Cat Person

I saw this as part of an Odeon Screen unseen showing so was completely and literally in the dark about what I was going to see. Well I was pleasantly surprised. It's a tale about 20 year old Margot and her bouncing around the excitement and misunderstandings of relationships and how communication, expectation and reality can all blow things up.

There were times whenn I expected the story to go down a sinister route but then was I being manipulated by the opening quote?

Worth your time. This is just a privileged view into a 20 year Old's life which reverberated with me on many levels. If you approach this as just that then you won't be disappointed.

Premiered at Sundance, Cat Person is based on the viral New Yorker short story of the same name, as a college student played by Emilia Jones navigating a new romance, red flags, and horrifying turns. Tonally, this film is unsettling from the beginning, as Margot's mind wavers between fantasy and foresight, reading the tea leaves of text messages, favorite movies, and behaviors to determine if a new love interest is a quirky boyfriend or a dangerous threat. One particular scene is extraordinarily chilling, first uncomfortably comically to viscerally frightening themes about consent and sex that I've never seen in film. The final quarter of the film amplifies the tone beyond the rest of the film, ending awkwardly, which prompts me to wonder how it aligns with the story version.

Cat Person. I don't understand the poor reviews for this film. I watched it on the recommendation of Mark Kermode (potentially pretentious film critic) who loved it and suggested his side kick Simon (Everyman) Mayo would love it too. So why the poor scores on rotten tomatoes and IMDB? I was intrigued. And after watching the film, Kermode was spot on. Margot, who works at her local cinema meets Robert, a regular cinema-goer at her place of work. She thinks he's a little strange. He's a little awkward but likes her and asks for her number. She acquiesces. There then follows a series of text message exchanges. They form a 'relationship' without having properly met. Margot gets images of how it's going to play out when they finally meet. And most are not good ones. Robert thinks that this might be the start of something special. And they eventually meet and it doesn't go according to plan. But how much of this is real and how much is imagined from their text history? No spoilers here but the interpretation of this film may not be as clear cut as either Margot or Robert might think. It is narratively simple yet its interpretation is, for me at least, purposefully ambiguous. And its all the better for it. An intriguing 8 out of ten.

I went into this movie expecting this crime story with a huge plot twist and it wasn't even close. I wasn't exactly disappointed though because I actually enjoyed most of the movie. It was just the ending that let it down for me.

So the first half of the movie I totally understand.. as a female who dated for years before settling down I found myself laughing at the awkward situations the movie reminded me of. There is this fear, stress and complete awkwardness to modern dating. The movie captured that spot on. I can't speak for other women but I found myself relating completely to both of the main characters.

When it got to the end though I felt like there was just this desperation to make the movie end on a shocking note but it just didn't fit the rest of the movie. Id of rated it higher if they went their separate ways and learn from the mistakes they made.

(P. S Robert was definitely on the spectrum and Margot's super "woke" best friend really annoyed me.)

Cat Person, the 2023 film adaptation of Kristen Roupenian's viral New Yorker short story, claws its way onto the screen with a promising premise: exploring the awkward, unsettling, and sometimes dangerous landscape of modern dating. Unfortunately, despite stellar performances and flashes of brilliance, the film ultimately stumbles, failing to recapture the potent ambiguity and unsettling dread that resonated with so many readers.

Margot, a college student, finds herself drawn to the enigmatic Robert, an older man who works at the local movie theatre. Their initial interactions via text are playful and flirty, but when they finally meet in person, the sparks don't quite fly. A nagging unease settles in, hinting at something darker beneath Robert's charming facade.

Director Susanna Fogel expertly navigates the film's early scenes, capturing the awkward tension and anxieties that plague young love. Emilia Jones delivers a nuanced performance as Margot, portraying her vulnerability and growing unease with authenticity. Nicholas Braun, however, struggles to fully inhabit the enigmatic Robert, leaving the character feeling somewhat opaque and underdeveloped.

The visual storytelling in the movie is its strongest point. Cinematographer Manuel Billeter paints a stark portrait of Margot's emotional world, using tight close-ups and muted colour palettes to emphasise her growing isolation and fear. The score, a blend of unsettling electronic beats and melancholic piano melodies, further amplifies the film's unsettling mood.

However, as the film progresses past the point at which the original story ends, the plot begins to unravel. The narrative takes a jarring turn, veering away from the ambiguity and suspense that characterised the short story and instead opting for a more conventional, even melodramatic, thriller plot. This shift in tone feels jarring and ultimately undermines the film's emotional core.

Cat Person is a film with undeniable potential. It boasts strong performances, particularly from Jones, and a visually striking aesthetic. However, those who have read the original story may be disappointed with its failure to capture the essence of the original and its jarring tonal shift, ultimately leaving it feeling like a missed opportunity.

While not a complete failure, Cat Person is best suited for fans of the original short story or those seeking a darkly comedic thriller. For those looking for a more faithful adaptation or a deeply unsettling exploration of modern dating, this film may not be the cat's meow.