depiction of the titular character, ranging from the New York Times, Variety, Vulture, and more.
“Brown is wonderful, selling the film’s girl-power ethos with just the right amount of playfulness, while retaining something sweet and sincere at the character’s heart,” Bilge Ebari, writer for Variety, said.
She no doubt delivers as the film’s protagonist. Along with her outstanding performance, Brown played an active role in producing the movie and is credited as one of the film’s producers. This seems revolutionary for someone of her age. In a conversation with Variety, Brown talked about the importance of young filmmakers having an opportunity to tell their stories and how this experience allowed her to have a say on-screen and off.
“It was empowering. I mean, there’s a set of nerves that come with it, just because you have experienced producers that are on your set and you just have to kind of fit in somehow. But I had a great team, a crew that made me feel so comfortable with sharing my thoughts and ideas. I also had an amazing director, Harry Bradbeer, who made me feel very comfortable with expressing my opinion and thoughts and really valued them,” Brown said.
“Enola Holmes” is an incredible film that tells the story of a young woman breaking gender roles during her time as a master detective. This film is a must-watch.
“Enola Holmes” is now available on Netflix.