One of the rarest but the most apt adaptation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s character was played by Jeremy Brett. But if you seek modernization, Benedict Cumberbatch would be able to seal the deal. And then you would wonder what’s next? Sir Ian McKellen answers and clears the doubt. He not only plays it right but somehow convinces you that he is the real deal out of the lot. The movie portrays Sherlock Holmes in a very old age having lost everything he had. He moved to a new address very far from 221 B Baker Street London. Suffering from Alzheimer, he manages to resolve his last case in the most conventional way with his own unique style.

The plot unfolds the cause for Mr. Holmes retirement and then his journey back to solving the last case. For closing the case, he would seek a good discussion with his friend Dr. Watson but for his last case, he only had the company of a young boy, Roger Munro, played by Milo Parker. But that didn’t stop him, the discussions were almost similar as it would be with Dr. Watson. The case was to find the truth about a lady named Ann, wife of his last client.

The second mystery that he wanted to solve was his trip to Japan. Matsuda Umezaki, a Japanese, invited him to seek his father’s whereabouts. He only had the letter which mentions Mr. Holmes. But Mr. Holmes only had the memory about Prickly Ash from Japan as whether or not it helps in curing Alzheimer. There was always the possibility as to whether his last case was his trip to Japan or the truth about the lady, Ann. Mr. Holmes led a lonely life and never cared for finding a life companion. But he figured just at the right time fighting Alzheimer that may be his 35 years long unresolved case was about it only.

For all of you wondering whether it is an adaptation of some Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s collection, the answer would be otherwise. The movie is based on a book written by Mitch Cullin, A Slight Trick of the Mind, which portrays Sherlock Holmes as an old man fighting his memory. The adaptation is thoroughly covered but in a slow pace unlike Guy Ritchie’s work. It may be something to do with the BBC Films. The background score manages to sink into the story of Mr. Holmes quite realistically. Carter Burwell did it right. His music was also good in Twilight and The Fifth Estate. The direction by Bill Condon reveals that he has the potential to deliver. Frankly, it is not the Sherlock Holmes that we in our generation would want to see but he surely characterizes and distances himself from the recent adaptations. You would have to bear the slow pace for its subtle ending.