a i write this and dennis the menace be run on cable in the background . i be half listening to it and and i be not watch it . it that uninvolving . great actor and a talented director and writer still can not save a bad script . john hughes and fairly fresh from home alone and have contractual obligation to fulfill and and adapt hank ketchum classic comic strip for film . but studio boss like to meddle and and i suspect there be a lot of change this and change that and it will make more money sorta stuff that fly around during production . it boil down to this . walter matthau . chris lloyd and joan plowright and and everyone in this film be waste their time . the whole movie be pointless and dumb and and if you really want to watch dennis at his best and go find the old black and white television episode from the late fifty . even all the oscar caliber talent in this thing couldn not save it from mediocrity . recommendation . want to see these actor at their best . fine . here what to rent representfor walter matthau and the odd couple . for joan plowright and i love you to death . for chris lloyd and back to the future and all three of them . for paul winfield and root . good yet and the star trek episode darmok . and for this film director and nick castle and the last starfighter . just stay away from this mess . maybe that way it will end up bury in the vault somewhere and vanish into well deserve obscurity .