The Mosley Review: The Sheep Detectives
Oh this film hit a special place in my heart. Not only was this film immediately my most anticipated once I saw the trailer, but it reminded me of one of my favorite 90’s films as kid that I couldn't get enough of. Babe was one of those special and delightful films about identity, finding and protecting a family that may not be yours, but they were your home. It also feature deeper themes and realities of farm life and by all accounts, an achievement in storytelling for using real animals. This film carries on that wonderful tradition and succeeds where all the "live action" animated films fail. Yes, the animals in Babe were a mix of real and animatronics where as this one features mostly CGI animals, but their emotional face expressions match the incredible voice acting and tone of the story. I'm always up for a good murder mystery and this film gives you a very cute story that all can enjoy. The perfect blend of themes of mystery, societal bias and even willful compliance to divert from a problem instead of facing and learning from it, rarely is executed so well in one story. This film perfectly executes all of this and more.
The voice cast on the sheep side was astounding and all did wonderful work. Julia Louis-Dreyfus was truly wonderful as the empathetic and smart sheep, Lily. She was more of the den mother of the flock and I loved that she was so warm and kind. I loved her journey as she started to take the lead in the investigation of her shepherd's death and her chemistry with him was magical. Chris O'Dowd was great and wise as Mopple. He carries the heaviest burden in the film as the one sheep that knows all and remembers all. Chris delivers his more dramatic chops as he bring to life the sadness in his eyes. Regina Hall was fun as Cloud. She was the more dainty diva sheep and she nails it. Bryan Cranston was as striking and powerful as you'd expect as Sebastian. He has a very violent backstory that does not shy away from the horror of it and it highlights one of the biggest themes of the film. I loved that he called out everyone for their prejudice and cowardice. He was the voice of reason and stole the film for the most part. Patrick Stewart was having the time of his life as Sir Richfield. He was eldest protector of the flock and so shakespearean that it was hilarious as he would constantly proclaim to know whom the murderer was. Now the one that'll steal your heart and definitely break it was the talented child Tommy Birchall as The Winter Lamb. The themes that I expressed earlier hit the hardest with him as Sebastian sees himself in the kid. Such a great performance from Tommy and the rest of the cast as they brought a human touch to the sheep.
Hugh Jackman is always a joy to watch and as the shepherd of the flock, George Hardy, he brings out the wonderful and wholesome nature of the character. He truly cares for every sheep in his flock and it brought him genuine joy to nurse them and protect them. I could've watched an entire film of him interacting and reading to the sheep. Nicholas Braun was fun as the bumbling and slow town police officer with a heart of gold, Tim Derry. I liked that he evolves a little faster towards the end and wasn't a complete dumb dumb. Nicholas Galitzine was good as the journalist, Elliot Matthews. He was always curious about the town and his scene in the "festival" was great. Molly Gordon was good as George's daughter Rebecca Hampstead. She was the sweet and not always innocent daughter that comes to town, but her real story explains why. I enjoyed her chemistry the most with Tim as you kinda see something sweet brewing between them. Hong Chau was great the innkeeper, Beth Pennock. There is a connection to be discovered with her that explains her obsession and I loved how Chau delivered the somewhat sadder side of her truth. Emma Thompson was just her jolly self as George's lawyer, Lydia Harbottle. She may have been the mediator of George's estate, but Emma was just there for fun and I enjoyed it.
The score by composer Christophe Beck was emotional, delightful and perfect as the mystery began to unravel. It was very traditional and cheeky in the more comedic moments. Visually, the film is a breath of fresh air as all the colors were rich and vibrant. Babe was groundbreaking for its technology for facial and mouth expression with live animals and even though we've vastly progressed tech-wise, this film harkens back to that style in a way that’s new and classic at the same time. This was truly one of the most heart warming and delightful experiences I've had in a long time and I cannot recommend this film enough to all ages. Let me know what you thought of my review or the film in the comments below. Thanks for reading!
