Can a murder mystery be family-friendly? Well, such a notion might initially sound absurd, but apparently it can be pulled off. And while the plot of The Sheep Detectives does involve the killing of a character, the movie never features any explicit content or graphic violence. If anything, this film, aimed at younger audiences and their parents, reinforces the fact that killing is morally wrong. To further sweeten the deal, the filmmakers behind this delightful movie make the entire affair highly entertaining and full of heart.
Hugh Jackman stars as George Hardy, a loner shepherd in Denbrook, England, who only lives to raise his flock of sheep for their wool. Not the most personable, George doesn’t normally get along with other people, but prefers the company of his beloved sheep. One might even say that George has made a couple of enemies in the town of Denbrook, and when he ends up dead on his land, it is up to his loving flock of sheep to solve the mystery of his murder.
Based on the novel Three Bags Full by Leonie Swann, writer Craig Mazin and director Kyle Balda have created a heartwarming, but often hilarious, family comedy/murder mystery. Though the movie involves a murder, it never indulges in excessive violence or any shocking content that would make parents nervous about watching it with their children. If there are any parents with very young children who don’t feel comfortable about exposing them to the subject of death and murder, that is totally understandable. This movie is made for children who are already aware of human mortality and know that sometimes people commit the evil deed of murder.
Nevertheless, the filmmakers manage to make the content rather entertaining and fun. After all, what’s not to like about talking animals with human-like personalities? While the movie features human characters, it is the sheep who steal the show. Although a few gags wear out their welcome, the humor works effectively overall. Ultimately, it is the love for the characters and this world that shines through, warming everyone’s hearts.
The film has a great cast of live-action performers and voice talents. Hugh Jackman is perfectly cast as the gruff curmudgeon George Hardy, a man with a good heart, but not much patience for other humans. As for his flock, a wonderful assortment of voice actors endow the sheep with fun, vibrant personalities. The voice cast features Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Bryan Cranston, Chris O’Dowd, Regina Hall, Patrick Stewart, Bella Ramsey, Rhys Darby, and Brett Goldstein. In addition to Jackman, the live actors are Nicholas Braun, Nicholas Galitzine, Molly Gordon, Hong Chau, Emma Thompson, Tosin Cole, Kobna Holdbrook-Smith, Conleth Hill, and Mandeep Dhillon. Both the voice cast and live actors perform well in their roles.
The Sheep Detectives is currently playing in theaters and is a sweet, lovable family film I highly recommend. The novel Three Bags Full received a sequel, and one can only hope that this movie adaptation will be successful enough to warrant the sequel novel’s adaptation.