Cats

By: Maggie Stankiewicz

The film adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s beloved musical “Cats” inspires a myriad of existential musings, questions and jarring meditations that have been asked in cinema before, though not in so many…meows. Cats is a movie that was never meant for life on the silver screen. No amount of star power, cat nip or patience could ever propel it to the level of success its stage counterpart achieved. Even with shining moments of comedic relief and a singular profound performance, this film is one best left in the Jellicle alley.

The history of the “Cats” story dates back to T.S. Eliot’s 1939 book of poems titled Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats, but its most recent incarnation is a far cry from the endearing fables he penned for his grandchildren. Instead, the plot of Cats in this universe is rather dismal, despite a few rousing musical numbers strung throughout. The opening sequence introduces audiences to Victoria (Francesca Hayward), a young cat abandoned by her humans. Victoria quickly makes the acquaintance of a brood of cats in a sprawling musical number performed by every cat you’ve ever known. There’s the cool and confident Munkustrap (Robbie Fairchild), the rotund and chaotic Jennyanydots (Rebel Wilson), Bustopher Jones (James Corden), the magical Mr. Mistoffelees (Laurie Davidson) and the tap-dancing Skimbleshanks (Steven McRae). These feline theatre-geeks, as we find out after quite some time, are all afraid of an enigmatic cat by the name of Macavity (Idris Elba). Macavity materializes in and out of the Jellicle cats’ numbers at inopportune times, threatening them with his magical ways and glowing eyes.

Macavity, as it seems, tries to make crossroads deals with Jellicles and the city’s other feline inhabitants. If they fall victim to his mysterious ways, they become outcasts and are disregarded by the clan. Such is the case with the broken and beautiful Grizabella (Jennifer Hudson). A few more songs and a lot less actual dialogue down the line – another truth bubbles to the surface. Every cat is competing for their chance to be chosen by the charming Old Deuteronomy (Judi Dench) to ascend to the Heaviside Layer where they can become reborn into the life of their choosing. Macavity, accompanied by his antipathetic partners in crime Bombalurina (Taylor Swift) and Growltiger (Ray Winstone), attempt to sabotage the Jellicles’ efforts at being chosen by Old Deuteronomy so that he may ascend himself – the central conflict of the film. He does so by cat-napping the Jellicles in the midst of their Heaviside performances in order to eliminate the competition. Once he thins out the herd, he will win by process of elimination…or so he thinks.

Eventually, after even more kidnapping attempts and magical interventions, Victoria notices Grizabella outside longing for acceptance back into the fold. After Macavity discarded her, the Jellicles refused to accept her back. Victoria, still too young to be jaded by old grudges, invites Grizabella inside for an opportunity to audition. This powerful, poignant scene is juxtaposed by the overt absurdity of the movie that surrounds it. Jennifer Hudson’s voice as she belts out “Memories” is transcendent and for the length of the performance audiences won’t feel confused or inundated by images of adults in furry leotards…but they will feel Grizabella’s yearning for love. Then, it’s over and the movie returns to its hijinks. The film in punctuated by other small moments of laughter and warmth (largely thanks to Rebel Wilson and James Corden’s general silliness and the grace of Judi Dench), but the few minutes of song gifted to us by Grizabella’s character is the longest sentence of relief granted to viewers.

When it comes to the film’s audacity to merely exist, it’s best to address director and writer Tom Hooper and his writing partner Lee Hall with a simple assertion. They were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn’t stop to think if they should attempt to bring this feline frenzy to the big screen. Tom Hooper’s previous experience in directing the far superior Les Misérables may have emboldened the director into accepting the challenge of a Cats musical on screen. While I am all for one shooting for the moon, I’m not sure he quite landed among the stars (aside from the ones he cast as his leading kitties).

So, that’s what watching Cats is like. It’s the mind-numbing roller coaster ride of watching cats with human faces, feet and hands aggressively sing to and nuzzle one another. It might be an affront to real cats and their owners, but it is an experience. Cats, at its worst, is a confusing sensory assault that rattles the ears and strains the eyes. At its best, it’s the vehicle that carries us to towards the Heaviside voice of Jennifer Hudson.