The Sheep Detectives review: Charming whodunnit that’s Knives Out meets Babe

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The Sheep Detectives is a funny and charming murder mystery. Instead of human detectives, the investigation is led by a group of sheep, creating a lighthearted whodunnit with a surprisingly touching story.

I’ve noticed a weird trend in movies – Hollywood keeps trying to show animals as detectives! Like, Scooby-Doo’s been solving mysteries forever, and I remember Disney had that ‘Great Mouse Detective’ back in the 80s. Then more recently, Zootopia had a really cool fox and bunny duo cracking cases. It’s a fun idea, but it keeps popping up!

Now, sheep are taking center stage in this version of Leonie Swann’s popular and charming mystery, ‘Three Bags Full: A Sheep Detective Story’.

This is a fantastic adaptation of the book by Craig Mazin. Cutting-edge technology brings the characters to life with voice acting from many well-known stars, who deliver powerful performances. Beyond the impressive technology, it’s a deeply moving story about grief that will likely leave viewers tearful by the end.

What is The Sheep Detectives about?

The Sheep Detectives follows a group of sheep who can communicate with each other as they team up to investigate the death of their shepherd. They can’t talk to humans, so they must solve the mystery on their own.

I play George, and I’m a shepherd, but not the kind who raises sheep for food. I raise ’em for their wool! The movie actually starts with me explaining my philosophy – basically, I believe sheep hold the key to happiness. Sounds weird, I know, but stick with me!

George clearly loves his sheep, especially after work when he enjoys reading mystery and detective stories to them.

George doesn’t know the sheep are actually paying close attention to everything he tells them. So, when he’s unexpectedly killed, the sheep surprisingly use the detective skills they’ve learned from his stories to investigate the murder themselves.

Suspects in the killing and motives for the crime

The story unfolds in Denbrook, a quintessential English village that feels like the setting for a classic murder mystery. Everyone seems to have a secret and a reason to be involved.

The story centers around a group of characters: a priest played by Kobna Holdbrook-Smith, a lawyer portrayed by Emma Thompson, a butcher played by Conleth Hill, a competing farmer played by Tosin Cole, and a visiting reporter with noticeable blonde hair, played by Nicholas Galitzine.

We won’t reveal why, but the reasons are varied – from difficulties with farming and money problems to personal family issues. This means almost anyone could be involved.

Nicholas Braun, known for his role in Succession, plays a somewhat awkward police officer investigating a case. He sorts through misleading clues and tries to solve the mystery, all while convincingly performing with an English accent.

Sheep are the stars of the show

While the human actors are strong, the sheep truly steal the show, brought to life with incredibly realistic digital effects from Framestore.

The characters are wonderfully voiced, especially Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Lily, a clever Shetland sheep who’s on a mission to help her shepherd and get what’s right.

She gets help from Sebastian (Bryan Cranston), Cloud (Regina Hall), and Mopple (Chris O’Dowd), and together they form a powerful team, even if they’re a little disorganized at times.

Patrick Stewart lends weight and seriousness to the story as Sir Richfield, a sheep from the Boreray breed. Brett Goldstein provides comic relief as Ronnie and Reggie, identical twin Norfolk Horn sheep, and their scenes are consistently hilarious.

Is The Sheep Detectives good?

“The Sheep Detectives” is a fun and quirky movie that blends the heartwarming charm of “Babe” with the mystery and suspense of “Knives Out.” Director Kyle Balda, known for his work on the “Minion” films, makes a successful transition to live-action, delivering a film that’s as delightful as it sounds.

At just over an hour and forty-five minutes, the movie feels a bit lengthy. It’s definitely made for families, but the ending might be hard for younger kids to understand.

Beyond being a fun mystery, The Sheep Detectives explores deeper themes like life, death, sadness, and overcoming difficult experiences. This gives the film a surprising emotional weight, and it’s likely to make you both laugh and cry.

The Sheep Detectives hit screens worldwide on May 8, 2026.

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2026-04-27 18:21