Murder mysteries are a timeless genre, but there is something quaint about one set in a quiet country town. It narrows down the list of suspects and rumbles a close-knit community to the point of greed-induced chaos, only for the truth to unravel with a flourish of finger-pointed accusations and audible gasps. Rian Johnson’s Knives Out trilogy has shown that murder mystery films can be entertaining and smart, but what happens when you combine this with a flock of inquisitive sheep? Yes, it’s a classic ‘ewe’-done-it.
Based on the 2005 novel Three Bags Full by Leonie Swann, The Sheep Detectives is the latest film by director Kyle Balda, who previously directed Despicable Me 3, Minions, and Minions: The Rise of Gru. When lone shepherd George (Jackman) mysteriously passes away, his beloved sheep believe that there is something more to his death. Inspired by the murder mysteries he used to read to them, they take it upon themselves to find the killer within the local village of Dembrook.
The film establishes the key characters – the sheep – with surprising tenderness and charm. Their unique names relay George’s fondness towards them, which include Regina Hall’s fluffy Cloud, the rambunctious twins Reggie and Ronnie, both voiced by Brett Goldstein, and the visibly impaired Wool-Eyes, voiced by Rhys Darby. They also have the luxury of ‘forgetting’ hurtful things in seconds, so they spend their days in self-mollycoddled bliss. Therefore, George’s sudden death leaves them somewhat lost.
At the centre of the film is one of George’s favourite sheep, Lily (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), considered the smartest sheep among the flock. George’s death becomes a key turning point for her, as she is forced to face the grimness of death, whether it is from natural causes or even butchery. This ignorance seemingly applies to most of the flock, leaving them as just unhelpful bystanders with mildly amusing anecdotes. The only exceptions are Sebastian (Bryan Cranston), the flock’s (literal) black sheep, and Mopple (Chris O’Dowd), a Merino sheep who remembers everything, whose truth-bombs ground Lily in her investigation amid her naivety about life. Nonetheless, Craig Mazin’s screenplay takes these darker elements with a pinch of salt, leaving Lily to experience the shock but leaving little time for her to process this reality check.
Despite its silly yet quirky set-up as an ‘ewedunnit’, the film’s human characters never quite match its premise. They’re one-dimensional suspects in this classic murder mystery, where their motivations hardly jump off the page, and involve love, money, or the quirks of the woolly protagonists. It is a shame, as there are big names among the cast. Jackman delivers a charismatic yet brief performance as George, but most of the supporting members, such as The Whale‘s Hong Chau, The Bear‘s Molly Gordon and Emma Thompson, feel wasted in their roles. In contrast, Nicholas Braun and Nicholas Galitzine make a notable impression with their respective hammed-up performances as dim-witted police officer Derry and aspiring reporter Elliot Matthews. With various characters involved in the case, it creates an inconsistency that may keep younger audiences guessing as to the real culprit, but there is not enough meat on the bone in terms of plot to satisfy older viewers who are craving the intrigue of a murder mystery.
Furthermore, the film’s formulaic, family-friendly narrative and Balda’s subtle direction focus towards light-hearted entertainment that feels more frustrating than comical. The sheep’s quirks and constant second-guessing on George’s murder create confusion while Derry’s ineptitude with the case – and his unspoken need for the sheep’s assistance – becomes wearisome as the film progresses. With an inclination towards easy laughs rather than smart jokes, the execution of the film errs on the side of being safe instead of being creative
Audiences will want to watch The Sheep Detectives because of the cute animals and the star-filled cast. Unfortunately, the combination of its stale execution and over-reliance on its woolly stars causes the film to stumble out of the barn.
The Sheep Detectives is out in UK cinemas on 8 May.
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Director: Kyle Barda; Craig Mazin (screenwriter), Leonie Swann (novelist)
Stars: Hugh Jackman, Nicholas Braun, Nicholas Galitzine, Molly Gordon, Hong Chau, Emma Thompson, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Bryan Cranston, Chris O’Dowd, Regina Hall, Patrick Stewart, Bella Ramsey, Brett Goldstein
Runtime: 109 minutes
Country: UK, USA
