Cat Person does an excellent job of making the modern dating landscape look like Hell. Especially if you are a woman. An adaptation of a viral New Yorker short story, the film follows twenty-year-old Margot (Emilia Jones, CODA) who begins a relationship with tall stranger Robert (Nicholas Braun, Succession). The texts exchanged are flirty and fun leading to their first date. And then everything goes downhill.
“Men are afraid women are going to laugh at them. Women are afraid men are going to kill them.”
A frightening and darkly funny Margaret Atwood quote opens Cat Person and also gives a peek inside Margot’s mind. The film occasionally shows what Margot is afraid will happen to her when she is left alone with Robert. The first sequence happens when she is in a closet with him, and it is frightening. There are others that are just as terrifying and paint a portrait of a woman who wants to live her life under her own terms, but is also aware of the dangers that exist.
Not all of her thoughts are dark ones, however. There is a humorous montage involving what type of work Margot thinks Robert does. These range from manual labor to desk jobs. By far, the best use is a conversation she has with herself while having bad sex. It is a moment that is hilarious and sad at the same time.
Ironically, Cat Person does an awful job of establishing what type of person Margot is outside the bounds of her relationship. Almost every action, comment, and text is to or about Robert. Aside from being a college student who comes from a rich family and having an incredibly annoying friend, Margot has no personality.
(As a side note, Tammy is one of the most infuriating people to appear on-screen in years. Geraldine Viswanathan is excellent in the role, but Margot’s friend spends the first hour plus of Cat Person arguing with every single comment made by anyone. Margot eventually calls her out on it, but it is far too late at this point. It also begs the question, what is the reason for the character?)
![[Sundance '23] 'Cat Person' review: Adaptation is really good until it is really not](https://i0.wp.com/aiptcomics.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/cat.png?resize=740%2C416&ssl=1 "cat")
It only takes one date for the relationship to deteriorate leading to another great scene. Margot begins ghosting Robert and some time later sees him at a bar. She tries to ignore him and leaves immediately. This leads to one text from him. Then another. Then another. Then another. As the messages keep coming in, they get increasingly worse, until finally it ends with a one word message that will make anyone watching gasp.
It is not the physical violence that Margot had feared, but it is still brutal and painful. If Cat Person had ended at this point (just like the short story), it would have been a powerful film. There is lots of discussion to be had around what Margot could have done differently or why she was in the right the entire time. People can debate all the red flags surrounding Robert or how he was harmless, if awkward. The only indisputable fact is everyone in the story is an asshole.
Regrettably, Cat Person continues for almost another full hour. All the commentary found in the first two acts is completely ignored as the film stops examining today’s dating world and becomes a straight up thriller. It is a confusing decision that derails any momentum built in the strong first hour. Everything ends with lives ruined, no lessons learned, and everyone looking awful. This is especially disappointing since Cat Person is able to engage the audience despite its paper thin characters.
The Sundance Film Festival takes place from January 19 -29. Full lineup can be found HERE
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