Peter Rabbit

Inspired by the work of Beatrix Potter, Peter Rabbit follows James Corden’s title character as he and his brood of anthropomorphic critters battle the new owner (Domhnall Gleeson’s Thomas) of a country house containing an expansive vegetable garden. (There’s also a subplot detailing Thomas’ burgeoning relationship with Rose Byrne’s fetching neighbor/animal lover, Bea.) Filmmaker Will Gluck delivers a predictably frenetic, frantic opening that doesn’t exactly bode well for what’s to follow, and yet there’s little doubt that Peter Rabbit quickly segues into a surprisingly watchable first act bursting with appealing elements – including a handful of laugh-out-loud bits of silliness and a tremendously likeable turn from Gleeson. (It’s worth noting, too, that the movie’s opening stretch boasts an unexpectedly heartbreaking flashback sequence involving Peter’s deceased father.) The affable vibe subsequently persists for the bulk of the movie’s 95 minute running time, to be sure, and yet it’s increasingly clear that Peter Rabbit has, for the most part, been designed to appeal primarily to small children – with this vibe never more obvious than in its larger-than-life, physical-comedy-heavy midsection. It’s all nevertheless quite pleasant and never dull, certainly, with the movie’s mild success cemented by an effective (and somewhat affecting) closing stretch – which ensures that Peter Rabbit ultimately comes off as an amiable (if rather forgettable) bit of family-friendly entertainment.

**1/2 out of ****