How to Kill Your Neighbor's Dog is the directing debut of screenwriter Michael Kalesniko, and it shows. An excellent cast, intelligent dialogue, nice ending and all over well-made doesn't help, as Mr Kalesniko have had editing problems with his own script - he has forgotten the golden writing rule of killing your own darlings.
Evidently the director/writer Kalesniko feels that writing is hard, and frustrating, therefore a large part of the film is about the lead character (well played by Branagh) having problems writing his latest play, which maybe could be interesting for his (Kalesniko's) friends and family, but certainly of little importance to the general public. It is old ground which has been covered before, numerous times, and better, to boot.
If the film was re-edited I think it could be a smashing hit, if it concentrated on the lead character's family life, and his neighbours (including the excellent dog), and not so much on this stage production that never really takes off. It is neither funny enough, nor moving enough, even if the role of the theater's janitor (played with such bravado by Brett Rickaby) is a premium class gem. That the play's director flips every other scene and starts to sing instead of directing is weird, that's all!
Other first class acts are Suzy Hofrichter as the young Amy, and Lynn Redgrave as the demented mother, and Jared Harris as Branagh's doppelganger. Robin Wright Penn plays the role of Branagh's wife with confidence, while I have seen better performance from Branagh.
So I'm looking forward to Michael Kalesniko's next film, and hope he re-releases this one, in a shorter, better, version.
I'll give it a 9 for the acting, 9 for the dialogue, but 3 for the editing (tempo, majestro, tempo!) and a 4 for the over-all impression!
So, in conclusion a 5/10, so not good, but promising!
Evidently the director/writer Kalesniko feels that writing is hard, and frustrating, therefore a large part of the film is about the lead character (well played by Branagh) having problems writing his latest play, which maybe could be interesting for his (Kalesniko's) friends and family, but certainly of little importance to the general public. It is old ground which has been covered before, numerous times, and better, to boot.
If the film was re-edited I think it could be a smashing hit, if it concentrated on the lead character's family life, and his neighbours (including the excellent dog), and not so much on this stage production that never really takes off. It is neither funny enough, nor moving enough, even if the role of the theater's janitor (played with such bravado by Brett Rickaby) is a premium class gem. That the play's director flips every other scene and starts to sing instead of directing is weird, that's all!
Other first class acts are Suzy Hofrichter as the young Amy, and Lynn Redgrave as the demented mother, and Jared Harris as Branagh's doppelganger. Robin Wright Penn plays the role of Branagh's wife with confidence, while I have seen better performance from Branagh.
So I'm looking forward to Michael Kalesniko's next film, and hope he re-releases this one, in a shorter, better, version.
I'll give it a 9 for the acting, 9 for the dialogue, but 3 for the editing (tempo, majestro, tempo!) and a 4 for the over-all impression!
So, in conclusion a 5/10, so not good, but promising!