Sherlock Holmes (2009)

I really wanted to love this movie, and instead I just kind of liked it. A lot. Guy Richie's re-invention of the Sherlock Holmes film has, at it's core, a great idea: let's re-examine the way Doyle might have written about the exact same character in a more permissive, action-oriented era. All the elements are there: For others' benefit, “The Adventure of the Solitary Cyclist”, “The Adventure of the Naval Treaty”, “Gloria Scott”, “A Study in Scarlet”, “The Sign of the Four”, and “The Adventure of the Empty House” all make reference to Holmes' skill as a bare-knuckle boxer, swordsman, stick fighter, and man of extraordinary strength and agility. Holmes spent much time in the seedier sections of London, often in disguise, and it is impossible to imagine a sane man doing this unless he knew how to handle himself. He studied "Baritsu" (apparently a misspelling of a hybrid style of Japanese-British boxing and wrestling techniques) and used it to overcome Professor Moriarty. So, from my position, the complaints about Holmes and Watson as action heroes is just ignorant. Ignorant not just of Holmes' actual history, but of literary conventions of the time.

For instance, we are to believe Holmes is a...virgin? Really? Why, because Watson talks about Holmes never being involved with, or not trusting, women? And exactly what Victorian era literary figures were presented as pre-maritally sexual? Are we to believe that 1890's London, with a knock-shop on every corner and the Hellfire club and its satellites notorious, was filled with prudes? I think not. Watson is an unreliable witness. He and Holmes could have caroused in every whore-house in London, and he would never have breathed a word of it. So as far as I'm concerned, the real question is whether a film is loyal to the essence of what Doyle actually created. And that makes it legitimate to re-examine the psychological roots of the character, and re-examine in terms of what we know of real, flesh and blood human beings.

I'm interested in Holmes as flesh and blood. And unfortunately, Ritchies's hyperkenetic editing style, as well as an oddly off-kilter dialogue rhythm, keep this from scaling the heights. Oh, there is much to enjoy, especially the performances. Jude Law is wonderful, and Downy Jr. no less so. But the story, dealing with a serial killer, a secret society, and a plan to steal the English government, just isn't particularly smart. You will guess the plot points way ahead of the Consulting Detective, and that just sucks. Ritchie's visualization of Holmes' mental processes (especially during a couple of combat sequences) is very nice, just not the blazingly brilliant deductive feats we expect from Holmes.

A wasted opportunity, but not a wasted afternoon at the movies. I'll bet I'll like it better the second time around. Give it a "B-" but a "B+" for effort.

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Steve Perry doubted that I'd really refuse to dump my new business if Steven Spielberg got on the phone and asked me to do a project. Let me explain: one of the core principles of success is to have a definite purpose, a written goal read twice daily. The path to this goal has to be expressed in continuous action, so that every day you know what you have to accomplish to stay on the path. If you do this, strange things will start happening, including unexpected assistance from unforeseen sources...as well as distractions aplenty.

I remember years ago, talking to a student who had had serious weight issues stemming from horrendous childhood abuse. She was working to peel the layers of protection away, and I warned her about something: if she was ever successful, if she lost more than about 25 pounds, her career would suddenly take off. She would start being offered wonderful job options that would bring her more money and prestige. Why? Well, viewed from one perspective, the entire game would be to distract her from losing the weight. Her ego would be seriously threatened, and would fight dirty to trash her schedule and fracture her intent.

Here's another example: It is often said that those engaged in serious meditation activities will often notice what are called "siddhis" occurring. These are powers: precognition, telepathic effects, psychic dreams, etc. Becoming unusually sexually attractive is definitely one of these. Now imagine: a guy who has had a string of bad relationships decides to use the Soulmate process. His target surrogate tells him she wants a man with a deeper spiritual base (this happened to me) so he begins to meditate. He finds that after a month, attractive women are coming on to him, inviting him to long weekends of carnal delight.

What do you think would happen if he took them up, and stopped meditating? Right: immediately, the very process that created the attraction would stop working, and he'd end up right back where he was. Only a little older.

Well, that's where I am with Coaching. I've been a professional writer for thirty years, and I don't want this any more. Finding out that there was indeed a blacklist, and I was on it, and that race was a factor--that HURT. And the fact that the field doesn't grasp its parochial, tribal attitudes means that thirty years of my pushing against that rock has only moved it a few inches. I'd be an idiot to trust the SF field with my future. But nor do I want the assholes to win, by driving me out. What is my alternative?

I've been cogitating about that one ever since Octavia died. And finally came to a decision: I want to be an AMATEUR writer, a "gentleman writer", without so much pressure from the bills. Under those circumstances, I will do my very best, and probably most successful, writing. But what do I have to do to lift that stress? Create other avenues of income. And what is predictable? As I continue to build my coaching business, and my students grow by leaps and bounds and my business gets more secure: of COURSE Spielberg (or the rough equivalent) will call. It is frickin' inevitable. You know how when you don't have a job you can't get a job...but as soon as you have one the phone starts ringing? When you don't have a girlfriend/boyfriend you can't get one, but as soon as you have one everyone else seems interested? 100% predictable. It's one of the really strange ways the universe operates, a little touch of magic, or as close to it as you can catch in a bottle.

So no. I dare not throw away this structure I'm creating. A call from Spielberg would be a symptom that I'm heading in the right direction. If I chased after it, I'd lose everything. This is going to be quite an adventure.