The production of wholesome, live-action films that aren’t marketed solely to kids is an anomaly in Hollywood anymore. It’s been a while since we’ve had a Babe or Honey I Shrunk the Kids. But wholesome is back with the refreshingly delightful The Sheep Detectives, a fun frolic through the bucolic english countryside with talking sheep determined to solve a murder.

This movie packs some serious starpower, touting Hugh Jackman, Emma Thompson, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Bryan Cranston, Patrick Stewart, Regina Hall, and Bret Goldstein, to name a few. Based on Leonie Swann’s 2005 best seller Three Bags Full, the film has proven to be a sleeper hit, which has been a surprise as much the fantastical plot.

Hugh Jackman is George, a lonely shepherd who adores his flock. He knows them by name, is enamored with their quirky personalities and even reads mystery novels to them at night.

When George is murdered, the grieving sheep decide they must find the killer. After all, George’s nightly readings educated them in detective work, right? Led by Lily, (voiced by Julia Louis-Drefus) the flock don their private eye caps and get straight to work. But a few annoying hurdles get in the way, like the fact that they’re sheep, have never stepped foot outside the meadow and wow, it’s hard to solve crimes when you’re not bipedal with opposable thumbs!

Like a good Agatha Christie novel, much beloved tried and true tropes are embedded in the mystery: eccentric townfolk, long-lost relatives, a will reading and incompetent police work that needs more than a little help from outside sleuths, in this case, wild and wooly ones. Brett Goldstein is a hoot as twin sheep Ronnie and. Reggie, and Bryan Cranston lends the perfect, craggy voice for the elusive, heroic Sebastian.

There are some serious themes added to the plot that add a level of depth to the film. Death, sacrifice and the wholesale slaughter of animals are touched upon in endearing ways. And the twisty ending is a nice surprise.

Overall, it’s not a movie with profound meaning, but in this era of division and confusion, we need the light and sweet to remind us that it’s not all baaaaad out there.