In one sentence: When their shepherd is murdered, a flock of sheep use everything they have learned from his bedtime murder mysteries to solve the case themselves.

---

Sometimes a film’s premise sounds so preposterous that you wonder how it was ever greenlit. Occasionally those doubts are justified, but every so often a film comes along that proves first impressions completely wrong. The Sheep Detectives comfortably falls into the latter.

Based on Leonie Swann’s novel Three Bags Full, the film is set in the idyllic English village of Denbrook and follows a flock of exceptionally well cared for sheep who find themselves investigating the murder of their beloved shepherd, George Hardy (Hugh Jackman). George has spent years feeding them, shearing them and even reading them murder mysteries before bed. Inspired by everything they have learned, the flock, led by Lily (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), decide to solve the case themselves, leaving clues for the rather bewildered police officer Derry (Nicholas Braun), who works his way through everyone named in George’s will.

On paper, the concept sounds utterly ridiculous. In practice, it is surprisingly charming. The film embraces its own absurdity while delivering a genuinely engaging murder mystery. It taps into the growing popularity of cosy crime and cleverly adapts the genre for family audiences and the mystery itself is satisfying enough to keep viewers of all ages guessing until the end.

One of the film’s greatest strengths is the way it reimagines sheep. They are often stereotyped as unintelligent followers, but here each member of the flock has a distinct personality, voice and perspective. The impressive voice cast, including Patrick Stewart, Regina Hall, Brett Goldstein, Chris O’Dowd and Bryan Cranston, helps bring them vividly to life. At the same time, the film affectionately pokes fun at sheep through their love of grass, short attention spans and reluctance to embrace adventure, creating plenty of humour for both children and adults.

One storyline introduces the idea of a ‘winter lamb’, a lamb rejected by the flock because of when it was born. While this works well dramatically, I did find myself wishing the film had based this subplot on genuine sheep behaviour. In reality, lambs can sometimes be rejected by their mothers, but not because they are born in winter. It is only a small point, but I wondered whether younger viewers might leave believing it to be true. Not every family film has to be completely factually accurate, but this felt like a missed opportunity to teach audiences something real about these often under appreciated animals.

The visual effects are impressive. Although the sheep are clearly CGI creations, their individual fleeces and expressions are rendered with remarkable detail. The technology allows the characters to perform in ways that would obviously be impossible with real animals and the animation quickly becomes easy to accept. My only lingering question throughout the film was why so many of the sheep had American accents!

The setting is another delight. Denbrook is the very definition of a chocolate box English village, providing the perfect backdrop for this Cluedo-esque mystery. With its colourful cast of suspects, including a vicar, a butcher, a hotel manager, a rival shepherd and George’s long lost daughter (Molly Gordon), the film is playful throughout. Emma Thompson is particularly entertaining, bringing her trademark authority and wit to an eccentric supporting role dressed in vibrant hues.

The pacing remains brisk and the film is not afraid to add emotional depth alongside its comedy. Sebastian the ram’s backstory provides some genuinely touching moments and there is one sequence that strongly echoes The Lion King. Beneath all the jokes and detective work lies a story about belonging, kindness and the importance of community, giving the film more heart than its premise initially suggests.

Overall, The Sheep Detectives is a delightful family mystery that embraces its wonderfully eccentric premise with confidence. It delivers an entertaining whodunnit, a lovable cast of woolly detectives and enough warmth to leave audiences smiling. I went in expecting something completely ridiculous and came away pleasantly surprised. It is a reminder that sometimes the most unlikely ideas make for the most entertaining stories.

★★★½ (3.5/5)