by Mark Murton

Directed by: Randall Cole

Cat Out of the Bag Alert! This review contains some spoilers for this film!

Synopsis: Hyperactive compulsive gambler Andy (Jay Baruchel) has just been told by hit man Reuben (Randy Quaid) that he has one hour to live before he takes his life in exchange for overdue gambling debts. With the deadline looming, Reuben lets Andy choose how to spend his last hour.

Kitty Cameo: When Reuben first gets him into his car Andy is trotting out his well-worn bad luck excuses when he suddenly stops talking as he spies a cat carrier on the back seat containing a rather worried-looking tuxedo cat. It quickly dawns on Andy that it is his own cat, Cleo. “Why do you have my Cleo?” demands Andy before answering his own question. “Oh I get it, you’re going to hurt my poor defenseless little cat just because I owe you a little money?” The true seriousness of his situation finally becomes apparent to Andy when he tries to take Cleo and leave only for Reuben to give him a sharp crack over the head with his pistol.

Despite much of the action taking place in Reuben’s car, Cleo remains out of sight on the back seat until near the end of the film. As they drive towards their final destination Cleo makes one final appearance when Andy talks to Reuben about her before turning to reach through the carrier door to scritch her head.

Cat Cattle Call: Earlier in the film, Andy decides he wants to say his farewells to his grandmother (Jayne Eastwood) and once they enter her house it quickly becomes apparent she owns a multitude of cats (or “just the ten,” as she informs Andy, although we only ever actually see five). When they arrive Grandma is sitting on the sofa watching TV with a black cat on her lap.

As Andy goes to sit beside his grandmother, Reuben loiters in the doorway and soon a ginger and white cat runs (or is catapulted) into the scene beside him.

While Andy’s grandmother examines what food Andy has brought her the ginger and white cat can be seen on the piano behind her while a gray tabby disappears out of shot on the right.

Another angle shows a gray and white tabby cat sitting in a cat hideout in the background.

Andy goes to the kitchen to get himself a drink and Reuben follows to keep an eye on him. A cry behind him draws his attention to the ginger and white cat who is now sitting on the stove.

The cat watches Andy as he goes to the sink.

When they return to the living room grandma has the black cat on her lap again while the ginger and white cat has moved to the sofa beside her.

Moments later a white cat with black markings jumps down from the piano while the gray and white tabby is now sitting on top of the cat hideout.

As Andy and Reuben leave, his grandma and the black cat watch from a window. The animal trainer on the film was Jackie Parkin.

Final Mewsings: If you knew you only had an hour to live wouldn’t you want to spend it in the company of cats?

Relevant Links:

To discuss this film and other cats in movies and on television, join us on Facebook and X.