India, May 22 -- Five days after my ailing father suddenly lost the ability to walk, and a day after receiving medical reports that were all dark clouds with few silver linings, I walked into a theatre to watch The Sheep Detectives.

The logo of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (now Amazon MGM Studios) filled the screen, but when the familiar lion opened its jaws, instead of the usual roar, a bleat emerged. For the first time in weeks, I giggled.

Set in the fictional town of Denbrook, which has one policeman and no history of crime, The Sheep Detectives is about a mismatched herd who are fans of crime fiction and decide to investigate the murder of their shepherd (Hugh Jackman). At one point, their guide into the world beyond the farm, a sardonic bla...