The Truth About Cats And Dogs

Michael Lehmann, USA 1995, 94 minutes

The Truth About Cats and Dogs is a light, aimable comedy with some serious subtexts about appearance. Dr Abby Barnes (Janeane Garofalo, of Reality Bites and Seinfeld fame) is the smart and sassy host of the radio show of the title. She's unsure however, of her looks. Her neighbour, Noelle (Uma Thurman, no introduction needed) is a gorgeous model but unsure of herself socially and intellectually. One day Abby takes a call from English photographer Brian (Ben Chaplin, formerly of the BBC's Game On sit-com) who has a problem with a dog in rollerskates! Abby helps him out. Brian falls for Abby (her personality) and requests a face-to-face meeting. Abby, concerned that her looks will put Brian off, arranges for Noelle to impersonate her, a la Cyrano De Bergerac. Brian then thinks, of course, that he's going to get the whole fantastic package; Noelle's body and Abby's mind. An escalating series of screwball comedy misadventure follows as Abby attempts to extricate herself from the situation she has got herself into.

The genesis of The Truth About Cats and Dogs came about from writer/executive producer Audrey Wells' stint as a disc jockey; listeners would wonder what she looked like, often projecting their own desires onto her. Equally the film reflects her thoughts on the "beauty myth" and how society punishes those who fail to conform to its ideals and dictates. Inevitably though, any feminist message Wells might have wanted to make comes through the new Hollywood machine in somewhat diluted form; Janeane Garofalo is not the proverbially ugly `face for radio', and the pursuit of heterosexual union is presented as the unquestioned goal for all the characters. Similarly by giving Abby personality and Noelle looks, The Truth About Cats and Dogs doesn't discuss what happens to those with neither. But, in spite of these criticisms, a surprising degree of worthy social commentary and positive messages are apparent. In any case, wouldn't all that serious stuff make the film a dull bore?

Review by Keith H Brown
Taken from EUFS Programme 1997-98