Reviews

I loved the first and second series of Sherlock, they were refreshing, vibrant and atmospheric, albeit a little raw. The third series seemed to lose it's way a little, and "The Abominable Bride"continues this trend.

The script doesn't give us a clever Sherlock. I want a Sherlock that is full of clever observations, quick wittedness and genius-level edginess - the first two seasons did this well. However, since the third season, Sherlock seems intent on trying to be funny to satisfy the hardcode fans - resulting in moments that take you out of the story and make it feel like an artificial self-aggrandising theatre experience. And instead of a fiendishly clever Sherlock, we get a man who states the blindingly obvious, and very rarely observes anything truly interesting.

To do Sherlock any intellectual justice requires clever scriptwriting, and this is anything but that. Too often, the story and plot twists are explained to the viewer as if to think them an idiot. And Moffat and Gatiss (the scriptwriters) often throw in over-complicated verbosity in an attempt to cover up for the fact the script lacks real substance, and most of all heart and soul. It feels empty and contrived.

By all means, watch this episode if you're a Sherlock fan, it will give you some enjoyment. But it will also give you the feeling that you are waiting for something good and clever to happen, a feeling that is never satisfied.

Every so often, a film comes along that gives you silent pause as the credits roll up at the end. This is one of those films.

Darius (played by Aubrey Plaza) is a young woman who feels out of place in the world. She enjoyed a happy childhood, marveling at the natural wonders of the world, but the death of her mother at the age of 14 created a bubble of indifference which has surrounded her ever since. She's interning at Seattle Magazine, a publication ran by the career driven Bridget (Mary Lynn Rajskub).

On the morning Brainstorming session for new editorial pieces, Bridget asks for ideas. Jeff (Jake Johnson), one of the full-time journalists, suggests a story on a quirky new ad he had recently become aware of;

"Wanted: Somebody to go back in time with me. This is not a joke. You'll get paid after we get back. Must bring your own weapons. I have only done this once before. Safety not guaranteed."

Jeff's motivations for the story are far from sincere. He hopes to reignite a romance with an old flame, a woman who has never left his mind, and one who haunts him more as he feels his identity being corrupted in the world of Bridget. Bridget agrees to the story, and so Jeff takes two interns with him on his 'vacation' - Darias, who's imagination was stirred by the ad, and Arnau, a naive young Indian graduate whose intellect rules his instincts.

And so the journey begins to find out whether Kenneth (played by Mark Duplass) - the enigmatic ad-writer - is a delusional maniac or genius-time-machine-inventor. A man who works in a supermarket. Who believes he is getting followed by the government.

This is a film about time, regret, and the natural human yearning to be more than we are. But, it's also a film about hope, determination, and believing the beautiful moments await us should we be wise enough to let go. Very few films still have me wondering how it will end with just 15 minutes left.

Kenneths (Duplass) character is fascinating to watch. Riddled with insecurities, it's easy to write him off as a kook. But a poignant few moments with nothing more than a camp fire and a zither suddenly have you re-evaluate the substance of the man.

As Darias wrestles with the wonders that Kenneth brings to her world, an unconventional romance blossoms.

Watch the movie, drop all expectations before you do. It will be different to anything you watched before. Enjoyably so.