A Street Cat Named Bob (the film)

Having read Jame's Bowen's wonderful book 'A Street Cat Named Bob' (which I reviewed briefly here) I was keen to see the film which was released recently.

The film tells a more dramatised version of James' life as he tried to turn his life around from being a homeless drug user through being a street busker to being a Big Issue seller to being a successful author.

Early on in the film James, who has just been moved into sheltered accommodation discovers Bob who has sneaked in through an open window. At first James doesn't want to keep Bob, but rather just to look after him until he finds the real owner. However Bob turns out not to have anyone so James keeps him. When he takes Bob out busking, crowds gather like they never did when James busked by himself and his music earns more money than it ever did before. (While this is great for James and Bob it offers an interesting commentary on the British character that we will show more concern and interest for a homeless person with a pet than we would for someone in the same situation with no pet).

Bob is definitely the star of the film and I loved the way that much of the film is shot from his point of view (chasing mice or making his way through crowded London streets). Bob is played by a series of cats, including Bob himself!

It's a lovely film, combining social commentary and cuteness in equal degree. It's more sentimental than I remember the book being, but it definitely shows the beneficial effect that caring for a pet can often have on people who are struggling in their own lives.

A Street Cat Named Bob is showing at Cineworld Edinburgh - you can find out more and book tickets here.