By Jackson TOYON

I’ll admit, I wasn’t particularly enthused when I first heard about director Kyle Balda’s “The Sheep Detectives.” It seemed like a humorous concept but not much more – a herd of talking sheep solving the mystery of the murder of their shepherd. Trailers firmly leaned into the jokes and comedic aspects of the film, too, so I expected a mildly fun time at the movies when I made the trip out to the theater. What I absolutely did not expect to find in a talking animals movie was a smart murder mystery with unique characters and emotional depth, and messages about grief and having the courage to live without forgetting. 

Just outside the small English town of Denbrook, George Hardy (Hugh Jackman) lives a seemingly carefree life as a shepherd to a flock of sheep that he loves dearly. Every one of them has a name and every evening he delights in reading murder mystery novels to them before he goes to bed, despite knowing in his heart they don’t really understand what he says. Unbeknownst to him, though, the sheep understand every word. Sheep like Lily (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), Sir Ritchfield (Patrick Stewart) and Mopple (Chris O’Dowd) love their shepherd and hang on to every word that he reads. Even Sebastian (Bryan Cranston), a lone wolf of a ram, loyally sticks around to silently watch over the herd. The animals live a blissful but ignorant life in their field, believing that sheep turn into clouds instead of dying – choosing to forget any uncomfortable experience. One day, they must confront trauma for the first time in their lives when they discover George deceased near his trailer. Inspired by George’s stories and encouraged by Mopple, who always willingly keeps his memories, Lily and a couple of others take it upon themselves to solve the case of what really happened to their beloved shepherd. The town of Denbrook harbors multiple suspicious residents who all have some motivation to wish George ill and it’s up to the flock to expose the killer.

Though the film is adapted from an existing novel – Leonie Swann’s “Three Bags Full” – there’s something incredibly fresh and original about it. Craig Mazin’s script has given each sheep and human suspect a unique character about them, and Denbrook has a wealth of fun little details for eagle-eyed viewers to enjoy. There’s both unsubtle jokes as well as jokes that might nearly be missed but caught just in time to delight. The titular sheep are also meticulously well-animated and rendered instead of the common approach of filming real animals and animating only the talking mouths – which usually has the unnerving side effect of making the animal characters creepy rather than endearing.

The film punches far above the weight that its premise and marketing would suggest, packing in much more heartwarming feeling and maturity than one would imagine. At one moment the viewer is chuckling at a well-placed chicken-crossing-the-road joke and at another the film teaches about the necessity of allowing grief to enter despite the pain it brings along with it. 

Though Hugh Jackman is more of a narrator to introduce the setting and the animal cast than he is a lasting character, he still makes the most of his time playing a man who’s hard not to love. An extensive and talented voice cast does the rest, bringing to life the diverse flock of ovine protagonists that carry the story, make the audience laugh and keep everyone invested in their well-being.

“The Sheep Detectives” has a little bit of everything – sweetness, tears, a good message, meaningful stakes, laughs and a good-looking leading man. It swirls into a cozy blend of “Knives Out,” “Babe” and perhaps “Paddington” – and  ends up being a thoroughly winning combination. The film provides comedy and talking animals for kids while boasting a clever mystery and emotional intelligence for older audiences, making it a perfect picture for the whole family. 

For those looking for a memorable family activity, “The Sheep Detectives” is an under-the-radar gem that should not be discounted or missed while there remains the opportunity to see in in theaters. 

Rated PG.