SHEEP DETECTIVES, THE
(director: Kyle Balda; screenwriters: Craig Mazin, based on the novel “Three Bags Full” by Leonie Swann; cinematographer: George Steel; editors: Martin Walsh,
Paul Machliss; music: Christophe Beck; cast: Hugh Jackman (George Hardy),
Nicholas Braun (Officer Tim Drew), Emma Thompson (Lydia Harbottle), Nicholas Galitzine (Elliott Matthews), Hong Chau (Beth Pennock), Kobna Holdbrook-Smith (Reverend Hillcoate), Conleth Hill (Ham Gilyard, Butcher), Molly Gordon (Rebecca Hampstead, George’s estranged daughter), Mahdeep Dillon (postal worker), Tosin Cole (
Caleb Merrow), voices of Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Lily), Cranston (Sebastian), Chris O’Dowd (Mopple), Patrick Stewart (Sir Richfield), Brett Goldstein (Reggie & Ronnie), Regina Hall (Cloud), Bella Ramsey (Zora); Runtime: 109; MPAA Rating: PG; producers: Tim Beva, Eric Fellner, Lindsay Doran; Amazon MGM Studios; 2026-UK/USA)
“It needed shearing.”
Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz
A feel-good corny family mystery/comedy directed by Kyle Balda (“Despicable Me 3″/”Minions: The Rise of Gru”) and written by Craig Mazin. It’s based on the 2005 German novel “Three Bags Full” by Leonie Swann.
The physically fit loner shepherd George Hardy (Hugh Jackman) lives in a trailer in a small English village called Denbrook, and likes reading murder mysteries to his flock. He’s found dead one night in his trailer and the local misfit police officer (Nicholas Braun) and George’s efficient lawyer (Emma Thompson) both say he died naturally from a heart attack, but his flock of sheep (digitally created) suspect foul play and act to solve the murder after it’s learned George was secretly a millionaire through his invention.
The flock include the voices of the following: Lily (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), Wool-Eyes (voice of Rhys Darby), Sebastian (voice of Bryan Cranston), Sir Richfield voice of (Sir Patrick Stewart), Zora (voice of Bella Ramsey), Mopple (voice of Chris O’Dowd), and Ronnie (voice of Brett Goldstein).
Though it needed shearing, there’s enough twists in it to keep it moving along.
Others in the supporting cast include a snoopy visiting journalist (Nicholas Galitzine), George’s estranged visiting American daughter (Molly Gordon), the young unfriendly shepherd neighbor (Tosin Cole), the butcher (Conleth Hill), the local reverend (Kobna Holdbrook-Smith), the gossipy postal worker (Mandeep Dillon), and an arrogant innkeeper (Hong Chau).
When George’s wife died at child-birth, the church arranged for his daughter’s adoption.
It’s targeted for the same viewers that loved Babe.
REVIEWED ON 6/10/2026 GRADE: B
dennisschwartzreviews.com