How to Kill Your Neighbor's Dog is a smart, funny, original comedy for grownups - a rare pleasure these days. The witticisms fly fast and furious, but Kenneth Branagh, as playwright Peter McGowan, has the verbal dexterity to toss them off naturally. It's a pleasure to be reminded of what a versatile and accomplished actor he is in non-Shakespearean roles. The main plot of the movie, which involves Peter's reluctance to have children, and his growing relationship with a neighbor child, flirts with sentimentality, but avoids it thanks to the sharp writing and performances. The style of the movie and its original, quirky subplots lift it well above the ordinary.
Review of How to Kill Your Neighbor's Dog
