Even if you know little of the background; you'll like this movie

Rating: 8/10 (1 January 2010)

I went to this movie not expecting much; more to accommodate my friend who insisted on seeing it. By the end I was pleasantly surprised at the quality of (a) the cinematography (showing an 1880s London the way I would imagine it), (b) the acting of all concerned, and (c) the screenplay.
Robert Downey played a masterful Holmes and Jude Law was great as Dr Watson.
Since the days of Mrs Henderson Presents I have been smitten by Kelley Riley, who played Mary Marston.
It involves a bit of your intellect; even if you can't figure out Holmes' logic as the movie unfolds he will explain it for you at the end.
Go see this movie; you should enjoy it. There is a lot of mindless cinematic entertainment out there; this movie is not in that category.