He was born in 1887 In Beenton’s Christmas Annual in the form of a short story titled “ A Study in Scarlet”. His creator was a Scottish author and physician call Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. I think he modeled Sherlock on himself because both of them were extra ordinarily brilliant, sharp, quick witted, observant and had forensic skills to add to their eye for details. However, Arthur said that he had apprenticed with a certain Dr. Joseph Bell on whose mannerisms and working styles, the character of Homes was based. Homes lived through 4 novels and about 50+ stories and most of them are written through the perspective of his friend Dr. John H. Watson. Not only Watson is his confidant, but is also shown as a brave man with a lot of Brit sense of humor and Homes cares about him more than blood brother.
Sherlock Homes is a product that is a Guy Richie product and yet not so. For the lesser mortals, Guy Richie is now the estranged husband of pop icon and diva Madonna. For some sane ones, one of his earlier films Snatch was shamelessly and incorrectly made in to super duper flop “Fool & Final” by choreographer Ahmed Khan. I don’t know what he was thinking when he was plagiarizing Snatch. Any Indian film director doesn’t have enough dope in his head to even coming close to make the eccentric snatch. For the informed ones, this is the 4th cult classic by Guy Richie after Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrels, Snatch and Rock N Rolla. Let me add to the fact that Rock N Rolla is a pure trip. For those who have never done dope, can never understand the layers of the film. The film was sheer brilliance. I haven’t been able to find the right adjectives for it till date.
Coming Back to Sherlock Homes. It is a James Bondish affair. In other words, an American detective story set in early British world. For those who love Guy Richie, this film will take their love to another level. He deftly handles the settings, and he cleverly deals with the idiosyncratic characters. For someone who has got an academy award nomination for playing the role of the biggest comic in the world Charlie Chaplin, Robert Downey Jr. effortless slips in to the role of a reverse-suave Sherlock Homes. The icy and dry Brit humor which stings like a diluted Hydrochloric acid falling on the back of your hand when you are fooling around with the preparation of colored concoctions in the Chemistry lab on the pretext of identification of an Element. In the movie, Robert is in his true elements.
Sir Doyle had given quirks to Sherlock while writing it. He was also a known drug addict and yet not so. Occasionally he would humor himself by injecting himself with a special concoction that he made. In the movie, he is lazy and his mind is shown to find solace in chaos of the scattered and littered room that he lives in. He also shares his room and life with his friend Dr. John “Jude Law” Watson. For the much publicized role of Jude Law, we were all wondering what is he doing in the film but from the frame he enters the film, he begins to steal the show and stands as tall as Downey. The camaraderie is evident, the bond goes beyond the ordinary. The two of them live like hand in glove and the quick ones thrown at each other, the dry repartee, the first one to give it back wins the race and Jude Law’s affection for Downey was just out of the world. Rarely you will find this kind of equation between two actors. Finally, Hollywood finds its equivalent of Jai and Veeru. Though, I must admit I was kind of intrigued with the connection between Brad Pitt and George Clooney in Ocean series.
Sherlock Homes is a must watch for the acute observations, the beautiful British alleys and some heartwarming action which doesn’t blow your mind but keeps you on the edge. The film also promises something which I personally always endorse. There is no God, there is no spirit, there is no magic or paranormal shit, its all science. If there is God, it better be called as Science or else, I don’t subscribe to anything. The ease with which Sherlock proves that everything is just an experiment was partially convincing too. His experiment on the dog were not only hilarious but also quite simply put. We must not forget that the film was set in late 19th century/ early 20th century and most of the things like chloroform, cyanide gases, remote control, sonic triggers were almost unknown. That makes the film believable.
The one on one fight sequences in the arena with the heavily built fighter showcased Guy’s brilliance. How unique can you make an ordinary display of power and Guy is adept at doing so yet surprising everyone. Things which I need not mention are other characters, the supreme sound track, out of the world cinematography and yes, outstanding story and screenplay. However, I would be a fool to not pay my respect to the British humor thrown in at regular intervals in the dialogues. Jude and Downey’s scene when Jude introduces his girlfriend to Downey who had turned in to an almost a-social after getting dumped twice by a hottie, decides to try his detective charm on the girl. Man, what a scene? Downey and Jude steal the scene with their expressions, when the girl breaks in to tears and announces that the white mark of the ring that she wore on the finger was because she was married to someone who did not dump her but died. Awesome thought in itself. A very subtle nuance and not wasted at all.
It opened on no. 2 in US, right after Avataar which is all set to become the biggest English film released in India by doing Rs. 10 million in next 2 weeks. Sherlock may not be as big as Avataar but it surely is a worthy film where every frame says more than it hides. It is a film makers delight. I am wondering if Sir Doyle is tossing, turning and cursing Guy Richie in the grave for making a haggard and disheveled James Bond of his otherwise suave, stylish and extremely courteous Homes. Are you listening Mr. Bhagat?
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