Young Sherlock Holmes

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Young Sherlock Holmes

PG-13

1985

1h 49m

Mystery & Thriller

Adventure

Action

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

71%

Tomatometer

21 Reviews

63%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

A teenage Sherlock Holmes (Nicholas Rowe) meets and befriends his future sidekick, the bemused and bespectacled John Watson (Alan Cox). During their first semester of boarding school, a series of deaths occur on campus. Intrigued by the crime, Holmes looks into it and soon comes to suspect a poisonous hallucinogen. And then, in the midst of their investigation, Holmes and Watson stumble on a bizarre cult with a penchant for human sacrifice -- after which they must struggle to escape.

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Critics Consensus

Young Sherlock Holmes is a charming, if unnecessarily flashy, take on the master sleuth.

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Paul Attanasio

Washington Post

01/04/2018

... it's a perfectly agreeable family entertainment, a craftsmanlike fantasia on Conan Doyle.

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Joshua Vasquez

Slant Magazine

12/05/2003

3/4

There is something about Holmes's elegant, haunting, and whisperingly melancholic distance, his analytical remove from the world, that inspires a desire for glimpses of the baroque corridors of labyrinthine interiors.

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Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

01/01/2000

3/4

If these story elements seem typical of Conan Doyle, there is also a lot in this movie that can be traced directly to the work of Steven Spielberg, the executive producer.

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Mel Valentin

eFilmCritic.com

10/14/2010

4/5

MaryAnn Johanson

Flick Filosopher

03/23/2010

This is the origin story for the world's first consulting detective that Conan Doyle was never considerate enough to write for us...

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Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

06/30/2005

C+

The idea to center on Holmes and Watson as young men is good and original but the execution is rather poor and Levinson's direction is impersonal.

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Sarah V

@Lousyl Mar 8

Absolutely exceptional entertainment! Funny, witty, smart and quick. Will be counting down the days until season 2 is released!!

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Angela D

@RT68460736 Jan 5

This movie will live on in infamy. I absolutely love this movie. Too bad they didn't make a sequel of this Fantastic, Thrilling movie. Excellent!!!!!!

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Gregory S

@Gregory566 Dec 27

It was a favorite of mine when I was a kid. Fun and adventurous movie.

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Tyler G

@tylergross121 Sep 13

Holmes comes across as extremely annoying to the point it is a hard watch.

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Stephen C

@bob25009 Jul 4

Success in 1 hour and 49 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The USA grossed over $18,100,000.00!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Garrett B

@gmoney637 01/10/2025

Though mostly remembered for its landmark achievement of CGI, it is a very underrated mystery thriller with some dazzling practical effects.

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Barry Levinson

Director

Nicholas Rowe

Sherlock Holmes

Alan Cox

John Watson

Sophie Ward

Elizabeth Hardy

Anthony Higgins

Rathe

Susan Fleetwood

Mrs. Dribb

Young Sherlock Holmes: Official Clip - This is Not Real

2:11

Young Sherlock Holmes: Official Clip - Cold Revenge

2:02

Young Sherlock Holmes: Official Clip - Holmes' New Hat

1:49

Young Sherlock Holmes: Official Clip - Attack on Waxflatter

1:19

Young Sherlock Holmes: Official Clip - Fencing Lessons

1:34

Young Sherlock Holmes: Official Clip - The Adventure of a Lifetime

2:06

Young Sherlock Holmes: Official Clip - Watson Meets Holmes

2:13

Young Sherlock Holmes: Official Clip - The Stained Glass Knight

2:03

Young Sherlock Holmes: Official Clip - The Cult of Eh-tar

1:54

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Synopsis

A teenage Sherlock Holmes (Nicholas Rowe) meets and befriends his future sidekick, the bemused and bespectacled John Watson (Alan Cox). During their first semester of boarding school, a series of deaths occur on campus. Intrigued by the crime, Holmes looks into it and soon comes to suspect a poisonous hallucinogen. And then, in the midst of their investigation, Holmes and Watson stumble on a bizarre cult with a penchant for human sacrifice -- after which they must struggle to escape.

Director: Barry Levinson
Producer: Henry Winkler, Mark Johnson
Screenwriter: Chris Columbus
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Production Co: Paramount Pictures, Amblin Entertainment
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Mystery & Thriller, Adventure, Action, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 6, 1985, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 1, 2013
Box Office (Gross USA): $18.1M
Runtime: 1h 49m
Sound Mix: Surround, Stereo

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