Far from purrfect!
Since recently adopting two kittens, my constant uploading of pictures of them onto social networking sites has quickly given me a ‘crazy cat person’ status. It seemed only right that I reviewed the latest feline flick to hit cinemas.
A Street Cat Named Bob is the true story of a London busker named James Bowen (played by Luke Treadaway). He’s homeless, penniless, addicted to drugs and therefore cast away from his family.
Luckily, things start to look up when his kind-hearted counsellor (Joanne Froggatt) finds him a council flat. Soon after moving into his new accommodation, James is visited by a ginger tom named Bob (who is mostly played by Bob himself). After taking the cat busking, the two of them become a sensation. Everyone wants a selfie with them and donations go through the roof.
There’s not much more to this film to be honest. There are minor subplots involving a beautiful neighbour (Ruta Gedmintas) and a fellow addict (Darren Evans) but both are disappointingly underused.
The Director, Roger Spottiswoode, made the Tom Hanks movie Turner & Hooch, so he’s no stranger to animal buddy comedy dramas. Unlike that 1989 classic however, A Street Cat Named Bob is neither funny enough to be classed as a great comedy or emotive enough to be considered a thrilling drama. It’s somewhere in the middle, and therefore won’t stick in your mind long past the closing credits.
Being a real life story of rags to riches – and let’s not forget an adorable animal – it features all the right ingredients to be an instant classic. Had the filmmakers swayed closer towards one genre (comedy or drama), perhaps it could have been.
Even a ‘crazy cat person’ such as myself can’t help but feel there were many wasted opportunities here.
2/5
Mikey Clarke
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Genre: Drama/Biopic
Cast: Luke Treadaway, Ruta Gedmintas, Joanne Froggatt and Anthony Head
Running Time: 1hr 43mins
Directed by: Roger Spottiswoode
See A Street Cat named Bob and much more at Showcase Cinema, Peterborough. Visit www.showcasecinemas.co.uk for the latest up-to-date show times. You can also join the chat on Twitter @showcasecinemas or on Facebook by searching for ‘Showcase Cinemas’.
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