Publication Date: 05-09-2026

The Sheep Detectives (2026) review

Dir. Kyle Balda

By: Steve Pulaski

Rating: ★★★½

Of the two movies in theaters right now centered around barnyard animals, who would’ve guessed weeks ago that the one based on George Orwell’s Animal Farm would be among the worst movies of the year, while its counterpart — based on a German children’s novel I assume has little relevance in America, the grand canyon gap in their quality would stretch about 10 acres, maybe more.

Based on Leonie Swann’s humorously titled book Three Bags Full, The Sheep Detectives proves, yet again, that animals need not burp, fart, or dance to noxious hip-hop tracks in order to be amusing. They can be sweet, soft-spoken, and complicated creatures. They don’t even have to be real, for the animals in Kyle Balda’s film are digital creations, but move with dimension and speak with conviction. The core mystery is delightful, with more-than-a-couple unexpected turns, but what stands out are themes of personal growth and community belonging.

Instead of Hercule Poirot, we get a large herd of sheep who turn into problem solvers following the murder of their kind shepherd George Hardy (Hugh Jackman). A ginger sheep named Lily (voiced by Julia Louis-Dreyfus) becomes the de facto leader of the group, harboring the knowledge she obtained thanks to George reading dozens of murder mysteries to his flock over the years. By her side is a mop-headed merino, fittingly named Mopple (Chris O’Dowd), who is special because unlike most sheep, victim to short-term memory and groupthink, he can remember almost every significant event in his life, both jubilant and tragic. If he were an ostrich, he’d simply lie in the sand.

When George is found dead in the meadows, poisoned by a mysterious substance, Lily and Merino rise above their timid counterparts and make the daring trek to the nearby English community of Denbrook, where there are more than a few potential subjects. An ambitious reporter named Elliot (Nicholas Galitzine) arrives into town to cover a local festival, but instead finds himself in the room with several other notable townspeople referenced in George’s will, handled by Emma Thompson as a fashionable lawyer. Those mentioned include: an innkeeper (Hong Chau), an entrepreneurial shepherd (Tosin Cole); a local butcher (Conleth Hill), who caught the ire of George; and George’s secret/estranged American daughter, Rebecca (Molly Gordon).

Along with Elliot, a bumbling local officer named Tim (Nicholas Braun) tries his best to handle the biggest case of his life. While he’s a shameless dork for most of the film, he subtly comes into his own and becomes a character worth admiring; his arc loaning itself to screenwriter Craig Mazin’s skill of having several individuals mature both as individuals and as members of a collective. Lurking in the background of George’s farm is a neglected winter-lamb (Tommy Birchall), who is shunned by his towering sheep counterparts due to the fact that he was born in the cold months of the year. No less, prior to his death, George made sure to bottle-feed him and treat him as an equal.

It’s Sebastian (Bryan Cranston), a black Icelandic sheep, who leaves the biggest impression. He serves as a mentor of sorts for Lily, knowingly playing devil’s advocate to her theories of who is responsible for George’s death as a psychological way to keep her critical thinking skills sharp. He also knows a thing or two about being a loaner like the meek winter-lamb, and how animals, like humans, can be products of their environment, their outlooks shaped by their experiences and their attitudes forged by how they are treated at an impressionable age. Sebastian acts as an elder statesman, Doc Hudson-esque (Cars) figure, and with Cranston serving as his voice, when he speaks, we’re inclined to listen. It’s just revelatory that what comes out of his mouth is actual wisdom.

From a mystery standpoint, The Sheep Detectives plays like a Knives Out movie, juggling a colorful ensemble while planting various breadcrumbs. A little flat is its ability to turn its gaggle of characters into probable suspects, for many members of the aforementioned cast fade away before we get to know them, save for Tim, Elliot, and Rebecca. This keeps the focus on the sheep for large stretches, which makes it loyal to the title, but it quells the mental gymnastics we welcome when it comes to trying to piece together the nature of the crime. Conversely, it does make the reveal that much more surprising, before concluding with one of the most blissful and heartwarming endings in a long while — the only lasting mystery is why we don’t see family movies this good more often.

Starring: Hugh Jackman, Nicholas Braun, Nicholas Galitzine, Molly Gordon, Hong Chau, Emma Thompson, Tosin Cole, Kobna Holdbrook-Smith, Conleth Hill, and Mandeep Dhillon. Voiced by: Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Chris O’Dowd, Bryan Cranston, Regina Hall, Patrick Stewart, and Tommy Birchall. Directed by: Kyle Balda.