The Stream: The mystery is no better than one you might see on a random television crime series.

The Big Screen: A stacked cast that understood the assignment – both the voice actors playing sheep and those playing humans.

The Final Bill: A fun family film that makes the most out of its silly premise.

– Trip Fontaine
Director: Kyle Balda
Writers: Craig Mazin based on the novel Three Bags Full by Leonie Swann
Stars: Hugh Jackman, Brett Goldstein, Patrick Stewart, Regina Hall, Chris O’Dowd, Bryan Cranston, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Nicholas Braun, Hong Chau, Nicholas Galitzine, Emma Thompson, Molly Gordon
Genre: Comedy, Family, Mystery, Action
Rating: PG for thematic material, some violent content and brief language.
Runtime: 1 hour 42 minutes
Production Companies: Amazon MGM Studios, Lord Miller, Three Strange Angels, Working Title Films
Platform: In theaters May 8, 2026
Notable Trailers: The Breadwinner, The Cat in the Hat, Masters of the Universe

Hey, Streamers! It’s officially summer movie season, so it’s time for those highly anticipated sequels and blockbusters to flood the theaters. Hopefully, there will be some worthy counterprogramming of original content available to see on the big screen as well. Luckily, this weekend’s wide release, The Sheep Detectives, satisfies as both counterprogramming for families and original content. In The Sheep Detectives, when tragedy befalls shepherd, George Hardy’s (Hugh Jackman) meadow in the English countryside, his flock led by the smartest sheep in the world, Lily (voiced by Julia Louis-Dreyfus), must use the skills they’ve learn from the detective novels George has read to them to help the local bumbling police (Nicholas Braun) solve the mystery. Baa, ram, ewe hijinks ensue.

From the previews, The Sheep Detectives looks like just stupid, talking-sheep movie, but it turns out that this movie is actually funny, smart and poignant. Craig Mazin, who has written some so-so movies and some pretty great TV like “The Last of Us” and “Chernobyl”, must be praised for some of the success of this movie. Mazin’s screenplay is clever and witty. It blends silly sheep puns, necessary detective tropes, and surprisingly emotional moments dealing with family and grief into a disarmingly entertaining movie. Additionally, the CGI used to bring these sheep to life is very good. It makes them tactile and empathetic. The sheep are animated, but they could be real as the blend between the CGI and the real world is pretty good. Then, the cast is filled with charming people and engaging voices. The voice cast, in particular, does a great job bringing these sheep to life and infusing the story with humor and emotion. It’s remarkable how these voices push through the CGI and make these animals so endearing. It’s all very breezy. Hugh Jackman brings a sincerity to his role that heightens the stakes of the overall movie; and Nicholas Braun has a bumbling silliness that will have you laughing throughout. This movie is an unexpected, good time that’s more than just a talking CGI animal movie.

My only quibble is that the mystery at center of the movie is fairly obvious. It makes the movie feel like a random episode of a television mystery series. Because this is a family film, I understand that the crime can’t be too intricate, but if you know the perpetrator before you know what the crime is, there might be an issue. Nevertheless, everything else about the movie is so whimsical and engrossing, I doubt you’ll even miss that the mystery isn’t a brainbuster. Also, it will make the younger members of the family feel smart when they figure it out along with the sheep.

Ultimately, The Sheep Detectives is a great family movie that will keep children (8-12 year olds) and its adult viewers entertained. It has good jokes throughout, and the mystery is interesting enough to fill the movie’s brief runtime. The graphics and the voice acting are good in allowing the sheep to have distinct personalities. This movie fulfills the promise of its silly premise while adding in unexpected humor and heart. Grab a big box of popcorn and shepherd the family to the theater.