‘Sheep Detectives’: Murder, Charm, Heart & Lots Of Wool

Murder has come to a quaint English-ish town, and investigators are on the case. Miss Marple? Hercule Poirot? Sherlock Holmes? Nope — Sheep Detectives.

Based on the 2005 book Three Bags Full: A Sheep Detective Story, by Leonie Swann, Sheep Detectives is the second family-friendly home run in a row from Amazon MGM Studios, which just brought us the luminous Project Hail Mary.

The films share more than just a studio, since Project Hail Mary directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller are among the producers of Sheep Detectives.

Producer Lindsay Doran (This Is Spinal Tap, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Sense and Sensibility) brought the book to writer Craig Mazin (Chernobyl, The Last of Us), who did a warmer and wittier job than his credits may indicate.

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Kyle Balda (Minions, Despicable Me 3, Minions: The Rise of Gru) directs his first (semi) live-action film (I had a chat with him, which is embedded below).

What Is Sheep Detectives About?

Hugh Jackman plays shepherd George Hardy, a loner who lives in a trailer to be near his sheep (rendered in realistic CGI), and nurses some old emotional wounds.

He also has a strained relationship with the local church and its pastor (Kobna Holdbrook-Smith). (NOTE: The pastor wears black and a Roman collar, but by the look of the church, I’d say he’s Anglican.)

In the evening, George amuses himself by reading murder mysteries to the sheep, obviously not thinking they understand him.

But, when George winds up dead in the field, it turns out that they do.

Led by intrepid ewe Lily (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), the sheep make up for the deficiencies of the local constable (Nicholas Braun) by joining the investigation.

Of course, all the sheep know of the world is their meadow, and all they know about murder is from books.

But, once they screw up the courage to cross the road (if you think there’s going to be a joke about that, there is), they persevere.

The rest of the human ensemble includes Nicholas Galitzine, Molly Gordon, Hong Chau, and Emma Thompson.

Along with Louis-Dreyfus, voicing the animated sheep are Bryan Cranston, Chris O’Dowd, Regina Hall, Patrick Stewart, Bella Ramsey and Brett Goldstein.

In addition, Tommy Birchall voices the Winter Lamb, whose pre-spring birth makes him an outcast in the flock.

Should You Take Your Family to Sheep Detectives?

Oh, absolutely, 100 percent. Yes. Please do. Maybe not the littlest tykes, since this is about murder, and a lot of the humor will go over their heads, but 8-, 9-year-olds and up should be fine.

In a video interview, Doran said that, “a family movie now is a movie for adults, to which children are welcome to come.”

I’d say that’s pretty accurate for Sheep Detectives. It’s charming and whimsical on its surface, and plenty funny, but it’s also deep in its heart (you may want hankies).

The mystery has many twists and turns, including some highly improbable ones that may get eyerolls from hardcore fans of the genre — but, so what?

Sheep Detectives is playful and sometimes silly, but a serious theme always lies underneath. It’s about love and devotion, loss and memory, family and loyalty, and how even those who’ve been cast aside can save the day.

This could be a film for the whole family, a date night, or just to enjoy on your own, with a tub of popcorn (and that box of tissues).

Is Faith Present in Sheep Detectives?

Yeah, a bit.

There is an amusing moment where one sheep tries to explain the notion of God. And while George has a contentious attitude toward his parish church, it’s more personal than theological.

Also, the notion of what makes a good shepherd comes up, whether the flock has four legs or two.