by Mark Murton
Starring: Bill, Stormy
Directed by: Carol Morley
Cat Out of the Bag Alert! This review contains some spoilers for this film!
Synopsis: When Detective Mike Hoolihan (Patricia Clarkson) is called to investigate the shooting of leading astrophysicist and black hole expert Jennifer Rockwell (Mamie Gummer) she is affected in ways she struggles to comprehend.
Cat Burglar (Scene Stealer): Far more than just investigating a murder mystery, Hoolihan also has to grapple with increasingly existential questions of quantum mechanics, parallel universes, and black holes. These are summed up by numerous references to the famous thought experiment ‘Schröedinger’s Cat,’ so it’s no surprise that Hoolihan has a blue shorthair cat of her own named Lola. Lola first appears on the bed as Hoolihan reads a newspaper.
Then on the floor as Hoolihan watches a news report about a development in the case.
Later Lola jumps from the bed as Hoolihan has a disturbing dream.
In another dream Hoolihan sees Jennifer’s father, Colonel Tom Rockwell (James Caan), standing silently on the stairs to her apartment with Lola in his arms.
During the above nightmare, Lola is snuggled up on the bed next to Hoolihan as she gently strokes her.
Lola is later looking out of the window as Hoolihan lies on the floor listening to a record.
Then Lola is back on the bed as Hoolihan, in day clothes, goes to lie down because the case is starting to take a physical toll on her.
As the film moves towards its conclusion and Hollihan starts on the dark journey that will solve the case and provide the answer to a mystery from her own childhood, she takes Lola to the home of the victim’s boyfriend, fellow astrophysicist Duncan Reynolds (Jonathan Majors), who was initially a suspect and had earlier explained the theory of Schröedinger’s Cat to Hoolihan, to ask him to look after her.
Reluctantly, Duncan agrees and lets Lola out of her box to explore her new surroundings.
Lola was played by cat actors Bill and Stormy. The animal trainer on the film was Angel Ribolla.
Final Mewsings: We think real cats can teach us more about existence than theoretical ones.
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