The Sheep Detectives (2026) Film Review: A Woolly Whodunit

I wanted to watch The Sheep Detectives and specially went down to the cinema to watch it during a public holiday. 

I know, to most people, a flock of fluffy sheep solving the murder of their shepherd George (played by Hugh Jackman) sounds like the kind of premise that could easily go wrong. 

However, I personally found The Sheep Detectives interesting and entertaining. I loved the show. 

It is funny, gentle, and touching. It also has one of the most unusual detective teams I have ever seen in a movie. I mean, how often do you get a murder mystery where the main investigators are sheep? 

One of the heroes in the film even says, “Do you know what humans call stupid people who can't think for themselves?” 

Plot summary

The movie is based on Leonie Swann’s novel Three Bags Full. Hugh Jackman plays George Hardy, a kind shepherd who reads detective stories to his flock every night. He thinks the sheep do not understand him, but of course, they do. One of the sheep, Lily, is even considered "the smartest sheep in the world". 

When George is found dead, the sheep, led by Lily, decide that they must solve the mystery. They have learned the rules of detective fiction from George’s readings. 

The humans are also trying to make sense of George’s death. Tim Derry, the local policeman, is basically an unintelligent fool (at least at the start of the film), while Elliot Matthews is a reporter who has come to the definitely underwhelming Denbrook Cultural Festival. Lawyer and will-reader Lydia Harbottle brings a lot of bite and authority to her scenes.

But the real charm belongs to the sheep, who mostly (not all!) have meaningful names, of course. 

What works best

The movie gives the sheep personalities. Shetland sheep Lily, voiced by Julia Louis-Dreyfus, is right at the heart of the detective effort. Mopple, voiced by Chris O’Dowd, is memorable too, especially because of his incredible memory. He also remembers some horrible things, like life and death.

I also liked Hugh Jackman’s warmth, kindness, and gentleness as George. Even though his character dies early, his presence hangs over the movie and he is the main driving force for the sheep detectives. We understand why the sheep love him. We also understand why his death matters to them. We also know the books that he read them are an important part of this movie. 

The murder mystery itself is enjoyable, although I would say it is not the best or most shocking whodunit. The pleasure is less about being stunned by the solution and more about watching the sheep slowly piece things together. Their misunderstandings of human behavior are funny, but sometimes these woolly animals are also quite wise.

That is the nice surprise of The Sheep Detectives. Beneath the woolly comedy, there is a reflection on grief, courage, and how difficult it can be to understand or accept death. This makes the film deeper and more meaningful than I had initially expected.

Visually, the film is also very pleasant. The English village setting gives the movie a cozy mystery atmosphere. It feels like a cross between a countryside murder mystery and a family comedy, with a little bit of Babe in its heart.

Conclusion and recommendation

I don’t care what haters might think: I love this movie. 

This is a movie for viewers who enjoy cozy mysteries, talking animals, and stories that are funny and entertaining. It is silly, whimsical, and odd in the right way. 

It is also warmer, more meaningful, and more thoughtful than its title might initially suggest.

Overall, The Sheep Detectives is a sweet, witty, and surprisingly heartfelt mystery. 

It proves that even sheep can make good detectives, especially when they have been listening carefully to detective stories all along. 

Rating: 4.8 out of 5 stars

(All views are my own personal thoughts and reflections on movies and books that I read, on my blog Left Hand Column: Book and Film Reviews.)