Sherlock Jr. (1924)

A lot of fun.

Unshakable, witty and deeply felt, the film will be paying emotional dividends for a long, long time.

Blistering performances.

The acting is good, and the firecracker script has some excellent ideas.

A film projectionist longs to be a detective, and puts his meagre skills to work when he is framed by a rival for stealing his girlfriend's father's pocketwatch. To be honest i've never really found Buster Keaton remotely funny cause he always looked like a poor man's Charlie Chaplin and just goofy like falling down some stairs and think he is funny or something. The film is just very silly and over the top and not like in a good way, sure some people will enjoy it alot but don't expect it to hold as it might have cause it's really just an awful movie. (0/10)

This movie was very delightful to watch even though it was a silent movie. The plot was well put together even though at some points one felt as if Sherlock would have no chance at the girl or proving that he were innocent. This made me pity him, but also respect this character as he was quite a determined man. In the end, Sherlock does win the girl however, who realizes that he was innocent and went back to him at the theatre. This leaves the audience with the idea in the back of their minds, that things can actually work out no matter how dim or gloomy the chances may seem.

As someone who dislikes silent movies I was pleasantly surprised by how well this movie was. The gags were funny but the most iconic scene was the funniest. The scene in which Buster Keaton's character falls asleep in the movie theater only to reawaken to his love interest and rival playing the main characters of some movie is hilarious. Watching him travel from scene to scene, either falling or over reacting is very entertaining.

Sherlock Jr. is a creative and refreshing take on a mystery story. Many elements and subtle themes help the viewer stay invested along with any and all sight gags. The characters included such as the sly detective Sherlock Jr, keep the story progressing at a good pace. Although a bit cliché, the story is told in an interesting and inventive way that would definitely be considered a marvel of its time. Clever editing techniques and interesting set add to the ambiance that Buster Keaton must have painstakingly tried to perfect. Overall, definitely a good watch if you are interested in mystery comedies!