‘The Sheep Detectives’ Review: A Murder Most Fleecy
nytimes.com • • entertainment
Key Points:
- "The Sheep Detectives" is a live-action film featuring sheep solving a murder, defying expectations of typical talking animal movies by being funny, emotionally complex, and respectful toward its sheep characters.
- The film evokes a nostalgic style of family-friendly PG-rated movies from the 1980s and ’90s, which balanced mature themes with comedy and appealed to audiences of all ages, unlike many modern PG films that are primarily animated and child-focused.
- Based on Leonie Swann's 2005 novel "Three Bags Full," the story centers on a shepherd named George (played by Hugh Jackman) who cares deeply for his flock, unaware that the sheep attentively listen to the mystery novels he reads to them each night.
- The movie's director, Kyle Balda, and screenwriter Craig Mazin, known for their work on acclaimed series like "The Last of Us" and "Chernobyl," bring a unique creative approach to this unusual and charming narrative.
