The Sheep Detectives – Film Review
by Gearóid O’Byrne

Director – Kyle Balda
Writers – Craig Mazin, Leonie Swann
Stars – Bryan Cranston, Nicholas Galitzine, Hugh Jackman

This is a mystery comedy film directed by Kyle Balda and written by Craig Mazin, based on the 2005 novel Three Bags Full by Leonie Swann. The film features an impressive ensemble cast including Hugh Jackman, Nicholas Braun, Nicholas Galitzine, Molly Gordon, Hong Chau, and Emma Thompson, with the voices of Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Bryan Cranston, Chris O’Dowd, Regina Hall, Patrick Stewart, Bella Ramsey, and Brett Goldstein.

The premise is that amiable vegetarian shepherd George Hardy (Hugh Jackman), who only keeps his sheep for their wool and who reads them mystery stories every evening, is found dead in his field outside a perfect little middle England town.

When the not-too-bright local policeman, Tim Derry (Succession’s Nicholas Braun), doesn’t see anything initially suspicious with the death, the sheep decide that they’ll have to investigate his death based on the murder mystery books he used to read to them.

The arrival of a lawyer (Emma Thompson as Lydia Harbottle), a previously adopted daughter (Molly Gordon as Rebecca Hampstead), and a curious journalist (Nicholas Galitzine as Elliot Matthews) adds intrigue to the investigation.

This is a classic British murder mystery in the tradition of Midsomer Murders or perhaps Agatha Christie’s “Miss Marple” with, I suppose, the added piquancy of Miss Marple being played by a sheep.

The human characters are all simply drawn, with most of them none too likeable; however, there is more scope for personality among the various sheep who have to rise above their ovine limitations, which affords some humour.

The nearby bucolic town, Denbrook, is idyllic in appearance and seems to be composed only of listed buildings, whilst the Anglican church is apparently full for services. This is a version of rural England more like that before World War 2, with “old maids biking to Holy Communion through the mists of the autumn morning” to quote George Orwell from 1941.

Needless to say, there is nothing innocent or idyllic about the carry on of various local residents, especially, apparently, those not vegetarian in habit, from the local butcher to another local shepherd who (shock! horror!) raises his sheep for slaughter. There are shades of Animal Farm in this, another George Orwell classic.

While slickly executed, overall it felt like an overly familiar trope trotted out with one-dimensional characters, insufficient humour, too much sickly syrup and, as per the storyline, saved only by the sheep. Like many of the cosy crime capers it emulates, while the film is watchable, it is also quite forgettable. With so much talent on display (both on screen and voiced), it feels like a missed opportunity.