P.S. Your Cat Is Dead!

Steve Guttenberg has always exuded a certain likeability which he carried through many money making mediocrities. It's always intriguing when a performer takes a surprising direction in his career especially when that direction is clearly a more meaningful one.

It was with a lot of goodwill that I approached "P.S. Your Cat Is Dead" which Guttenberg not only stars in but directs as well. However, as the movie progressed so did this goodwill fast begin to fade.

The cardinal mistake for Guttenberg was in taking on the role of director. As an actor he acquits himself fairly well, but his directorial ineptitude pretty much sinks this project. The cast of fairly unknown actors have moments of embarrassing amateurism. Even the much experienced Shirley Knight, in a small role, seems terribly ill at ease.

It's a great pity, for in the hands of an accomplished director this could have been an entertaining and even moving film, which unfortunately it remains very far from being.

Guttenberg is stabbed while on the phone with Olivier in Boys From Brazil and we believe him. In Cocoon and Short Circuit, he is ebullient, almost to a fault. So which is PS Your Cat Is Dead? Guttenberg as Actor-Director shows his strengths as a mature, light handed artist. We expect to see the actor at work behind the mask, or the Director favor himself too much on camera, but no - the grubby, self absorbed attitude of the character draws us into the narrative and we believe it. This film will do very well among quality film buffs especially in San Francisco, New York and West Los Angeles. I'm sure it will take off in Paris and Berlin. It's a personal ride, executed with dignity in a tight plausible style. It's easy to sneer at stars doing something smaller and limited, but this one has authored a film that carries itself and does none of the performers anything but good.

Funny stuff. I laughed my ass off. I went in on a whim and I was glad that I did. It was a real emotional roller coaster. I couldn't make up my mind with what they were trying to say with the ending, but aside from that it was fun.

This film has without a doubt the most hilarious scene any movie has ever had. I laughed so hard I nearly hurt myself. I had no idea what to expect when I ordered the DVD online - the only reason I got it was because Steve Guttenberg was in it and I absolutely LOVE him - is there anyone more adorable in the movies than Steve? I don't think so. In fact it is his adorable nature that works so well in this film. It's such a contrast from the dark side that threatens to overwhelm the adorable side. It's hit and miss whether the good or the bad will win out and you are kept at the edge of your seat because you are with him 100% and you support whatever he does because he has a right to do it. Am I vague enough? Have I whetted your appetite to see the film? I have been a Steve Guttenberg fan ever since I can remember. He really has a unique quality that no actor in film has and that quality is what made him a star. The supporting cast is also superb - everyone of them - but it's Steve who really rules the roost. And you love him every minute.

Just saw a screening of this at Outfest. Despite it being based on one of my favorite novels (Kirkwood also wrote A Chorus Line) I was a bit disturbed to see 80's cheeseball actor Steve Guttenberg (he of Police Academy fame) as the director and star. Let me be the first to say I was pleasantly surprised. Not only was the film wonderful but Guttenberg's against type portrayal of a down-on-his luck actor who begins to doubt his heterosexuality in the face of tragedy managed to completely make me reevaluate his acting prowess. His hissy fit in the scene where he finds out his girlfriend is leaving him for another man is absolutely hilarious as are his comic interactions with his burglar/prisoner (Lombardo Boyar) which are both touching and funny. All in all a very good adaption of a very good book...one of the better independent films of the year from Steve Guttenberg of all people...who would have thought it?

Howard Stern fans keep on the lookout for one-time Howard sidekick/E! Scandals host/NY Gossip Columnist AJ Benza in a over-the-top turn as a gay hairdresser who tries to rape Guttenberg...LOL... hilarious!