Title – Holmes and Watson (2018)

Director – Etan Cohen (Get Hard)

Cast – Will Ferrell, John C. Reilly, Rebecca Hall, Kelly McDonald, Rob Brydon, Steve Coogan, Ralph Fiennes

Plot – Renowned detective Sherlock Holmes (Ferrell) and his trusty offsider Dr. Watson (Reilly) must help uncover the mystery of a killer who has threatened to murder the queen if they don’t intervene.

“Would you like some heroin?”

Review by Eddie on 03/05/2019

I had to do it, I had to see what all the fuss was about, I had to watch Holmes and Watson!

How could a film starring two of the best comedic actors of the last decade, the men responsible for genre gems Step Brothers and Talladega Nights, knock out a film that dominated nominations at this year’s Razzie Awards, stunk it up at the box office and was derided by critics the world over?

It’s not that I didn’t believe it was possible, you could tell very early on from trailer’s and the hush hush approach by its studio Sony that there was very little faith in the end product of Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly’s reunion, but surely it couldn’t be as bad as everyone was saying, surely these two seasoned pros wouldn’t allow themselves to be a part of such a dire and comically bad misfire?

Sadly all the bad things said about this genuine dud from director Etan Cohen (who somehow managed to make a film worse than Get Hard) are true, our dreams of Ferrell and Reilly teaming up and mining comedy gold shattered, by a film that fails in all of its intentions to create a crass, innuendo filled Sherlock Holmes adventure that would have audiences chuckling into their popcorn or rolling around the isles in fits of laughter.

There could be an in-depth analysis of why Holmes and Watson is such an epic failure, from a lactating Reilly, horrible miss-uses of comedy legends and fine actors such as Steve Coogan, Rebecca Hall, Kelly McDonald, Rob Brydon, Hugh Laurie and Ralph Fiennes and other various cinematic crimes but at the end of the day, you can’t help but feel a lot of the films failings fall at the feet of Ferrell and Reilly, who should’ve known a lot better.

No doubt it was great for the two to reunite and spend some quality time together but after creating such a strong repertoire and chemistry together in their hit film’s, it’s hard to imagine Ferrell or Reilly would’ve felt good about what they were producing on set each day as their timing is flat, their performances devoid of any creative spark or imagination, instead falling time and time again for an easy gag that may at times raise a slight chuckle or wry smile but mainly just induces cringes and rolled eyes.

It’s a terribly sad state of affairs witnessing two performers we know can do better flail about in Cohen’s lifeless and charmless exercise, making Holmes and Watson not only hard to watch but hard to fathom, questions now must be asked around the fact that is this the last time we see Ferrell and Reilly on screen together? Dashing hopes many had of seeing the long talked about Step Brothers sequel.

Final Say –

Aside from a few very minor chuckles and tiny moments of potential, Holmes and Watson is a film deserving of its extremely low reputation. Tarnishing the on screen partnership between two of the modern eras most likeable comedians, Holmes and Watson is a crime against cinema, that isn’t worth investigating.

½ an autopsy out of 5