A visit to Victorian London will be fun and entertaining if you take a few hours to see Robert Downey, Jr. and Jude Law in "Sherlock Holmes" over the holidays. It wasn't the most compelling or inspirational film of 2009, but it's the kind of escape flick movie-goers are flocking to during culturally stressful times.
The movie "Sherlock Holmes" is delightfully action-packed, witty and interesting. Director Guy Ritchie's version of Holmes isn't quite Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's, but it is likely to renew interest in the classics, and that's a good thing.
Hint while watching: Be aware of details, Holmes' trademark. Details do matter. And as for the obvious link between the fictional Sherlock Holmes' alleged cocaine use and Downey's coke-snorting past, there's none on screen.
If you liked Newman and Redford in "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid," you'll like Downey and Law in "Holmes." Only one big difference between the movies, though, and that's the ending. Look for a sequel with the mention of the mysterious and elusive Professor Moriarty in the closing scene.