"Peter Rabbit" Review

A cleverly written and finely-tuned family film, "Peter Rabbit" could have fared well enough by taking the easy, cutesy-with-just-enough snark route.

It goes well beyond that, executing a next-level script with precision to become a consistently hilarious crowd-pleaser that subverts as well as it panders.

Even the film's lone brush with controversy -- its throwaway sideplot involving the antagonist's blackberry allergy -- stands as a success. Peter addresses touch food allergy victim's rights advocates head-on, setting up the payoff sight gag to come.

Buttressed by a sweeter-than-it-needs-to-be supporting performance by Rose Byrne as the unwitting point of contention between Peter and his farmer enemy, "Peter Rabbit" is a joyous accomplishment that succeeds with ample helpings of heart, panache and humor.