Very interesting film. Was caught on the premise when seeing the trailer but unsure as to what the outcome would be for the showing. As it turns out, it was a very good film.

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

Blistering performances.

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

There is a certain charm to 'A Streetcat Named Bob (2012)' that mostly works its way to the surface in the more feel-good sequences revolving around the titular cat, who's good-natured antics are easy to smile at and innately brighten up the film. The piece is generally formulaic and predictable, though, to the point that it seems as though it's going through the motions of a story we've seen countless times before, without any substantial stylistic or story hooks to differentiate itself or keep us especially engaged. It's not that the picture is bad or even that it ever fails to entertain, it's just that it never creates more than a serviceable level of attachment to its relatively one-note characters or consistently low-stakes story and as such remains a passive viewing experience throughout, even when it briefly dips into the grittier side of being a recovering addict or when it's feline star does something undeniably cute, like give its owner a high-five. 5/10

Not quite, though both stories are about a man with an orange cat. This is about a younger man, who doesn't hit the road, and instead is a recovering drug addict in continuous danger of falling off the wagon. But when a stray orange cat enters the apartment he had been sequestered in, he finds a reason to live again. Indeed, having the cat around makes him more attractive to people, whom he normally has trouble dealing with.This movie does not degenerate into schmaltz. He meets a young female neighbor, but they stay friends and not lovers. Only his father has feelings for him; he is still estranged from his other relatives. A friend who is also drug addict ends up dying from his habit. The cat himself causes trouble by running off at the wrong times.In the end, though, the story of the cat eventually becomes a bestselling book for him, so he no longer has to make a living by panhandling. This might seem like a Hollywood ending, except that this story is all true. Recommended, especially if you're a cat person.

After reading a brief synopsis of this movie figured it could be interesting – then followed a strong recommendation from friends. It certainly proved worth the time and money (if sadly not quite so for the producers). This is the sort of project I imagine several directors may have taken a look at the script then run screaming from the room. There's actually not much more the producers could have achieved with the material - other than the treatment they've ended up with. The initial story is a grim battle to overcome drug addiction and death among the homeless. Add to this, the heavy participation of a cat - which meant the final product then, had to please two totally opposite audiences. The outcome is a decent balance between a deathly harrowing real life situation and a rising-above-the-rot victory. Among other things, the movie shows us it's a bit of a worry that people don't seem to want to give to street dwellers and beggars but, add a cat to your situation and the money comes rolling in. Yes, most everyone has a different attraction to Animals – rightly or wrongly.This is relatively easy to understand, to a degree. I suppose many people have become cynical through being 'taken-for-ride' by the con artists - who spoil it for those genuinely doing it tough. What lifts this one above being an overly sugary mix is the fact this partnership, is built on the unique need to survive on the mean streets and simultaneously overcome the devil on the skids. The Cat (played by the real Bob) is an undeniable trooper and these hapless lost souls find strength to go that extra mile from each other. Performances are neat enough and the production manages to look impressive - even while trundling out some grim London situations. Some songs seem manufactured for the movie but they work well, so this is not a drawback. It's a delicate balancing act but the message is delivered in such a manner - that most audiences should come away with something to feel positive about and, regard it all as well worth the time.

James Bowen (Luke Treadaway) is a homeless man who's recovering from drug addiction and, in order to try and get by, he makes his money by busking in Covent Garden. After suffering a relapse, James is given one last lifeline by his drug counsellor Val (Joanne Froggatt) whom manages to acquire him some accommodation on the proviso that he cleans up his act. However, James' rocky road to recovery begins with the most unlikely of packages in the form of a stray cat named Bob...Sometimes it is the simplest of films that are often the most effective and A Street Cat Named Bob is a good case in point. What we effectively have here is the story of a young man who has made some bad choices in life and is desperate to sort his life out and get clean. When a stray cat is introduced into his life this gives him something other than himself to focus his attention on and he basically chooses to put the cat before himself which of course makes him an endearing character - in spite of him being a recovering drug addict.The other thread to the story is James' developing friendship with Betty (Ruta Gedmintas) which basically gives James an insight into what a normal existence could be like; one gets the impression that he probably hadn't had too many healthy influences in his life for quite some time up till this point. The friendship played out between Gedmintas and Treadaway is sweet and the pair have a wonderful, easy-going chemistry about them.One of the main standout points in this film is Luke Treadaway who takes us on this emotional journey as the real life James Bowen in wonderful fashion - his commitment and dedication is evident on screen and he is never less than 100% convincing (this is made all the better when you remember that he probably spends half of the film talking to a cat).As good as this film is I think it's fair to say that it has one or two weak spots; the thread with Bowen's parents seemed to be clumsily thrown into the story without much real thought or development and I couldn't help but feel that the film wouldn't have been any different if they weren't mentioned at all? The screenplay is also a bit safe and clinical; for example in its early stages virtually every problem that Bowen encountered was able to be resolved without too many issues yet in the latter stages of the film everything seems to go wrong for him despite his best efforts to get his life on track. I can only assume that this approach has been employed to make the picture more dramatic, but it does render some aspects of the picture to be somewhat unbelievable. The same approach seems to have been adopted with Bowen dealing with his drug addiction making the narrative feel slightly uneven at times.Still this is a very good film that is funny, heart-warming, uplifting and inspirational and just goes to show that anyone can turn their life around if they have the desire to do so. In spite of some of its weaknesses, it is still a film that's brimming with both positivity and likability.