The Sheep Detectives
review by Bobby Blakey
Hugh Jackman continues to step into a multitude of roles outside of his famed Wolverine character. His latest, The Sheep Detectives seems silly, but the trailer looks pretty fun. The film from Minions and Despicable Me 3 director Kyle Balda co-stars Nicholas Braun, Nicholas Galitzine, Molly Gordon, Hong Chau, and Emma Thompson and the voice talents of Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Bryan Cranston, Chris O’Dowd, Regina Hall, Patrick Stewart, Bella Ramsey, Brett Goldstein, and Rhys Darby. Could this film deliver a fun murder mystery, or should it be put out to pasture?
The Sheep Detectives follows George, a shepherd who reads detective novels to his beloved sheep every night, assuming they can’t possibly understand. But when a mysterious incident disrupts life on the farm, the sheep realize they must become the detectives. As they follow the clues and investigate human suspects, they prove that even sheep can be brilliant crime-solvers.
I must be honest the trailer for this film looked cute and funny but still had low expectations on it. These types of films are great for kids but often struggle to be something that really works and stands out. I could not have been more wrong as this film is great, filled with heart, laughs, drama and a well-executed murder mystery.
The story is simple and the transition from the narration to the reveal of sheep speaking is the same as the trailer with not much else added or needed. It dives right into their lives and manages to mesh it altogether perfectly. Jackman is charming here and all in with what might not have worked and in turn makes it work all the better. The rest of the cast all bring something unique to their characters to round out the town and create the perfect cast for this mystery right out of a novel.
If the sheep don’t work this film falls apart and they work surprisingly well. I was
worried that they would wear thin but found myself invested in each and every one of them. The CGI for them is great with only a few moments that stumble, but nothing that ruins the film. The voice acting and designs work perfectly together and fully bring them to life for this story. There are a select few that take front and center, but all get the chance to shine.
The fact that they take it seriously is why this works. They could have gone way more over-the-top with it, but they lean into it and deliver. I loved that they meshed the humans and sheep investigating together in way that makes it more believable despite still being silly. The laughs hit; the drama works and even manages to pull at the heartstrings in ways I didn’t expect to deliver a film that has no business working but does on every level.
It’s a fun flick worth checking out but decide for yourself and see The Sheep Detectives in theaters now from Amazon MGM Studios.