There’s little doubt that this charming murder-mystery fused with animals will garner the comparison of “Babe meets [insert whodunit here].” The comparison of The Sheep Detectives to Babe, however, is warranted for more than its mesmerizing technique of portraying convincing animals that speak like humans. These sheep are not treated as an adorable flock with cute dialogue, but are presented earnestly as they not only solve a murder but also confront their own denial of discrimination and mortality. After enduring the insipidly sanitized version of the recent Animal Farm adaptation, this was like a breath of fresh air for renewing my faith in movies with animals, where they don’t all have to pitch puns and poop jokes.

The ensemble of sheep is likable for more than just their fluffiness and effectionate names given by their kind shepherd George Hardy (Hugh Jackman). The lead sheep, Lily (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), takes the most interest in George’s bedtime murder-mystery storytime, able to deduce the killer before the final page while the rest of the flock debates. Although wise to the ways of writing, Lily’s community is based around simplistic misconceptions, where death exists only in fiction. Loners like Sebastian (Bryan Cranston) are scorned for being born in winter, and uncomfortable moments are deemed to be demographically forgotten by stubborn elders like Sir Richfield (Patrick Stewart). All of them can forget the worst aspects of the world except Mopple (Chris O’Dowd), a sheep who realizes the truth that nobody will listen to in their ideal fields of green.

But the carefree days come to an end when George is found dead, and murder is suspected. With the adoption of the sheep in question by questionable people, the sheep take it upon themselves to solve the murder, given that the uncertain policeman Tim (Nicholas Braun) isn’t the best sleuth for the job. There are plenty of suspects on the table, ranging from George’s estranged daughter (Molly Gordon) to a nosy innkeeper (Hong Chau) to a rival shepherd (Tosin Cole) to a visiting reporter (Nicholas Galitzine) to a vindictive butcher (Conleth Hill) to a secretive priest (Kobna Holdbrook-Smith). The mystery itself is on par with clever murder mysteries and is knowledgeable enough of the tropes to marvel more at the mechanics than deconstruct them. I can imagine kids will enjoy identifying more with Tim in his quest to unravel the mystery, being almost giddy to announce the killer, but he gets a little miffed when somebody else tries to steal his revelatory lines.

While the mystery is stirring enough not to spoil, there’s a far more compelling tale of growing up and being honest about the world, becoming darker without going dismal. The soft excuse for death is stripped away, but in a manner more contentful than scary, where Mopple comes off more like a quiet sage than a ranting conspiracy theorist who knows the truth. It’s surprisingly touching how honest the movie becomes, whether directly in its address of mortality or allegorically in its focus on discrimination and communal ignorance. That intelligence in the writing makes the more adorable quirks of a sheep diva (Regina Hall) and a pair of ram-addicted brothers (Brett Goldstein) all the more enjoyable, even when the film doesn’t rely on these serviceable punchlines.

The Sheep Detectives has far more to its murder-mystery than a charming coat of sheep cuteness. For a film with slapstick moments of sheep rampaging through inns and small-town jokes about underwhelming cultural festivals, there’s a surprising amount of frankness and heart that even most grown-up tales don’t grace. It’s easy to get lost in the thrill of the puzzle, to not recognize the full effects of death, but the maturity to confront it in a picture aimed at families was a refreshing joy. The woolly exterior might be a draw, but the thought placed beyond the warm surface makes this a comfier whodunit that won’t talk down to its impressionable audience. Consider this movie a good starter murder mystery for kids, likely to gravitate towards some Agatha Christie later, despite the lack of sheep in Poirot’s mysteries.

Not available on any streaming platforms.

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