by: Isabella Langner
Center Editor

As a lover of detective movies and cute animals, I undoubtedly enjoyed The Sheep Detectives. While some friends and family were ridiculing me for watching this movie, I stand behind my decision.

The film began showing in theaters on May 8 and currently holds a 93% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. It follows a flock of sheep living in Denbrook, a small town in England, after the town’s shepherd, George, was mysteriously murdered. To discover what happened to their shepherd and assist the clueless police officer, three sheep, Lily, Mopple, and Sebastian, put together clues to solve the mystery. Although the movie does not feature the most complex, confusing mystery, it still has an interesting plot with a surprising twist. The Sheep Detectives is a wholesome film, specifically defined for eight and up. However, as a 17-year-old, I believe this movie is enjoyable for all ages. Alongside the mystery, the movie is filled with humorous dialogue, dynamic characters, and adorable sheep animations.

The Sheep Detectives also features important themes like processing grief and accepting differences. The sheep have the ability to forget certain parts of their memory in order to escape traumatic memories that bring sadness and anger. Due to the recent passing of their shepherd, the sheep struggle with the decision of whether or not to forget him. The film communicates that dealing with grief is necessary in order to cherish the good memories and honor past loved ones. Additionally, the film highlights a sheep flock’s tendency to reject a sheep born in winter instead of spring, resulting in a small lamb forced to reside outside of the flock’s lands. As the winter lamb ends up being an essential part in solving the mystery, the flock ends up welcoming the lamb in despite their differences.

The movie emphasizes the value in human-animal relationships as George raises his sheep for wool while an opposing shepherd raises his sheep for meat. By representing the opposite pasture as violent, dark, and dreary, the film imparts a message about the importance of respecting animals. On a more lighthearted tone, The Sheep Detectives creates a running joke, fighting against the “scaredy sheep” stereotype.

Some standout performances include Hugh Jackman as George, Tim Darry as the police officer, and Nicholas Galitzine as a reporter. Darry specifically added dry humor and funny anecdotes throughout the film while representing well-rounded character development as the film progressed.

If you love humorous movies, a good mystery, or endearing animals, consider watching The Sheep Detectives for an engaging evening.

[Sources: Common Sense Media, IMDb]