Having seen The Sheep Detectives, it comes as no surprise to learn that the 2005 novel on which it’s based, Three Bags Full, is by an author, Leonie Swann, with degrees in philosophy, communications, and psychology. The film, and I presume the book, is full of knowledge of all three, combined in such a way that people of all ages can appreciate.
It’s a simple story, well told. In Craig Mazin‘s film script, shepherd George (Jackman), is murdered. The sheep, who’ve been listening regularly to his evening readings of mysteries, decide they may be able to help solve the crime.
The stars of The Sheep Detectives include some humans we know, such as Hugh Jackman, Molly Gordon, Nicholas Braun, and Emma Thompson, and many anthromorphized sheep with the voices of such actors as Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Brett Goldstein, and Patrick Stewart.
George loves all his flock—but has particular feelings for Lily (Louis-Dreyfus), “the smartest,” and Sebastian (Bryan Cranston), a stately loner. You’ll eventually find out why.
Another key character is Mopple (Chris O’Dowd)—interestingly, the only sheep who retains memories. The rest have both the ability and desire to erase the bad ones, which, among other things, complicates their understanding of what happens in death.
My first wet eyes came upon meeting the tiny unnamed “winter lamb.” According to sheeplore, you see, only spring-born lambs rightfully belong in the flock. Although there’s no actual “bad sheep” reference, “winter lambs” are treated as such.
Various Themes in The Sheep Detectives
Alison Willmore, Vulture: “[The sheep’s] willful amnesia allows them to maintain a mind-set of blissful ease, but it also means they simply avoid any upsetting thoughts, whether it’s the death of their shepherd or the news that their new owner might not want to just raise them for wool. In her insistence on remembering, Lily goes through a touching journey into a maturity that means learning to live with grief and with the imperfections of the ones you love.”
Guy Lodge, Variety: “…(T)here’s wisdom amid the silliness, as the story gently makes a case for the necessity of grief, mindfulness and mortal awareness, even in a life otherwise unburdened by adult human responsibility.”
G. Allen Johnson, San Francisco Chronicle: “As they try to solve the murder, the sheep also question their own pecking order and begin to realize the herd’s structure uncomfortably mirrors some of the jealousies and injustices of human society. For example, why does the ram Sebastian (Bryan Cranston) refuse to be part of the herd? And why do the sheep ostracize lambs born in the winter?”
Selected Reviews of The Sheep Detectives
Kristy Puchko, Mashable: “It might sound like sheer hyperbole, but I mean this sincerely: The Sheep Detectives is an utter crowd-pleaser sure to be one of the most entertaining movies of the year.”
Wilson Chapman, IndieWire: “If ‘The Sheep Detectives’ were just a gimmicky movie about a flock solving a human murder, it would still be a relatively fun time. But this little tale has a surprising amount of heart and intelligence, in how it uses its genre to explore the importance of facing reality and accepting hard truths.”
Moira Macdonald, Seattle Times: “…(W)hat really lingers…is its tone: earnest, uncomplicated sweetness, rooted in the love that we — whether human or sheep — have for those with whom we share our lives, and a gentle acceptance of loss as part of that love.”
