A Street Cat Named Bob

Whilst I'm not usually drawn to writing reviews I'd just like to add that I thoroughly enjoyed this along with my young teenage children and partner, yes we all love cats which possibly helped but really, the acting was very good, the characters were believable and engaging, the story had our attention and whilst sadly the cinema wasn't exactly what you'd call full, those present loved it also. I've since read that the script lacked 'good grammar' and was too simplistic, whilst I may not have been Cambridge educated I thought that it was in keeping with the subject and none of our party felt it lacked anything, quite the opposite in fact. A movie which 'touched' us all and I'll be recommending this to friends and family. The best film since Eddie The eagle!!

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

Bob was originally a street cat and picked up a tramp on the side of the road.

This man's name is James Bowen, poor, drug addicted, and earn money by singing on the street.

What can this kind cat can do? Of course, this person is adopted.

This was originally a very simple story. But as the story is real, it 's not simple any longer.

As an avid cat lover I was always going to enjoy this movie. And as a person who myself suffered an addiction, and am in recovery, I totally related to the Lead Character in every way. Whilst dealing with the subject of addiction is a very difficult issue to cover, I thought this movie covered it well. Highlighting the lead character's isolation,, detachment from the outside World and people in general........and the redemption he found by meeting Bob, a wandering cat, who just happened to enter his life.

The touching story line that involved the developing relationship between him and Bob was beautifully told. The cat made him smile again, gave him a reason to live. His social skills with people were not good but with the cat, he became stronger and happier as each day passed.

This was a wonderfully uplifting film I related to on so many levels. Excellent acting, and Bob the cat. was the best of them !

This film offers almost exactly what you would expect it to and there's nothing wrong with that. We've seen better movies about the trials of homelessness, the tortures involved in getting clean from heroin, especially the latter when it's worth remembering this is a 12A certificate and so the horrors experienced by the main character can't be quite as lurid, nightmarish and unsettling as those depicted in TRAINSPOTTING.

Otherwise, this adaptation of James Bowen's autobiography, his account of how he was saved by the unlikely companionship of Bob, is pretty likable stuff. Luke Treadaway's performance is perfectly fine; his depiction of a drug user who's lost everything and is living rough comes across as credible enough. If there's a sense of fantasy about the effect Bob has on his fortunes - Londoners react to Bob as though they've never seen a cat before - then you just have to go with it to an extent. The film makes it clear that Bob personifies James's salvation, and it was a lovely detail to discover one of the feline actors playing the cat was none other than Bob himself.

Anthony Head doesn't need to do much to play James's estranged father, but he handles the emotional turmoil hidden beneath the character's austere exterior really well. Joanne Froggatt and THE STRAIN's Ruta Gedmintas are memorable as James's doctor and distant love interest respectively. The latter is a bit too obviously 'hippy chick' but she just about gets away with it, and I respected that the romantic undertones of her story line climaxed in a bittersweet, realistic way.

For me, this is up there with EDDIE THE EAGLE as a title that won't win any awards and will never slay the box office, but it made me feel better for having seen it. I'm looking forward to reading Bowen's book now. And I once knew a cat called Bob - a more affectionate and avuncular friend I don't think I've ever had.