A Street Cat Named Bob

There is much to like about this film. For a start Luke Treadaway does a solid job as James Bowen, the lead character. But let's be honest, Bob (as himself) totally steals every scene he is in. A gorgeous ginger Tom, he is adorable and just oozes charm despite not having any dialogue. You could almost hear the audience warm to him from the first time we see him, helping himself to a box of cereal. Bob needed a home and someone to look after him and James needed Bob to find the strength to save himself and a sense of purpose in life.

The film is based on a true story and yet weirdly it suffers a bit from being too adult (in parts) to be a real family film yet it almost comes over as a severely compromised view of the world of drug addiction and thus will be a bit of a disappointment to those expecting a deep character study. In the UK the film is rated 12 so it is neither a kiddies film about a cute cat nor is it quite the Trainspotting style view of a man trying desperately to kick his drug dependency. In this regard the film falls between two stalls and despite trying hard, can never quite make up it's mind what it purports to try to be.

Roger Spottiswoode is a talented director (just look at his CV) and yet he feels a strange choice to direct this. He made the Tom Hanks comedy Turner & Hooch a long time ago so he has form of working with animals and humans but this film is a million miles (and millions of dollars) away from that Disney crowd-pleaser. Here we have a small story that must have been a very delicate balancing act to get right at the script stage, a mixture of comedy & pathos that has to be able to not offend a family audience and yet deal with a serious subject matter and the huge uphill struggle James has to deal with, his desire to get clean of addiction for once and for all. And some credit must go to the screenwriter for showing the degrading and tragic side of drug addiction without making it too overtly harrowing. If this film inspires one other person to turn their life around like Bob motivated James to do, or even stops one person turning to drugs as an escape then it will have done its job.

I should point out that the film also has a light side too, with touches of comedy alongside the seriousness. The supporting cast are all fine too, although the neighbour 'Betty' seems a little too kooky and convenient for my liking. James's support worker Val is wonderfully played out by Joanne Froggatt from Downton Abbey and fans of Mike Leigh films will also recognise Ruth Sheen popping up too. And let's not forget Anthony Head (who is always immensely likable) as James's dad and has a wonderful scene towards the end of the film when he finally shows his true feelings.

So then, this is a worthwhile film providing you aren't expecting to see a) a Garfield film or B) a Trainspotting expose of life as a drug addict. There is almost no bad language to speak of so it ticks that box too. Like I said earlier, there is a feeling of compromise to this, like the story was edited for a younger audience but that isn't necessarily a bad thing and it certainly helped James Bowen's book reach out to a mass audience and rightfully become a best seller. If this was set in the US it would certainly have a glossier feel and maybe it's touch of grittiness (partly as it was filmed on location in a grey, drab London during November-December 2015) will harm it's box-office, but as a true life human drama of inspiration with a dash of charm and loads of character then do give it a try.

Enjoyed the film and thought it was faithful to the book which made me view street people differently. It never was going to be a big budget blockbuster type movie and the way it was filmed suited the story. Having seen quite a few buskers around Covent Garden the scenes shot there looked authentic. All the relevant topics were covered and the shooting was well done. I don't think it could have been done much differently without making the film overlong. Being a cat owner may make be biased but the film does justice to the story and internet interest shown in the two main characters. We left the cinema having felt that the admission money was well spent - not always the case with some over hyped productions.

This film connects you with the realities of street life and addiction, but without the excessive angst, despair and high melodrama which is typical of the genre. Because of this the storytelling feels very realistic, very honest. Obviously what distinguishes this story is Bob himself - I'm not a cat fanatic but it is obvious that Bob is a very unique personality. Yet in keeping with the low key feel of the film, they do not overly anthropomorphize Bob himself - he is a cat who has adopted a human, plain and simple.

This film deserves a wider distribution - it is unrated but I would suggest pg13. There is much more to this film that Bob the cat, but you should see the film and reach you own conclusions. If nothing else it may help you think differently, more sympathetically, about street people and street cats.

This film tells the story of a drug addict who sings in the street to make ends meet. One day, a stray cat enters his life, and his life is never the same again.

It is a heartwarming story of a man who is given a second chance in life. It is an inspirational story that tells people that anyone can achieve a better life. When he says to the doctor that the cat has shown him what life is like in the other side, it is rather profound. The cat provides the little push for him to move out of the mess and into a meaningful path.

Though it is a little sad for me to see that people supported him only because of the cat. His singing is the same before and after the cat, so I can conclude that his second chance really is given by the cat. I hope people can actually give second chances to people even without the presence of a cat, as there really is enough love and care to go around. We can show people who needs second chances that they are loved and cared for as well.

I'm actually really surprised, recognising Roger Spottiswoode's name but totally forgetting he was the director behind The 6th Day, James Bond's Tomorrow Never Dies and another animal buddy movie, Turner & Hooch. I haven't seen any of his work since The 6th Day and I'm not sure why, but I'm surprised to find him behind the camera for this one. Maybe because it's a British film of a British story, me possibly expecting a Brit to be director? Regardless, he's a great choice as director, especially with his experience of working with animals on film.

This one being a stray ginger tomcat that gets named Bob after finding recovering drug-addict, James Bowen, played brilliant by Luke Treadaway. Now, this busker and Bob is somewhat of a London legend, how the two become inseparable and skirt about town busking and selling magazines on the streets of touristy London, hitting national and local papers and well, the outcome is fairly obvious, book deal and a film to boot.

Though there were quite a few cats used to play the part of Bob, it is nice to know that the real Bob actually did quite a bit of filming. Him being the real life littlest hobo that gladly doesn't choose to move on. And the real life James Bowen getting his rightly deserved cameo with a clever line of dialogue.

Working with animals is something you get warned about when on set but Spottiswoode certainly has a majesty way of capturing the character of our furry friends whether it be a Dogue De Bordeaux or a polar bear cub. It can't be an easy task and most have taken dozens of takes to get the right frame and the editing is superbly done with animal POV perspectives and clever camera work.

Treadaway gives a brilliant, believable and powerful performance conveying the hopelessness, torment and desperation effortlessly. Ruta Gedmintas also adding some colour to the film supported by some good British casting. It's amazing to watch the bond form between Bob and James as they both tend to each other.

Another two elements that stand out about this film is the music, the busking songs performed by Treadaway himself, which help tell the story though slightly disappointed it's music written for the film and not songs original to the busking, though, the songs are catchy and full of heart, much like the movie. The other element being London itself, the sights and the not so nice parts of the city actually give a real feel, either though bleak.

What's so magical about this story is that it has come to this, and that it's a true story of hope, companionship and cosmic justice. It's heartfelt, touching and feel good; Perfectly paced, enchanting and enjoyable. Not just a movie for cat fans.

Running Time: 9 The Cast: 8 Performance: 9 Direction: 9 Story: 9 Script: 8 Creativity: 9 Soundtrack: 8 Job Description: 10 The Extra Bonus Points: 10 for Bob, and his and James' incredible story. Would I buy the Bluray?: Yes.

89% 9/10