Directed by: Kyle Balda
Written by: Craig Mazin based on Leonie Swann’s novel
Starring: Hugh Jackman, Nicholas Braun, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Chris O’Dowd, Bryan Cranston, Regina Hall, Patrick Stewart, Hong Chau, Tosin Cole, Nicholas Galitzine, Molly Gordon, and Emma Thompson
Runtime: 109 minutes
‘The Sheep Detectives’ is a heartwarming, sweet, and resonant whodunit, and the biggest reveal of all – which isn’t a mystery – is to be kind to animals
“I want you to meet my flock.” – George Hardy (Hugh Jackman)
You’ll be glad that you did!
Director Kyle Balda’s “The Sheep Detectives” is a heartwarming and sweet whodunit. You don’t have to be a master sleuth to recognize that those two adjectives don’t normally coexist with the said movie genre, and this 109-minute rated-PG family flick is an exception to the rule.
When someone murders a caring, kindhearted shepherd, George Hardy (Hugh Jackman), it’s up to his flock to help solve the crime.
“The Sheep Detectives” is a slight departure for Balda as well. He directed four animated feature films, namely “The Lorax” (2012) and three “Despicable Me” sequels, “Minions” (2015), “Despicable Me 3” (2017), and “Minions: The Rise of Gru” (2022), however, “Detectives” is a live-action/animated movie.
Writer Craig Mazin – based on Leonie Swann’s 2005 novel “Three Bags Full” – introduces us to George, who lives in a roomy silver trailer overlooking an idyllic meadow, and he writes to his “Dearest Rebecca” (Molly Gordon) about his collection of sheep and a few lambs. The said four-legged docile creatures are CG characters living in this picturesque locale just outside of Denbrook, England (which was shot in Ivinghoe, England, about 65 kilometers northwest of London). Although, it’s difficult to keep track of all the sheep during the quick rundown in the opening act.
Lily (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), Mopple (Chris O’Dowd), ram brothers Ronnie and Reggie (both voiced by Brett Goldstein), an elder statesman Sir Ritchfield (Patrick Stewart), a fluffy Cloud (Regina Hall), a loner named Sebastian (Bryan Cranston), and several others are presented, and Mazin also enters – for the record – the human townsfolk, who are John and Jane Q. Citizens but some might be suspects as well.
The village of Denbrook – a Hallmark card come to life, save the recent murder - has a dim police officer (Nicholas Braun), a shopkeeper (Hong Chau), a rival sheepherder (Tosin Cole), a butcher (Conleth Hill), a local reverend (Kobna Holdbrook-Smith), and a reporter who rides into town (Nicholas Galitzine) to cover the Denbrook Cultural Festival.
Life is festive, light, and tranquil at George’s meadow until early in the first act, when he’s tragically found dead. Officer Tim Derry (Braun) – who seems like tying his shoes could become an all-morning project – is in charge of the investigation. The sheep do not understand the real-life concept of human death, but George always read to his sheep and lambs at the end of every workday, and mystery novels were popular. Since Lily often sorted out the clues together and correctly theorized about the killer of these stories, she leads the flock’s inquiry into George’s suspicious, sudden death.
Contrasting the admitted bleakness of the shepherd’s passing, one of the key strengths of “Detectives” is that Balda and Mazin breathe celebratory life into our woolly friends. The filmmakers give them distinct personalities as well as universal quirks. They have the ability to completely forget a troublesome memory (yes, this is a thing in the movie), and they carry innocence from the often cruel world outside their slice of green pasture, soft sunsets, and George’s gentle hand. However, one sheep diverges from the former eccentricity, and another knows about the latter, and their individual insights grant deep and accessible teaching moments (along with moving backstories) for the on-screen herd and the movie theatre crowds.
The clever script also finds creative ways for Lily, Mopple, and company to interact with Officer Derry to help him – with his own teaching moments - along his investigative journey, which has unexpected surprises. Naturally, the flock “talks among themselves” (to quote “Saturday Night Live” Linda Richman (Michael Myers)), but they need to somehow discover ways to communicate with their human counterparts. Suspects like Beth the shopkeeper (Chau), Ham the butcher (Hill), and Caleb the rival shepherd (Cole) cause just enough anxiety, but the capable actors seem to swagger subtle, playful hints of winks and nods as not to frighten young audiences and to generate smiles for adult moviegoers.
The comic relief comes from Officer Derry and a glorious supporting role from Emma Thompson’s Lydia Harbottle, a lawyer who swoops into the lovely little village to sort out George’s will. Let’s not forget the colorful voice-acting performances from Louis-Dreyfus, O’Dowd (who this critic admittedly didn’t pick out their voices until after the movie), Cranston, Stewart, and more, including a sensitive portrayal from Tommy Birchall, who plays a pivotal role – in a couple of ways - as The Winter Lamb.
For Hugh Jackman fans, no worries. Your pivotal hero – as George - appears frequently in the second and third acts with several flashback scenes, as he should, because the biggest reveal of all in “The Sheep Detectives” – which isn’t a mystery – is to be kind to animals.
Jeff’s ranking
3 / 4 stars
