The plot: George Hardy is a shepherd who loves to read murder mysteries to his sheep, never suspecting that they can understand him. When George is found dead under mysterious circumstances, the sheep decide to solve the crime themselves, even if it means leaving their meadow for the first time and facing the fact that the human world isn’t as simple as it appears in books.
I was intrigued by this film before seeing it.
This movie was surprisingly good.
Pros: I like how the live-action characters worked well with the sheep over the course of the film. The sheep themselves are wonderfully well realised. You can follow the storyline quite simply. Hugh Jackman was good as George. Tim Derry was easy to engage to help solve the case. Both the sheep and live-action characters were really well casted, and I throught it was both emotional & humorous.
Cons: My only problems were about the storyline being familiar and predictable & Emma Thompson didn’t do that much.
Genre: Kids & Family, Comedy, Mystery & Thriller, Action
Directed by Kyle Balda
Produced by Lindsay Doran, Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner
Written by Craig Mazin
Based on Three Bags Full by Leonie Swann
Starring: Hugh Jackman, Nicholas Braun, Nicholas Galitzine, Molly Gordon, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Bryan Cranston, Chris O’Dowd, Regina Hall, Patrick Stewart, Bella Ramsey, Brett Goldstein, Hong Chau & Emma Thompson.
Cinematography: George Steel
Edied by Martin Walsh, Paul Machliss, Al LeVine
Music by Christophe Beck
Production companies: Three Strange Angels, Working Title Films, Lord Miller Productions
Distributed by: Amazon MGM Studios, Sony Pictures Releasing International
The Casts:
Live-action cast
- Hugh Jackman as George Hardy, a shepherd who is mysteriously found dead
- Nicholas Braun as Tim Derry, a clumsy local policeman
- Nicholas Galitzine as Elliot Matthews, a reporter/Peter, George’s son, Rebecca’s Brother
- Molly Gordon as Rebecca Hampstead, George’s daughter
- Hong Chau as Beth Pennock, the innkeeper
- Emma Thompson as Lydia Harbottle, George’s lawyer
- Tosin Cole as Caleb Merrow, a fellow shepherd
- Kobna Holdbrook-Smith as Reverend Hillcoate, a priest
- Conleth Hill as Ham Gilyard, a butcher
- Mandeep Dhillon as Postwoman Jo
Voice cast
- Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Lily, a Shetland sheep trying to solve the mystery of George’s death
- Bryan Cranston as Sebastian, a black Icelandic Leadersheep
- Chris O’Dowd as Mopple, a Merino sheep
- Regina Hall as Cloud, a North Country Cheviot sheep
- Patrick Stewart as Sir Richfield, a Boreray sheep
- Bella Ramsey as Zora, a curious Danish Landrace sheep with brown wool
- Rhys Darby as Wool-Eyes, a Lincoln Longwool sheep
- Brett Goldstein as Reggie and Ronnie, twin Norfolk Horn sheep
I highly recommend watching this film at cinemas.
Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
Ryan Balkwill:
Resident film reviewer,
Level Best Art Cafe