A Street Cat Named Bob - directed by Roger Spottiswoode
The cynical viewer may assess this movie deliberately written to pull all of the right strings for an audience susceptible to such things.
Those things being underdog stories, overcoming drug addiction, music, family estrangement, the kindness of strangers and of course animals.
And yes- this film has all of these things but it is worth noting that "A Street Cat Named Bob" is based on the book of the same name that details the real life of James Bowen and his cat Bob and as such can accurately claim to being simply 'telling it like it was'.
James (Treadaway) is a busker in Covent Garden in London.
He is also a heroin addict currently on a methadone programme.
He battles the elements, the pull of a return to drugs, family issues and the general public's disdain for him and his fellow homeless.
It is fair to say that he couldn't really be doing much worse.
He does have some things on his side though.
He is actually pretty good with a guitar and a song and there is at least one person who believes in him - Val his case worker.
The kind but battle weary Val (played very well by Joanne Froggatt) has seen and heard it all before but has the belief that James could be one of the all too few who can beat his addiction.
She convinces a colleague to give James a state owned flat but the condition is that he never misses an appointment with Val, stays off the drugs and on the methadone programme.
When a large ginger tom cat appears in James' new digs one night to tuck into some cornflakes there is an instant connection between the two.
A short time later the cat hurts his leg and James seeks help from Betty (Ruta Gedmintas) who lives in the same complex as he does.
And so the first of many connections to a better life that Bob entering his life enables happens.
Bob starts accompanying James on his bus trips when he goes out to busk and his very presence attracts more people watching him sing and as a result more money being tossed in the 'hat'.
With a new home, a friendship that is possibly heading towards romance and improved finances James credits Bob with his change of fortunes.
But of course there is still the 'little' matter of that heroin addiction to deal with.
This becomes the main question in the film's plot- can James overcome his addiction and keep the people and the cat that have become so important to him?
For a PG rated movie it is surprising how directly "A Street Cat Named Bob" confronts the drug aspects.
The ugliness of heroin use is shown at least to a degree (I don't pretend to be an expert or even close to one) and it is worrying to see James staring out of his window at the drug dealers on the corner and even more concerning when his 'friend' and fellow addict Baz lurks around his new home asking for money and a place to stay.
At every turn James seems to encounter adversity and it is often not at all his fault.
A job selling magazines starts well but his best intentions and a tendency to be nice to people backfires.
But every time misfortune strikes Bob is there for him and it is amazing the effect one cat can have.
The value of a well utilised animal in a movie cannot be underestimated and Bob is indeed as vital to the plot as you would expect given the title of the film and the animals second billing in it (yes- the real Bob plays the movie Bob)
Much mileage is garnered by planting the idea that Bob is in danger.
There are frequent shots placing Bob right amongst dozens of pedestrian feet and the size of the cat against the sea of legs all hurriedly carrying their owners places makes him appear very vulnerable indeed.
Several people eye the cat with disdain and with what could be the desire to see Bob hurt or killed.
Bob sometimes rides in a basket on the bike that James navigates the busy streets of London and he goes missing at one point.
I wonder what sort of training you have to do to get a performance out of a cat.
I love cats but there is no doubt that they have minds of their own and are unlikely to do any damned thing at all unless they have a mind to.
Bob appears on screen a lot and seems to hit whatever mark that is required.
He earns his second billing for sure.
Maybe my favourite performance however is Joanne Froggatt as the almost angelically kind Val who one hopes received the praise and recognition that she deserves in 'real life'.
I also liked Ruta Gedmintas as the kind, appealing vegan neighbour who has lost a brother to heroin and wants nothing to do with anyone who uses it.
She and Treadaway make a fascinating couple.
Betty is unaware of James' addiction and it remains an additional threat to the lead characters plight.
Val does not approve of the relationship as it is emotion that an addict is not best placed to deal with.
Given les to do but regardless doing a great job is Anthony Head as James' estranged Father.
This is yet another emotionally stressful situation for James as Father and son hardly ever see each other.
I was pleased to see the wonderful actress Caroline Goodall as a character we see a few times before it is revealed who and what she is.
I enjoyed this film immensely.
Treadaway sang the songs and they are very good so on top of the underdog story you get a reasonable chunk of a musical along the lines of John Carney's great "Once".
But as good as Treadaway is (and I suspect he wouldn't mind the assessment) this is going to be viewed as Bob's movie.
I was aware of frequent 'aws' and cutesy murmurs from the audience throughout the movie.
This is not to say that the cat is a cheap way to garner audience approval but that this pivotal character is very well realised.
Bob is positioned very much like a child figure with James rapidly finding himself putting the safety of Bob before his own.
Of course the relationship is very symbiotic so the wellbeing of James is vital to the wellbeing of Bob anyway.
"A Street Cat Named bob" is touchingly effective and does a terrific job layering in the supporting characters seamlessly.
By the time the film ended very satisfyingly and without any over the top emoting it struck me how many people had been kind to James.
This is the very epitome of a feel-good movie and I loved it.
Whether it works better with no knowledge of the book or the real events I don't know.
Regardless it is a fine piece of work from all involved.
RATING: 86 / 100
CONCLUSION: Terrific performances from Treadaway, Froggatt, Gedmintas, Head and of course Bob allow A Street Cat Named Bob to earn its heartwarming moments and satisfying conclusion through character rather than cheap sentimentality and emoting. Loved it.
Starring: Luke Treadaway, Bob the Cat, Ruta Gedmintas, Joanne Froggatt, Anthony Head, Darren Evans, Beth Goddard, Nina Wadia, Ruth Sheen, Caroline Goodall, Ivana Basic, Lorraine Ashbourne, Akbar Kurtha
Screenplay: Maria Nation & Tim John based on James Bowen's book)
Music Score by: David Hirschfelder
Cinematography: Peter Wunstorf
Edited by: Paul Tothill
Running Time: 103 minutes
Language: English
Rated: PG - Drug Use & associated themes
Running Time: 103 minutes
Language: English
Rated: PG - Drug Use & associated themes
Those things being underdog stories, overcoming drug addiction, music, family estrangement, the kindness of strangers and of course animals.
And yes- this film has all of these things but it is worth noting that "A Street Cat Named Bob" is based on the book of the same name that details the real life of James Bowen and his cat Bob and as such can accurately claim to being simply 'telling it like it was'.
James (Treadaway) is a busker in Covent Garden in London.
He is also a heroin addict currently on a methadone programme.
He battles the elements, the pull of a return to drugs, family issues and the general public's disdain for him and his fellow homeless.
It is fair to say that he couldn't really be doing much worse.
He does have some things on his side though.
He is actually pretty good with a guitar and a song and there is at least one person who believes in him - Val his case worker.
The kind but battle weary Val (played very well by Joanne Froggatt) has seen and heard it all before but has the belief that James could be one of the all too few who can beat his addiction.
She convinces a colleague to give James a state owned flat but the condition is that he never misses an appointment with Val, stays off the drugs and on the methadone programme.
When a large ginger tom cat appears in James' new digs one night to tuck into some cornflakes there is an instant connection between the two.
A short time later the cat hurts his leg and James seeks help from Betty (Ruta Gedmintas) who lives in the same complex as he does.
And so the first of many connections to a better life that Bob entering his life enables happens.
 |
| Bob and James (Treadaway) and far right Baz - one of many challenges faced |
With a new home, a friendship that is possibly heading towards romance and improved finances James credits Bob with his change of fortunes.
But of course there is still the 'little' matter of that heroin addiction to deal with.
This becomes the main question in the film's plot- can James overcome his addiction and keep the people and the cat that have become so important to him?
For a PG rated movie it is surprising how directly "A Street Cat Named Bob" confronts the drug aspects.
The ugliness of heroin use is shown at least to a degree (I don't pretend to be an expert or even close to one) and it is worrying to see James staring out of his window at the drug dealers on the corner and even more concerning when his 'friend' and fellow addict Baz lurks around his new home asking for money and a place to stay.
At every turn James seems to encounter adversity and it is often not at all his fault.
A job selling magazines starts well but his best intentions and a tendency to be nice to people backfires.
But every time misfortune strikes Bob is there for him and it is amazing the effect one cat can have.
 |
| Busking in London |
Much mileage is garnered by planting the idea that Bob is in danger.
There are frequent shots placing Bob right amongst dozens of pedestrian feet and the size of the cat against the sea of legs all hurriedly carrying their owners places makes him appear very vulnerable indeed.
Several people eye the cat with disdain and with what could be the desire to see Bob hurt or killed.
Bob sometimes rides in a basket on the bike that James navigates the busy streets of London and he goes missing at one point.
I wonder what sort of training you have to do to get a performance out of a cat.
I love cats but there is no doubt that they have minds of their own and are unlikely to do any damned thing at all unless they have a mind to.
Bob appears on screen a lot and seems to hit whatever mark that is required.
He earns his second billing for sure.
Maybe my favourite performance however is Joanne Froggatt as the almost angelically kind Val who one hopes received the praise and recognition that she deserves in 'real life'.
I also liked Ruta Gedmintas as the kind, appealing vegan neighbour who has lost a brother to heroin and wants nothing to do with anyone who uses it.
She and Treadaway make a fascinating couple.
Betty is unaware of James' addiction and it remains an additional threat to the lead characters plight.
Val does not approve of the relationship as it is emotion that an addict is not best placed to deal with.
Given les to do but regardless doing a great job is Anthony Head as James' estranged Father.
This is yet another emotionally stressful situation for James as Father and son hardly ever see each other.
I was pleased to see the wonderful actress Caroline Goodall as a character we see a few times before it is revealed who and what she is.
 |
| Ruta Gedmintas as Betty and Joanne Froggatt as Val and far right - the real Bob and James |
Treadaway sang the songs and they are very good so on top of the underdog story you get a reasonable chunk of a musical along the lines of John Carney's great "Once".
But as good as Treadaway is (and I suspect he wouldn't mind the assessment) this is going to be viewed as Bob's movie.
I was aware of frequent 'aws' and cutesy murmurs from the audience throughout the movie.
This is not to say that the cat is a cheap way to garner audience approval but that this pivotal character is very well realised.
Bob is positioned very much like a child figure with James rapidly finding himself putting the safety of Bob before his own.
Of course the relationship is very symbiotic so the wellbeing of James is vital to the wellbeing of Bob anyway.
"A Street Cat Named bob" is touchingly effective and does a terrific job layering in the supporting characters seamlessly.
By the time the film ended very satisfyingly and without any over the top emoting it struck me how many people had been kind to James.
This is the very epitome of a feel-good movie and I loved it.
Whether it works better with no knowledge of the book or the real events I don't know.
Regardless it is a fine piece of work from all involved.
No comments:
Post a Comment