Impressive Cat maybe a little too ‘street’
A Street Cat Named Bob (PG) Directed by Roger Spottiswoode Starring Luke Treadaway, Joanne Froggatt, Anthony Head 103 mins JAMES Bowen’s feline-assisted real-life recovery from drug addiction was always going to be something of a tonal balancing act for any would-be movie makers.
How do you portray just how close he was to death, while also creating something familyfriendly to satisfy audiences who have lapped up the multiple printed versions of his life story?
Director Roger Spottiswoode’s (who has cinematic form in the animal antics genre thanks to Turner and Hooch and Midnight Sun) answer is somewhat surprising.
Kind of a cross between Once, Trainspotting, the films of Ken Loach and That Darn Cat, A Street Cat Named Bob is perhaps a touch too gritty and raises too many questions for young audiences (What’s methadone? How do you contract hepatitis?), while also being a bit too one-dimensional to truly satisfy those after a fix of social realism. That may be down to the equally odd writing combination of Spitting Image scribe Tim John and TV movie specialist Maria Nation – whose background suggested a strange mix of sentiment and snark.
However, that’s not to say Street Cat is a mess, in fact, far from it. Treadaway ( Unbroken) makes for a suitably flawed, but fabulous leading man, delivering the drama and songs with equal aplomb.
Just like his character though, he’s overshadowed by his whiskered companion.
Whether it’s munching on cornflakes or sitting atop shoulders, red tabby Bob seems like a natural. And I was amazed to learn at the end that the real Bob did most of the acting.
Cat owners will also identify with the trauma of trying to give a cat a pill and the tension that can build up in a vet’s waiting room, both nicely evoked within the confines of the story.
One minor gripe though, is Spottiswoode’s use of cat-level point-of-view shots. While the idea is a striking one, the execution sometimes leaves a lot to be desired. Too often the shaky cam leaves the viewer temporarily taken out of the story, distracted by the perspective shift. – James Croot Supplied
Whether it's munching on cornflakes or sitting atop shoulders, red tabby Bob seems like a natural.