By Keith Walther | Rose Law Group Reporter
Finding a quality family film that holds adults’ attention as good as children’s is a rare find, but this one checks those boxes with confidence. “The Sheep Detectives” is a live action movie based on Leonie Swann’s 2005 novel, “Three Bags Full: A Sheep Detective Story,” featuring talking sheep that only the audience gets to hear. The story is a multi-layered whodunnit that keeps viewers guessing the whole time while also providing amusing moments from the animals.
George (Hugh Jackman) is a shepherd who adores his flock of sheep, even reading mystery novels to them every night and pretending they can understand him. Ironically, they can understand him, so when he suddenly dies under mysterious circumstances, the sheep, led by Lily (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), immediately takes up the case to solve his murder. Everyone is a suspect in the small village of Denbrook, and the challenge for the farm animals is getting the incompetent Officer Tim Derry (Nicholas Braun) to follow the clues.
Originally, this film was supposed to be entirely animated, but live action was chosen instead, which turns out to be a wise decision. Kyle Balda, who has been working in animation for the past three decades, sits in the director’s chair, and his inexperience with live action filming is completely unnoticeable. The director of “Minions” and “Despicable Me 3” focuses on the storytelling, crafting scenes in a way that builds off each other to facilitate a more compelling tale. He craftily leaves a trail of breadcrumbs in each scene that reveals key points about the characters in question without revealing too much. Like a poker player holding his cards close without showing any tells, Balda successfully perpetuates the mystery, fashioning a classic whodunnit that serves as a great introduction to the subgenre for people of any age.
Another key element of this film that Balda gets right is balancing this murder mystery with a healthy dose of amusement from the sheep. The physical and situational comedy he creates with these fluffy animals most certainly appeals to children, but also adults through timely dialogue and character development. He also incorporates rather deep and meaningful themes like processing death and grief in a way that is easy for kids to understand but also touches everyone’s hearts. This is where the beauty and soul of the movie really shine, connecting on an emotional level that is sweet and heartfelt. This is easily Kyle Balda’s finest effort to date.
Having a live action cast and voiceover cast as well rounded as this helps make any director’s job a little easier. Veteran actors Hugh Jackman and Emma Thompson bring their natural charisma and confidence to bear, but it’s Nicholas Braun and Molly Gordon who steal the show out of the live action performers. Braun, the socially awkward cousin from “Succession,” plays the hapless local detective for which he’s perfectly suited. His befuddled looks of confusion and surprise complement his unsure line delivery, providing a charming amusement that audiences will enjoy. Gordon, who shined in last year’s “Oh, Hi!,” finds her footing once again in this supporting role as the shepherd’s estranged daughter arriving to the quaint countryside just in time to become a suspect in her father’s murder. She talentedly shrouds her character in enough mystery to keep audiences wondering about her intentions, while still maintaining a sweet demeanor that appeals to viewers to believe her.
Not to be outdone, the vocal cast of the sheep is very talented and successfully imparts distinct and memorable personalities through the dialogue. With Julia Louis-Dreyfus spearheading the investigation, she imparts the gravitas in her sheep character through impassioned line delivery. Bryan Cranston has the perfectly serious, gravelly tone that supplies his lone-wolf type of character with an added dimension of past trauma and skepticism. Comedic actor Chris O’Dowd is another standout who provides his sheep with appealing depth that acts as a grounding force for Julia’s character. Then there’s Patrick Stewart as the stubborn, curmudgeonly ram and Brett Goldstein as both the head-bashing ram brothers, who provide worthwhile comic relief.
This is not the ordinary kid flick. “The Sheep Detectives” offers surprising depth and emotional intelligence underneath the whodunnit murder mystery with amusing antics that cater to children and adults alike. Its fun spirit and heartfelt messaging are exquisitely aligned to shear the competition and make for the best family film to release in theaters so far this year.
This movie earns:
