directing

A Study in Sherlock

There is one thing that everyone can agree upon both critic and consumer alike, this is a new Holmes. The big debate is he better, worse, modern, a sell out, or a new vision of an old character. As all of you who truly know me (yes especially the ones who new me when I was in sixth grade just got my boobs and was working on some wicked acene, know I fell in Love with Sherlock Holmes). I read every single Author Conan Doyle Holmes book and even some shoddy knock offs just to get my Sherlock jones on.

So, I consider myself somewhat of a true affecianado. What other pre-teen do you know would stay up until 10:00pm on Sunday night just to watch Mystery on PBS (yes PBS) just to catch a glimpse of the dashing Jeremy Brett play the perfect Holmes. He embodied the Holmes of my dreams (just a tad bit to old). He was brooding, he was tall, he had a huge nose, a deer stalker, but more important a top hat (drool). He was dapper, he was a dandy, he was a piece of intellectual candy. The pipe, the pomp, the circumstance. He was a drug addict, he was eccentric, he paid street urchins and sometimes shady characters to do his bidding. In short he was Holmesian perfection.

Now on to the Robert Downey/Guy Richie Holmes. For one I must say I am unabashadely biased, because I Love RDJ, Guy Richie, not so much. I believe Downey was brilliant. He was younger, he was brooding, he was self loathing, when he didn't have a case, he was unkempt. Most all of these are Holmesian traits. So what he didn't wear a deerstalker? He was still the seedy, disgruntled, dashing Holmes I love. Sherlock Holmes does not get a long with people. He is exsaperating, rude, and a tad vulgar.

Unfortunately, the plot of the movie was lacking and yes, I hate to say it hokey. That was not Downey or Jude Laws fault. It was the writer and yes, the directors. This is a Holmes for the masses, not the intelllectuals. This is a sexed up, super sleuth, with a mind for work and a bod for sin. It's kind of cool, but too calculated. So, if you want a wild ride with a different take of a character they tried to revamp go see it, but if you a die hard fan, wait for the video and try not to cringe, too much.