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It's hard for me to judge A SHOT IN THE DARK based on its own merits, as I usually do, because I watched it on the request of my son, Tommy. Tommy is almost 14, and has autism. For the last few years he has been obsessed with film composers. He can recite the IMDb filmographies of most with savant-like precision, and often corrects me. His current favorite is Henry Mancini, and he asked me to sit down and watch this sequel to THE PINK PANTHER with him.

First of all, it's a funny movie. Peter Sellers is typically amazing as Inspector Clouseau. The direction of Blake Edwards stays out of the way, provides great compositions to really enhance Sellers' slapstick, and paces the film perfectly.

But the major draw for me was enjoying this movie with my kid, and watching it through his eyes. Listening to him hum the music, repeat Clouseau's lines, and laugh hysterically during the nudist colony sequence was a highlight for me. This is why we watch movies: to abandon ourselves pleasurably. Sure, analyzing is fun, and offers great insight, but when you watch your child just abandon himself under the spell of a fun movie, it's enough to make you jealous.