BrettGoldstein – Credits Rolling

George Hardy (Hugh Jackman) is a devoted shepherd to his flock of sheep. Aside from making sure they are fed and giving them their medicine, he reads them detective novels every night. When an unthinkable tragedy rocks the farm, the sheep realize that they must become the detectives and solve the crime.

While Jackman delivers his most wholesome performance yet. Joined by the likes Hong Chau, Nicholas Braun, Nicholas Galitizine, Molly Gordon and Emma Thompson they were all brilliant in their roles. However, the sheep were front and center. Lily (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), Mopple (Chris O’Dowd) and Sebastian (Bryan Cranston) were the leaders of the flock who took it upon themselves to try and solve the mystery. The voice talents didn’t stop there with Brett Ronnie and Reggie (Brett Goldstein), Sir Ritchfield (Patrick Stewart), Cloud (Regina Hall) and Zora (Bella Ramsey). Each had such a distinct personality that helped set them apart from the rest. They are so real and I wanted them to succeed so badly in their quest for the truth.

The mystery element was the main selling point for me. Not only was it compelling, but I was invested from the get go and couldn’t wait to see how it would all play out. The Agatha Christie vibes were strong – the clues were bountiful and the suspect list was small yet filled with some good options. I genuinely did not see that final twist coming which made it all the better. Paired with the quaint English countryside village, it was the perfect backdrop for the story.

I truly did not expect this film to tug at my heartstrings so much. With the themes of community and teamwork as well as found family featured, there were a couple of moments there that had me in tears. The bond between an animal and a human really can be so special and to see this depicted many times throughout was lovely. I also enjoyed seeing the sheep come together to prove they are so much more than those who have deemed them stupid.

The Sheep Detectives is a delightful film. Whether young or old, it is perfect for the whole family. If you are looking for something that will capture your heart, I recommend checking it out.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️♥️.5

In a near futuristic world, Simon (Brett Goldstein) and Laura (Imogen Poots) have been best friends since university. Simon is clearly in love with Laura though no line has ever been crossed. His hopes are dashed when she decides to take The Test to find out who her soulmate is. She’s matched with Lukas (Steven Cree) and the two get married and have a daughter. But when Laura discovers Simon’s true feelings for her, she is forced to make a choice.

Having penned this with director William Bridges, Brett Goldstein is branching out from his Ted Lasso days. This science fiction romantic drama had all the ingredients for a home run and I had been really looking forward to it. While there were some positive aspects, I have to admit that there was something about it that didn’t quite work for me.

Where the film excelled was certainly in its casting. Goldstein and Poots were perfect as Simon and Laura. They had such an easy yet organic chemistry; I bought the fact that they had known each other for years and this only intensified when they became romantic with one another. I thought it was smart to focus on different moments in their lives instead of following every single moment. It did mean that I had to fill in some of the blanks on the way, but I liked that.

Unfortunately I felt like the pacing was off. It started slowly and although I appreciated setting the groundwork, I didn’t think it needed to take so long. I also wasn’t a fan of the whole cheating thing. I know that the film is about so much more than that, but it was something that kept niggling away at me. Though I understood why Laura struggled, but after seeing it over and over, I just wanted a different outcome.

Overall, I really wanted to love All Of You, but something was missing. The acting was superb and the sweeping romance between the leads did keep me invested for the most part at least. Unfortunately it’s not the first time we’ve plot device and the eventual pay off was not at all satisfying.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️