Listen Up Philip (2014)

by Linda Kay

Starring: Fluffy, Ethel Moss, Lucy Moss

Directed by: Alex Ross Perry

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

Synopsis: While novelist Philip (Jason Schwartzman) is enjoying moderate success, he finds himself struggling to finish his next book. The self-involved writer looks for guidance from the equally selfish but famous author Ike Zimmerman (Jonathan Pryce) but the man’s guidance does nothing to assuage Philip’s discontentment with pretty much everything around him.

Cat Burglars (Scene Stealers): Philip leaves his longtime girlfriend Ashley (Elisabeth Moss) for the summer to stay at Ike’s personal retreat. Ashley is a photographer and while she is on set one day working with models there are also kittens for the photo shoot.

Listen Up Philip - ginger tabby kitten preening

The less than enthusiastic models hold the kittens in their laps. Ashley takes a ginger tabby kitten from one of the models and plays with her for a few moments.

Listen Up Philip - Ashley Elisabeth Moss taking ginger tabby kitten from model with second kitten in other model's lap

Listen Up Philip - Ashley Elisabeth Moss holding ginger tabby kitten

Listen Up Philip - Ashley Elisabeth Moss playing with ginger tabby kitten animated gif

Listen Up Philip - Ashley Elisabeth Moss holding up ginger tabby kitten

Kitty Cameos: Deciding to get a cat of her own, Ashley visits an animal shelter where several kitties are waiting for forever homes.

Listen Up Philip - calico cat in cage at shelter

Listen Up Philip - ginger tabby cat in cage at shelter

Listen Up Philip - half face tortoiseshell cat in cage at shelter

Ashley specifically requests a black and white cat. She ends up adopting a huge longhair tuxedo cat she names Gadzookey.

Listen Up Philip - Ashley Elisabeth Moss cradling longhair tuxedo cat Gadzookey Fluffy

Showing Gadzookey around his new home, the cat seems comfortable enough (albeit confused) but has a tendency to hiss at Ashley.

Listen Up Philip - Ashley Elisabeth Moss with longhair tuxedo cat Gadzookey Fluffy

Listen Up Philip - longhair tuxedo cat Gadzookey Fluffy

Listen Up Philip - Ashley Elisabeth Moss dancing with longhair tuxedo cat Gadzookey Fluffy

Listen Up Philip - Ashley Elisabeth Moss playing with longhair tuxedo cat Gadzookey Fluffy animated gif

Ashley spends a lot of her time with Gadzookey the cat, although she avoids the apartment one evening because she realizes she is probably mildly allergic to the cat.

When Philip finally returns Ashley introduces him to Gadzookey then waves his paw at Philip to say goodbye.

Listen Up Philip - Ashley Elisabeth Moss holding longhair tuxedo cat Gadzookey Fluffy with Philip Jason Schwartzman

Listen Up Philip - Ashley Elisabeth Moss making longhair tuxedo cat Gadzookey Fluffy wave goodbye

Listen Up Philip - Ashley Elisabeth Moss making longhair tuxedo cat Gadzookey Fluffy wave goodbye to Philip Jason Schwartzman animated gif

In the end Ashley seems much happier with Gadzookey than she ever did with Philip.

Behind the Scenes

Gadzookey was played by director Alex Ross Perry’s own kitty named Fluffy. Fluffy was somewhat less than enthusiastic at being brought to set and hissed at his co-stars but this became an integral part of Gadzookey’s personality.

Listen Up Philip - longhair tuxedo cat Gadzookey Fluffy hissing

Sadly Fluffy became seriously ill with a nasal tumor and lymphoma shortly after the film’s release. An online campaign raised over $10,000 and Fluffy underwent successful treatment according to the last post on that page dated July 1, 2015. The last references we could find to Fluffy online were dated in 2017.

Listen Up Philip - Ashley Elisabeth Moss with longhair tuxedo cat Gadzookey Fluffy and Philip Jason Schwartman on set — **(Left) Cat actor Fluffy with costars Jason Schwartzman and Elisabeth Moss. (Right) Photo of Fluffy from GoFundMe page.**

A behind the scenes look at Fluffy the cat working on the set of Listen Up Philip.

Also credited were the two kittens at the photo shoot; named Lucy and Ethel (undoubtedly a nod to I Love Lucy) the cats are credited with the surname Moss and are, of course, the beloved pets of actress Elisabeth Moss who has shared photos of the kitties on her social media accounts. A picture of Ethel wearing A Handmaid’s Tale costume circulated online in 2019, but Lucy was reportedly not as cooperative. “Lucy wouldn’t dare put it on. But Ethel is game for a laugh. The size really did fit her, especially round her head,” Moss explained.