Tara Road (2005)

by Mark Murton

Directed by: Gillies MacKinnon

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

Synopsis: Two women who live 3,000 miles apart and have never met, American Marilyn Vine (Andie McDowell) and Irish mother of two Ria (Olivia Williams), agree to swap houses for a couple of months. Marilyn’s teenage son has been killed in an accident and Ria’s husband has been seeing a much younger woman who is now pregnant. Both women hope the change of location will help them rediscover themselves and allow them to face their problems at home.

Kitty Cameo: The film opens with Ria arriving at her Tara Road home. The front door opens and her two children, Annie (Sarah Bolger), who is carrying the family cat we later learn is called Clemence, and Brian (Johnny Brennan), rush out to greet her.

Tara Road - Annie Sarah Bolger exited front door with ginger tabby cat Clemence

Brian helps his mother with the things she has bought for his forthcoming birthday party. Annie hurries to beat them to the front door.

Tara Road - Annie Sarah Bolger holding ginger tabby cat Clemence with Ria Olivia Williams and Brian Johnny Brennan
Tara Road - Annie Sarah Bolger running while holding ginger tabby cat Clemence

Getting there first Annie scurries inside and closes the door on them.

Tara Road - Annie Sarah Bolger about to close front door while holding ginger tabby cat Clemence

Later in the film the children are going to fly out to America to join Ria at Marilyn’s home. Before they leave they arrive at Tara Road to “say goodbye to our cat”. Marilyn invites them in and they sit at the kitchen table with Brian holding Clemence on his lap.

Tara Road - Brian Johnny Brennan holding ginger tabby cat Clemence in lap at table with Ria Olivia Williams and Annie Sarah Bolger
Tara Road - Brian Johnny Brennan holding ginger tabby cat Clemence in lap at table with Ria Olivia Williams and Annie Sarah Bolger

Marilyn serves them some food, and then joins them at the table. They sit and talk, with Marilyn telling them about the death of her son.

Tara Road - Brian Johnny Brennan holding ginger tabby cat Clemence in lap at table with Ria Olivia Williams

The animal handlers on the film were from Fircroft Kennels.

Tara Road - Brian Johnny Brennan holding ginger tabby cat Clemence in lap at table

Final Mewsings: Cat actors deserve more than badly blocked cameos.

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