Peter McGowen is a playwright struggling with his latest text. He has writer's block, his wife wanting a child is causing some marital friction, and his neighbor's dog is keeping him awake at night. Another distraction appears when they get new neighbors, who his wife invites over. Peter isn't into socializing, and definitely doesn't want the neighbors' 8-year-old Amy (Suzi) around making noise.

It however turns out that his play has a child character that doesn't convince the actors. Peter must study what children are like, and so kindles a friendship with Amy. The subplot becomes an important one, but not dominant. Amy, a somewhat physically disabled girl with an over-protective mother, is a likable and real enough character, but no more than that. Suzi's acting is very natural, and I think she'd have had potential for far more than the role allowed.

I liked the wry humor of the movie, but at times the style deviated from a realistic one into near absurdity, which was jarring. While the story of a struggling playwright didn't touch me, Kenneth Branagh's excellent performance as Peter was enough to carry the story.