Enola Holmes is the newest character addition to the Sherlock Holmes universe, but her story is less about solving mysteries and more about a young girl overcoming gender inequalities. Through its elaborate plot and screenplay, “Enola Holmes” shows how societal norms need to change, and how equality and progress are more than necessary. Although there is a bit of violence,“Enola Holmes” is an entertaining movie with an impactful message, and great for older kids and any adult. 

“Enola Holmes” is the daring and heartfelt story of a girl named Enola (Millie Bobby Brown) who wakes up on her sixteenth birthday to find out her mother (Helena Bonham Carter) has disappeared without a trace. She calls on her brothers Mycroft (Sam Clafin) and the famous Sherlock Holmes (Henry Cavill) to help her find her mother. To her dismay, they do not seem to care nearly as much as she does, and instead, want to send her to boarding school to become a well behaved young lady. To escape this fate, Enola runs away from home and heads to London to find her lost parent. On the journey, she meets a young Lord named Tewkesbury (Louis Partridge) who is also escaping a life he does not want to lead. The two form an expected, but still heartwarming bond throughout their journey. 

The plot of this film is engaging because of the cast that brings it to life. Having starred in three seasons of the critically acclaimed television series “Stranger Things,” Brown makes the movie spectacular thanks to her stellar acting abilities. Though only sixteen, Brown

proved herself as a young actress on the rise. The rest of the star-studded cast includes Cavill (known for his role of Superman) playing the distant, but caring Sherlock Holmes and Clafin (from both “Me Before You” and “The Hunger Games”) who is almost unrecognizable as Mycroft Holmes, the older brother.

In addition to the incredible acting, the use of graphics in this film makes it engaging and more interesting; maps, pictures and dialogue are used to illustrate the characters journeys. Also, Enola Holmes breaks the fourth wall, speaking straight to the audience multiple times throughout the film. Although a rare artistic choice in feature films, this makes the movie more engaging without overdoing it to the point where Brown’s dialogue distracts from the plot. The film is far from predictable as well; many of the plot points were not expected and sometimes shocking. 

Moreover, “Enola Holmes” promotes the positive messages of female empowerment and individuality. While Carter only plays a small role, in terms of screentime, she still brings the livelihood and eccentricity that she has in so many of her other roles, such as Belatrix Lastrange in the Harry Potter series. Eudoria teaches Enola how to do all the untraditional things she believes young women should know, including improper activities at the time like jujitsu and riding bikes.

“Enola Holmes” is a story of how equality and change are necessary to a conservative society, and I would recommend this movie to anyone who wants to watch a witty film with a spectacular cast who delightfully bring an important message to light.