Review: A Street Cat Named Bob

A Street Cat Named Bob
Cert: 12A / 103 mins / Dir. Roger Spottiswoode / Trailer



Next up, in the category of Films Which Are Marketed Like Kids Films But Which Aren't Really Kids Films Even Though There's Relatively Little Content In The Film To Make It Unsuitable For Kids, is Roger Spottiswoode's A Street Cat Named Bob, adapted from James Bowen's autobiographical book of the same name. It covers James' time as a recovering heroin addict in London, living in a squalid flat where he befriends a remarkable stray cat who inspires him to persevere in turning his life around.

The most awkward aspect of the screen adaptation is that it's nowhere near as dark, bleak or frustrating as you know some of the actual events were at the time. But how could it be, if the film is still going to be an uplifting story of redemption? Scenes where James deals with the authorities as a man who's trying not to slip between the cracks of the system evoke I, Daniel Blake a little. Similarly, a sequence in which he locks himself in his flat to wrench himself off the last dregs of a Methadone program feels like a tidier (and more successful, to be fair) version of the opening minutes of Trainspotting. There are even echoes of Inside Llewyn Davis as the cat quickly becomes a narrative metaphor some something much larger. It's not that the film necessarily sanitises these events, but gives the impression that they're being skipped over a little because of time constraints, which can make them feel more heavy-handed.

Luke Treadaway is marvellous in the pivotal role, supported ably by Joanne Froggatt as his support-worker, Ruta Gedmintas as his neighbour and cat-whisperer, Anthony Head as the estranged and aggrieved father, and of course Bob the cat*¹. Although while I'm sure it's biographically accurate, Treadaway's quasi-Australian accent in the film tended to grate as it drifted in some scenes and completely out of others. Worse still, there are some dialogue exchanges with his neighbour where she began to speak with an Aussie-twang while he wasn't at all. Bizarre. By no means a deal-breaker, but you know what I'm like when it comes to accents…

When the story is focusing on anything other than the relationship between James and Bob, it's a bit melodramatic, simplistic and twee. But A Street Cat Named Bob is also everything it needs to be. And as I saw the film on Wednesday 9th November, it even managed to take my mind off the news-events of the day, which really is something*²…

Question for those of you who've seen the film: The BBFC-card at the beginning flashed up for a couple of seconds as National Theatre Live's production of A Streetcar Named Desire (cropped in the wrong aspect-ratio) before jump-cutting to the correct card (and presented correctly). As the BBFC information isn't projected from a different reel/file, this appears to be part of the actual final print itself. Does anyone know why/how this has come about?

Difficult to say as it feels more televisual than cinematic, and I don't watch a lot of telly.
I don't mean that as a criticism, it just has a "TV-cast".



Only if you're desperate to see the film sooner rather than later; this has got Sunday DVD written all over it ;).



It does.



Probably not, to be fair.



Nope.



There isn't.
Although there was one in an advert for tea which ran before it.



Level 2: The film stars Luke Treadaway, who also appeared in Attack The Block alongside John 'FN-2187' Boyega.

If you're having trouble telling the Treadaway Twins apart, by the way, Luke is the one who appears here as a homeless addict trying to rebuild his life and starred here as a kid with Aspergers struggling to cope with the confusing world around him.
His brother Harry does things like Cockneys vs Zombies and The Lone Ranger...




*¹ There's also a cameo-appearance by James Bowen himself which rivals the face-palming obviousness of The Proclaimers' previous walk-on and would be unforgivable, were it not for the amount of props the guy deserves for still being alive in the first place.
But seriously though, James. Seriously…

*² Although my already anxious mood didn't make the film an easy watch, to the point where I began to suspect ill-motives of characters that weren't headed down that path. Maybe I'm even too cynical and paranoid for feel-good movies at the moment ;)


DISCLAIMERS:
• ^^^ That's dry, British humour, and most likely sarcasm or facetiousness.
• Yen's blog contains harsh language and even harsher notions of propriety. Reader discretion is advised.
• This is a personal blog. The views and opinions expressed here represent my own thoughts (at the time of writing) and not those of the people, institutions or organisations that I may or may not be related with unless stated explicitly.

Review: Filth

Filth
Cert: 18 / 98 mins / Dir. Jon S. Baird



So, I wouldn't go so far as to call the novel unfilmable, but when I heard Irvine Welsh's horrifying helter-skelter of a book was being adapted to the screen I remember thinking 'Filth? …Filth, Filth? How the hell are you going to make that?. Fast-forward many months later, and I've got my answer: ^ Like that ^. Screenwriter and director Baird has grabbed the bull by both horns, and translated a version that's very largely faithful to the original, while still having its own light to shine. I don't mean to be one of those book>film pedants, but there really is a lot to live up to here, and the film really does manage it.

James McAvoy is shaping up to be one of this generation's most versatile actors, and he positively embraces the chance to play alcoholic, coke-addled sociopath Bruce Robertson, and a large amount of screen-time is spent in his head, living the world through his hallucinations and splintered world-view. Truth be told, the entire cast throw themselves fully into the fray, because there's really no other way to approach this. As Bruce's habits and their respective tolls escalate, everyone around him gets to twist the proverbial knife, and the adaptation from page to screen meant that even I was wondering how far things were going to go.

I do think certain aspects could have been handled better. Without being spoilery, there's a huge amount of effort expended on making Bruce an unlikeable character, but he never quite earns the pity of the viewer, no matter how pathetic his actions. In order for the film's punchline to work, you really need that pity, otherwise it comes off as flippant, and that's not what I took from the book. I think an extra fifteen minutes or so exploring Bruce's inner psyche with a calmer tone would have worked wonders. But there, I've become the kind of book>film twat I mentioned earlier. Ah, well.

Short version: If you enjoyed the more hallucinogenic aspects of Trainspotting, you'll get a lot out of Filth. Welsh proves once again that you can be flexible with your linear narrative if you throw enough fucked up situations at the reader/viewer and a few crowning reveal shots. Given the scope of the project, Filth is nothing short of magnificent. A version incorporating deleted scenes would be perfect, thank you.

Almost.



I did.



Very nearly almost. It should certainly be commended for what it does achieve..



If you can see it in a cinema, do, but it should be every bit as fucked up watching at home.



Quite possibly.



Fuck yes.



There isn't.

I'd like to see MacAvoy in the new Star Wars films. Tell me why I'm right, please…

DISCLAIMERS:
• ^^^ That's dry, British humour, and most likely sarcasm or facetiousness.
• Yen's blog contains harsh language and even harsher notions of propriety. Reader discretion is advised.
• This is a personal blog. The views and opinions expressed here represent my own thoughts (at the time of writing) and not those of the people, institutions or organisations that I may or may not be related with unless stated explicitly.