DVD Review: The Truth About Cats and Dogs

By Kaylie Brannan
December 6, 2008                                                                        
 

"I was mesmerized by his eyebrows!" squeals Janeane Garofalo's veterinarian-slash-radio show host character Dr. Abby Barnes, referring to why she didn't inform somewhat-suitor Brian (Ben Chaplin) that she's not the woman he thinks he's in love with.  It is sparse one-liners like these that keep the audience remotely entertained long enough to make it through director Michael Lehmann's hour and thirty-seven minute film. 

The Truth About Cats and Dogs-writer Audrey Wells seeks to retell the story of Edmond Rostand 1897 play Cyrano De Bergerac but from a female's perspective.  In this romantic comedy (and other off-shoots of the original play), the story plays out like this:  intelligent yet homely young woman (Garofalo) with low self-esteem coaxes her gorgeous yet dim-witted model neighbor Noelle (Uma Thurman) to meet with an interested English caller (Chaplin) from the radio show. 

Quite the catch, both women fall for the man, but not until they have convinced him that neither of them is who he thinks she is.  Need more details to understand why a theater audience would remain seated?

Surely the phone sex scene must be reason enough.  For a PG-13 movie, the average viewer would assume that after the phone date runs through making food together, taking a bath and sharing art together that the scene might cut to the sleepy next morning.  Not so. 

We not only have to bear watching a character not-so-sneakily slip his drawers off under his lonely-man sheets then awkwardly hear the ensuing telebedroom talk ("Where's your hand?" "Nowhere..."), but (as this pet-centered film would have it) we witness the pets realization of their owners', er, excitement.  Eww.

Aside from the blatantly sexually-charged scenes (yes, there are multiples), what else can a viewer expect?  Unfortunately, a handful of stereotypical "chick-flick" scenes. 

There's the one in the shoe store where Noelle (Thurman) reassures Abby (Garofalo) that she's a desirable woman, and how else to tell her than by saying, "I'd f*** ya!" with an enthusiastic head nod? 

Another scene shows the girls having a morning coffee date, complete with crying and hugging.  Finally, there's the scene in which Brian must choose between the two (at this point drunk) women and once he does, is spied upon by a tearful Abby in the outside bushes.  Yes, women generally like to see female friendships develop in movies, but in a fresher, more genuine way.            

 Let's be honest - Janeane Garofalo may be known on and off screen for her (often self-deprecating) hilarity, but she seems to have lost that striking wit in this film.  It's also hard to convince the average audience that she is dramatically less attractive than Uma Thurman. 

So what can we be convinced of?  For one, maybe that the industry ought to stop producing romantic comedies/chick-flicks that feature an entirely American cast with a leading male character who sports a British accent.  Or maybe the 6-foot blonde woman won't always win the man's heart (gasp!).  Certainly, though, you'll be convinced that the truth about this movie is that it's hardly romantic or funny.