The Sheep Detectives: A Babe with Drawn Knives (review)

An irresistible family comedy where sheep lead the investigation after a mysterious murder. A great success.

Hugh Jackman was murdered! And his sheep lead the investigation…

A completely crazy idea which gives birth to one of the most enjoyable and crazy police comedies of recent years.

There is in The Sheep Detectives something from the first At loggerheads : a deliciously cozy British atmosphere, a mysterious murder, a gallery of colorful suspects and an infectious pleasure in covering the tracks. Except that here, the detectives are… sheep. And against all odds, the concept works wonderfully.

Adapted from the novel Who killed Glenn? by Leonie Swann, the film presents us with a peaceful flock who adores their shepherd. Except that the lifeless body of poor George (Hugh Jackman) will be found one morning in the middle of his field. Every evening, George read detective novels to his animals, convinced that they didn’t understand a word of them. Error: his sheep have become real detectives, and they intend to solve the mystery of his death…

The screenplay, co-written by Craig Mazin, brilliant creator of The Last of Us And Chernobyltransforms this absurd idea into a delicious whodunitpopulated by tasty two-legged suspects and adorable four-legged investigators. The film even finds a surprising balance between humor, emotion and reflections on prejudice and the sense of community.

Directing, Kyle Balda, already behind several successes of the universe Despicable Me And The Minionssigns bucolic and soft entertainment, the kind of film that you watch wrapped up in a blanket with a glass of milk (goat’s milk of course).

The cast clearly takes part in this rural adventure. In the lead, the formidable Nicholas Braun, unforgettable Cousin Greg of Successionmakes a fantastic country policeman overwhelmed by events. Alongside him, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Bryan Cranston and many others have a blast doing the voices of the vids…

Funny, tender and surprisingly clever, The Sheep Detectives is a rare family comedy capable of appealing to both children and adults. A real little woolly delight, which stands out as a worthy successor to Babe, the pig who became a shepherdfinding the same talent for treating with the greatest seriousness a completely stupid postulate.

The Sheep Detectives, currently watching on Prime Video.