Film: Rent-A-Cat
Director: Naoko Ogigami
Country: Japan
This was a very funny and enjoyable film, although it had an
underlying sadness, it's overall flavour was super sweet bubble gum. It
won't be for everyone, possibly even most people. You can't be
cynical, and it wears it's quirkiness on it's sleeve. It delights in
being completely over the top and some may find it cartoonish or
annoying, but to me that added to the fun. At the same time, it is a
very sentimental film - again that will make it a bit of a marmite film,
either heartwarming adorable or unbearably sickly and twee.
Another
thing that some people might not be able to stomach is the exaggerated
mannerisms of the main character, but again if you just went with it, I
thought it was an effective and rewarding performance from Mikako
Ichikawa. It works well in the overall context of the film and
complements the inner sadness of the character.
The
film uses repetition for amusing effect, although by the end has maybe
slightly overdone it. Although using it as a plot device in a
completely different way, from accidentally overhearing the conversation
of the people next to me, I wasn't the only person who was reminded of
Groundhog Day!
If kooky and offbeat is your
sort of thing, then the film is worth watching for some very funny
moments - the sequence when Sayoko (Mikako Ichikawa) thinks she has come across a rival
corporate Rent-A-Cat business is totally hilarious and the
reoccurrences of bizarre, bitchy, gruff, transvestite neighbour had
everyone around me (and me) chuckling and giggling. And an absolutely
brilliant use of comedy cats.
I went into the
film definitely a dog person, but such is Sayoko's faith in the ability
of cats to make life better, I may be a little bit of a cat person now.
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