Enola Holmes (2020)

Enola Holmes feels special because it takes the foggy, buttoned-up world of Victorian mystery and kicks in a window—bright, brisk, and proudly centered on a heroine who refuses to be managed. Millie Bobby Brown is a spark plug as Enola, turning deduction into a kind of joyful rebellion, while Henry Cavill’s Sherlock provides a surprisingly warm counterbalance rather than stealing the show. The film moves with playful energy through disguises, coded clues, and narrow escapes, keeping the vibe light and witty even when the danger turns physical. If you want a gritty, cerebral Holmes case, this may be too breezy, but if you’re on the fence about a clever, crowd-pleasing adventure with a feminist spine and a big heart, it’s an easy yes.

Enola Holmes wants to be a buoyant, feminist-leaning Victorian romp with a plucky teen detective at the center, and it mostly succeeds on charm and momentum. Millie Bobby Brown is genuinely magnetic, the costumes and energy are fun, and the family dynamic with Sherlock and Mycroft gives it some bite. But if you’re coming for a tightly constructed mystery, you may find the sleuthing a bit flimsy, the plotting busy, and the themes delivered with a megaphone rather than a wink. This is more colorful wish-fulfillment adventure than satisfying whodunit, so if you prefer your Holmes stories cerebral and subtle, you might leave underwhelmed.