Director: Kyle Balda
Starring: Hugh Jackman, Nicholas Braun, Nicholas Galitzine, Molly Gordon, Hong Chau, Emma Thompson, Kobna Holdbrook-Smith, Conleth Hill, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Bryan Cranston, Chris O' Dowd, Regina Hall, Patrick Stewart, Bella Ramsey, Rhys Darby, Brett Goldstein, Laraine Newman
Running Time: 109 min.
Rating: PG
With The Sheep Detectives, director Kyle Balda somehow manages to make everything look and seem effortless when the feat he accomplishes is anything but. You might even argue it's the most difficult genre to execute well given how few family films respect the audience's intelligence to such an extent. Pulling off multiple tricks at once, it's a heartwarming comedy, an emotionally stirring adventure, a meticulously plotted murder mystery, and a deep meditation on grief and loss all wrapped into a heartwarming, easily accessible package.
As evident from its title, it stars a herd of CGI sheep in an era where digitized animals have taken over the big screen, often in negative ways. But this is a delightful exception, not just due the high quality of those effects, but because it's a story too enchanting for viewers to dismiss. The most obvious comparison is 1995's Babe, that little masterpiece about a courageous pig that won over critics and audiences on its way to earning multiple Oscar nominations. And this shares many of its best qualities, with acting, set design, costuming and cinematography all working in lockstep to transport us to this whimsical world comfortably situated somewhere between fantasy and reality.
Shepherd George Hardy (Hugh Jackman) resides in the small English village of Denbrook where he tends to his flock of sheep, reading them mystery novels he assumes they'll never understand. Except all of them can, hanging on his every word while they analyze clues, narrow down the suspects and eagerly wait to hear him reveal the ending the next morning. But when George is shockingly discovered dead outside his trailer, they can't process it, believing it's only something that happens in books.
The sheep deal with this terrible news the only way they know how to cope with unpleasant thoughts, collectively agreeing to forget what happened to spare themselves the pain, even if that means forgetting George. But their plan doesn't work so well once Denbrook's sole police officer, the bumbling Tim Derry (Nicholas Braun), arrives on the scene, followed closely behind by eager reporter Eric Matthews (Nicholas Galzatine), who suspects foul play.
Concluding George was poisoned, Tim turns his attention to a growing list of suspects, including the late shepherd's daughter Rebecca Hempstead (Molly Gordon), who arrives from the U.S. flanked by her dad's snarky legal advisor Lydia (Emma Thompson). Meanwhile, the lambs decide to investigate on their own, with crime expert Lily (Julia Louis-Dreyfuss), wise ram Mopple (Chris O' Dowd), the fluffy Cloud (Regina Hall), distinguished Sir Richfield (Patrick Stewart) and loner Sebastian (Bryan Cranston) putting their heads together and discovering more than they ever counted on.
The multiple sides of George are revealed over the course of the picture, with most coming to light after his mysterious murder. Initially, we get the impression he's viewed by the townsfolk as a cranky, isolated curmudgeon, even as the reasons for his prickly personality start to make more sense over the course of the investigation. He also has a protective soft spot for his sheep, which is glaringly evident in the brief amount of time we're privy to their bond. It's far more than a job to him, with the charismatic Jackman leaving an unforgettable impression that hangs in the air long after his character's murder.
George does have enemies, most notably neighbor and fellow shepherd Caleb (Tosin Cole), with whom he's seen arguing the night of his death. He also this complicated relationship with estranged, guilt ridden daughter Molly, who's returned to settle his affairs following the killing. As for the sheep, their biggest adversary are themselves, for as intelligent as they are, they're not exactly independent thinkers, being sheep and all. And that's the mindset they struggle to break free from this entire time, realizing they owe it to George to get to the bottom of this, no matter how horrible it makes them feel.
Lily assumes her investigative skills and reasoning are enough to crack the case, but she still has a lot to learn, most notably from the stoic Sebastian. Rescued from carnival fighting by George, he has a wealth of wisdom to share, particularly as it relates to the flock's poor treatment of a baby Winter Lamb (Tommy Birchall) who's ostracized and belittled for being different. Of the many successful sub-plots, this one's the very best, sneaking up on you as the innocent youngster's plight continuously builds, eventually reaching an emotional catharsis that soon becomes inseparable from the central mystery.
Despite dealing with such heavy, relatable themes, Craig Mazin's script (based on Leonie Swann's 2005 German novel, Three Bags Full) effectively retains the film's light hearted touch throughout. Even when catching the culprit soon becomes secondary to these sheep facing the painfully harsh truth that they'll have to face their loss head on.
Zaniness ensues when the action shifts from the pasture to town for the reading of George's will, with the sheep keeping their eyes and ears open as an overwhelmed Tim clumsily navigates his first ever murder investigation in this idyllic countryside town. But Nicholas Braun's quirky, physical performance as this incompetent cop with a crush on the main suspect evolves as Tim slowly gains confidence, at least when he's not being verbally eviscerated by Thompson's salty character.
A bespeckled, nearly unrecognizable Nicholas Galitzine's supporting turn as this goofy reporter looking to prove his mettle as a journalist should make audiences forget all about Masters of the Universe, if they haven't already. Sent to Denbrook to cover what ends up being a hilariously small "cultural festival," his Eric unexpectedly stumbles into an a far more intriguing story.
In a lineup of colorful suspects who include innkeeper Beth (Hong Chau), the town's Reverend Hillcoate (Kobna Holbrook-Smith) and local butcher Ham (Conleth Hill), Rebecca tops the list due to her impending inheritance, Endearingly played by Molly Gordon as the likable girl-next-door, we don't want to believe she's guilty any more than Tim does, even when the evidence says otherwise. Regardless of screen time, all these characters are wonderfully sketched out, which goes double for the sheep who start causing a real ruckus the more directly involved in the case they become.
Knives Out meets Paddington as Balda juggles all these seemingly disparate elements, culminating in a Columbo-inspired resolution straightforward enough for viewers not to notice amidst all the cleverly placed distractions. Invoking laughter and tears, it it ends on the perfect note, signing off with a moving final scene that sees a new book open, reinforcing how bad memories tend to make the good ones resonate even more.
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