A Street Cat Named Bob

Based on the true story of James Bowen, a former drug addict who had his life changed around by the presence of a stray cat who became his constant companion, A Street Cat Named Bob avoids the trap of being your typical "cute cat" movie.  While it does have more than its share of moments that will draw admiration from cat lovers, the movie is wise not to sand off the harder edges of James' story.  This is ultimately a story of redemption from addiction, and one that is ultimately uplifting and heartwarming without being cloying.

We first see Bowen (played effectively by Luke Treadaway) down on his luck.  He's homeless and has little money, and is in the early stages of trying to kick his addiction to heroin.  He doesn't seem to have much success early on, as he nearly overdoses when a friend and fellow user offers him a hit.  Fortunately, his counselor (Joanne Froggatt from Downton Abbey) is not willing to give up on him.  She sets James on a methadone program to help kick his addiction, and even is able to find him a tiny apartment, which after weeks of living on the street and searching garbage cans for food, seems like a palace to him.  To help make money, James grabs his beat up old guitar, and begins performing for tourists at Covent Garden in London.  It's a rough start, but given James' current life, any kind of start is a promising one.

One night, a stray orange tabby manages to sneak into his apartment through an open window.  Thinking it must belong to someone, James tries to find its original owner, without much success.  He sends the cat off on its own, but it comes back to him a couple days later.  To his dismay, James discovers that the cat has been hurt in some kind of fight, perhaps.  Using his last bit of money, he takes it to the local vet, and begins to bond with the feline, whom he names Bob at the suggestion of his female neighbor and potential love interest (a very likable Ruta Gedmintas).  Before long, little Bob is following James everywhere he goes, riding on his shoulders, and even following him on the bus that takes him to Covent Garden.  Bob not only soon becomes part of James' musical act, but also helps him turn his life around, even helping him connect with his estranged father who turned his back on him years ago (Anthony Head).

There's no denying that A Street Cat Named Bob can be a bit strong in its sentimentality, but director Roger Spottiswoode (who back in 1988 made a very different animal movie, the Tom Hanks comedy Turner and Hooch) knows how to use the sentiment to the film's advantage.  It feels earned, because we like the relationship that James and Bob have.  This is a heartfelt movie, but one that knows how to keep its heart in check when it is necessary.  We see James fighting and falling when it comes to his addiction, and we see some aspects of his former life that routinely haunt him, such as friends from the old days who are not fairing as well as he is.  I wouldn't exactly call this movie gritty or dark, but it at least doesn't let us forget where James came from.  It certainly helps get the audience in his corner, and make us want to see him succeed in conquering his demons.

And then there is Bob himself, who is probably the biggest and most personable feline to hit the big screen since Keanu.  The fact that Bob the cat himself was used for much of the movie does add a bit of authenticity.  But, his greatest addition to the film is how he almost gives a penetrating glare, almost as if he himself is worried the movie might get a little too cute at times.  Still, it's easy to see why James fell for the little guy, and why he's become such a celebrity to cat lovers everywhere.  He has a great little personality, and is constantly charming throughout the movie.  Luke Treadaway as James may get all the big dramatic scenes, but it is definitely Bob who rightfully steals all the scenes.  In fact, the scenes the two share together have more honesty than the ones Treadway shares with Anthony Head as his father, which often seem a bit forced and sentimental.

A Street Cat Named Bob is a U.K. production, and is basically getting buried in a tiny release in the U.S.  I honestly can't see why.  The book about Bowen's story was a best seller here, and the movie is certain to charm any animal lover with its message of how the pets we rescue sometimes have the power to rescue us.  Just like Bob, the movie is impossible to resist and is thoroughly charming.

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