Cinematography:
Jérôme BrézillonComposer:
Olivier DaviaudCast:
Hafsia Herzi, Karina Testa, François Morel, Mathieu Amalric, Mohamed Fellag, Eric Elmosnino, François Damiens, Joann Sfar, Wojciech Pszoniak (more)VOD (1)
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Based on the best-selling graphic novel by Joann Sfar, The Rabbi's Cat tells the story of a rabbi and his talking cat – a sharp-tongued feline philosopher brimming with scathing humor and a less than pure love for the rabbi's voluptuous teenage daughter. Algeria in the 1930s is an intersection of Jewish, Arab and French culture. A cat belonging to a widowed rabbi and his beautiful daughter, Zlabya, eats the family parrot and miraculously gains the ability to speak. Along with the power of speech comes unparalleled sardonic wit, and the cat – and filmmaker Sfar – spare no group or individual as they skewer faith, tradition and authority in a provocative exploration of (among other things) God, lust, death, phrenology, religious intolerance, interspecies love, and the search for truth. Rich with the colors, textures, flavors and music of Mediterranean Africa, the film embarks on a cross continent adventure from the tiled terraces, fountains, quays and cafes of colonial Algiers to Maghrebi tent camps, dusty trading outposts, and deep blue Saharan nights in search of a lost Ethiopian city. (GKIDS)
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The Rabbi's Cat is a lighthearted animated bizarre film intended for festival audiences. Honestly, I have no idea who I could recommend it to outside the circle of festival enthusiasts. It's definitely not for children, nor is it for popcorn fans, as there is a lot of dialogue and the humor is not always obvious. On the other hand, it's not for intellectuals either, as the humor can be quite obvious at times, and the dialogues, while light, are not sophisticated. It's also not for believers, despite the fact that it revolves around the Jewish faith, as it treats religious belief somewhat disrespectfully. However, I personally enjoyed the visual style, approximately two-thirds of the characters, and the exaggeration with which the screenwriters approach the story. Unfortunately, where the film is supposed to build up, it ultimately falls apart. In the last third, the film completely breaks down from a screenwriting perspective, and what was initially a promising road movie goes astray. But as they say, sometimes the journey is the destination, and those two-thirds were worth it. Overall impression: 70%.
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Gallery (21)
Photo © Pathé Films
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