By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 2.5 cats
Director: Steve Barron
Starring: Andrew Lovern | David Wilmot | Frank Kelly | Imelda Staunton | Kerry Condon | Pete Postlethwaite | Veronica Duffy
Country: united_kingdom, united_states
Year: 2001
Running time: 89
IMDB: http://us.imdb.com/Details?0234570
Diane says: “Ya gotta love Pete Postlethwaite, but RAT was a disappointment, especially after being billed as ‘Kafkaesque.’ In this Irish comedy about a man who turns into a rat after a trip to the pub one night, members of the family deal with it in their
own ways, helped along by a journalist who moves in to ghost-write a book about the ordeal. Satire too broad here. Not particularly recommended.” 2 cats
Laura says: “Director Barron (TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES) has assembled a game cast and keeps things moving along at a sprightly pace. The film has some truly side-splitting moments, particularly with the mysteries of the Catholic faith, a strength reliably found in Irish filmmaking and the occasional Woody Allen movie. Father Geraldo (Niall Toibin) ponders whether an ill Hubert should be given an exorcism or last rites first and decides on the exorcism because the devil isn’t entitled to last rites. Conchita frets over droppings on her doilies while Uncle Matt expounds on the animal kingdom (‘The rat’s a horse of a different color than the budgie.’) and explains why Hubert isn’t eligible for unemployment benefits.” 3 cats
For Laura’s complete review: “http://www.reelingreviews.com/rat.htm”
Stephen says: “RAT is undeniably funny, but it leaves an aftertaste of not having been sorted out enough by its creators to give us confidence in our own sorting out. A little less dependence on ‘faith and begorrah’ stereotyping would have helped, but a little more honesty about what the project was really up to would be even more essential. If the writer is ultimately a villain for having written the truth about the familial hypocrisies he witnessed, what does that make us for agreeing with him?”