Sundance 2023: Cat Person

When 20-year old college student, Margot (played by Emilia Jones), begins a relationship with 30 something passer by, Robert (played by Nicholas Braun), a struggle of self preservation and power dynamics collide, as sexual assault nightmares, text ghosting, man child sex, and stalking, become the weapons of choice. Based on a popular New York Times article, circa 2017 by Kristen Roupenian, and directed by Susanna Fogel.

 

 

Cat Person (2023) does it’s best to adapt Kristen Roupenian’s dissection of misunderstandings amongst the sexes in modern times, and understandably sensationalizes the material for excitement. However, that spectacle confuses the point of the New York Times article, being about the problems straight cis men and women have with each other when it comes to dating in the 21st century. Cat Person (2023) pushes back and forth, seeing both sides of the gender argument, but ultimately and clearly makes the male side of the argument more problematic, which contradicts Susanna Fogel’s point of ambiguity that she stated multiple times, during the Cat Person (2023) Q&A at Sundance 2023. The film wants to be a thriller and an indie dramedy simultaneously, having the percentage mix 70% thriller; 30% dramedy, and it doesn’t help that it’s shot like a comedy. These genre combinations distract from the context of the plot and the nuanced subtlety that could exist, in this adaption about Boundaries. Even more defragmented, is that protagonist Margo is displayed as a trust fund child of extremely rich parents, whom live in a mansion, in a scene that shows Margo’s first exposure to traditional and harmful gender roles. In comparison, Robert lives in a small house with his cats, pointing to a commentary within the film, of class biases Margo may have deep down inside her when interacting with Robert. However, Cat Person (2023) only seems to hold that scene with Margo’s parents as a sign towards her view on gender roles, and not her possible class bias, in which if actually focused on, that aspect would of brought a much needed depth that the article features itself. 

 

 

An aspect of Cat Person (2023) that does hold up, are the performances. Emilia Jones does a pitch perfect job playing an awkward American 20-year old college student, trying to self preserve, and who fake’s confidence at first, but falls to vulnerability when she’s found out, and then gains a psychological upper hand in the relationship with Robert, as she truly gets to know him. Nicholas Braun is a master at playing an insecure, geeky and painfully awkward 33-year old who lacks experience, and falls victim to a one way idea of what a man is. And Geraldine Viswanathan is fully focused as Margo’s acerbic best friend, who doesn’t support Margo’s open pursuit of Robert. 

 

 

Cat Person (2023) adapts the right material to explore an interesting and ignored conversation, of straight cis relationships post MeToo, with committed performances and earnest dialogue. However, Susanna Fogel over looks very intriguing aspects, and important details to add to the conversation, for assumed subtlety and lazy minded spectacle for instant excitement, rather than trusting in excitement within a film’s writing of well-developed characters and plotting. Cat Person (2023) ultimately does a huge disservice to it's original source material, that entered a fantastic consideration to a sparsely focused subject matter. 4/10. 

 

 

·         Maurice Jones