-Written by Michelle Vorob.
An endearing slice of life, A Cat's Life follows the lives of Clémence (Capucine Sainson-Fabresse), a young girl and her cat, Lou. This is a simple, heartwarming and sometimes adventurous tale, seen from both the viewpoint of Lou the cat and Clémence.
A French film, A Cat's Life is dubbed in English for U.S. release and tells a touching, relatable story that had me laughing at times, and even tearing up once or twice.
A Cat's Life is a great choice for a family film. Animals are heavily featured throughout the film, and often it feels the animals are living with purpose, rather than simply being depicted as “housepet” or “wild animal”. It's almost like someone took your favorite cat videos and turned them into a documentary.
Viewers will also relate to Clémence, who loves and only wants the best for Lou. A Cat's Life conveys how the relationship between a person and their pet can provide companionship and a certain stability they may be lacking at times in life, and that doing what's best for one's self or loved ones isn't always easy.
A Cat's Life begins in a charming attic, nestled in the rooftops of Paris. We see Lou as a kitten, with his siblings, as they follow after their mother on an outdoor excursion, only to realize it's a bit more than they can handle, so back to the attic they go.
Enter Clémence, along with a friend, who find these kittens without their mother, feed them and can't bear the thought of leaving the kittens alone, so they gather the kittens to bring home. Clémence has bonded with Lou and this is where the intertwining story begins.
We see pieces of Clémence's life; her parents dealing with something we aren't privy to, as neither the limited viewpoint of Clémence or Lou allows for complete understanding of it. All Clémence knows is her parents argue often and having Lou is a comfort to her.
When the family goes on a vacation to the countryside, Lou, [naturally] a curious explorer, goes out into the forest on an epic adventure.
A Cat's Life really plays out as Lou's story more than Clémence’s, which is fitting, given the title, but I feel the story would be more engaging for the older viewers had there been slightly more depiction and development of Clémence and her parents’ lives. That being said, the focus on Lou is endearing and certainly, the film should entertain little ones.
One note of caution though, there are some moments that could be upsetting for young children, as well as a scene that briefly depicts the subject of euthanasia, which some parents may not want to broach with little ones. On the other hand, the way it is introduced and worked into the story is a good way to start the discussion.
A Cat's Life is a family movie geared for young children that literally focuses on the adventures of a cat. It's worth bringing the kids to the theater, but you can also wait and enjoy it at home.
Directed by Guillaume Maidatchevsky.
Written by Guillaume Maidatchevsky, Michaël Souhaité, & Maurice Genevoix.
Starring Capucine Sainson-Fabresse, Corinne Masiero, Lucie Laurent, Nicolas Casar-Umbdenstock, Juliette Gillis, etc.
7.5/10 = WORTH RENTING OR BUYING
