(Image credit: Sony Pictures)

I went into “ The Sheep Detectives ” expecting a light, family-friendly mystery about Hugh Jackman shepherding sheep who solve a murder, and it is very funny in that regard, but it also surprised me emotionally. By the end, I was teary-eyed alongside a sobbing audience and my dad. While the mystery is familiar, it shines through themes of grief, belonging, and growth. The film is charming, hilarious and far more emotionally resonant than expected, with a genuinely satisfying twist.

If you didn’t already know, “The Sheep Detectives” follows a shepherd who reads detective novels to his sheep and is found dead in a quiet countryside village.…