| Title: | THAT DARN CAT |
| Stars: | Christina Ricci, Doug E. Doug |
| Distributor: | Disney |
| Category: | Comedy? |
| Rating: | PG |
| Content: | (1 expletive and several "Oh my God"s; the teen-lead smarts-off to everyone) |
| Review: | First off, I'll confess,
I'm not really a kitty lover. That cozy, cuddly feeling
cat people get from their pet escapes me. I hold to the
theory that if felines were as big as us, there wouldn't
be any us left. Next on my objection list, the
over-tried-and-true movie teen, who's quick-witted
wisecracks would put Noel Coward to shame. Here, Ms.
Ricci stays close to her familiar Wednesday Addams
persona, all garbed in black, with attitude and contempt
for one and all. Are all teens really like this? Must be
a lot of fun for you parents! Then we have the film
itself, a remake of the nominally amusing '65 film which
starred Hayley Mills as the inquisitive youngster with
the mischievous tabby and Dean Jones as the inept G-man.
Mr. Jones is back,now playing a millionaire who's maid
has been mistakenly kidnapped in place of his pampered
wife (Dyan Cannon). The tomcat (D.C.) finds the abducted
woman, who attaches her wrist watch to his neck. Soon his
teen owner discovers the new collar, and figures it must
belong to the missing woman. She contacts the FBI, who send out their version of Inspector Clouseau (Doug E. Doug) to investigate the juvenile's far-fetched cat tale. Lots of people pop up who know their way around a comic situation, such as Peter Boyle, Estelle Parsons and Doug E. Doug, who's proven an funny foil on Bill Cosby's sitcom. But without the proper material, they also prove that talented actors can be just as lost on the big screen as this season's Saturday Night Live cast. So what have we got here? A charmless cat, a smart mouth teenager, a transparent comedy containing few laughs. I hope there is never a third version of this one, because I'd rather buy a pussycat than sit through this feline fluff again. Oh no, I just thought of something. It's just about time for an updated Three Lives of Thomasina. Does anybody want my job?! |
| Vid. Alt. | The Adventures of Milo & Otis, The Aristocats, Homeward Bound, Homeward Bound 2, and the Top Cat cartoons. Ok, ok, so I don't dislike all cats. |