...to Skin a Cat (2004) User Reviews

Best short at festival

[mcotoole · 12 July 2004]

I saw this film at the Pocono Mountain Film Fest. This film deals with a man who gets into trouble when his girlfriend throws his clothes out the window. Things go bad to worst when someone takes his clothes from the street leaving him half naked.

The acting was first rate and the black and white photography was very good.

The camera work was very static but each shot was well composed allowing the viewer to choose what to look at rather than being subject to numerous close-ups. It looks like it was filmed in an area near New York City since the skyline could be seen in a few of the outdoor shots. All-in-all a very enjoyable short.

A Jolly Wallop of Jiggly Fun

[lotsoffalc · 2/10 · 3 November 2006]

I give the acting in this picture an enthusiastic 8! The masterful screen presence and complete believability of a young unknown named Pete Monro - cast well beneath his abilities in the boring role of Nick - is worthy of a 10. The rest of the performances drag the acting average down to 8. Though the others in the ensemble seem to have their hearts in the right place, they are unable to make the excessively weak material seem funny. Only Monro transcends the writing and twice throughout the course of 22 wasted minutes provokes laughter.

I've given this film a rating of 2 because the story is childish, the jokes are flat and predictable, and because the film's desperate attempt at cuteness is thoroughly annoying. It's very much like watching a boring and unsuccessful attempt to recreate an episode of Seinfeld or Curb Your Enthusiasm. A non-Comedy of Errors that is itself the greatest Error.

Having said what I feel I must to prevent others from seeing this with any hope of enjoying it, I must stress that the film was well lit and well shot. Technically I had no complaints. Were it not for the story and dialogue, I could've easily given this film a 9 or 10.

As it was, the only thing that kept me from storming out of the auditorium when I saw this film screened was the superb, crisp acting of the young Monro, whom I expect to hear more from. Look out Hollywood, there's a new face in town. He's Nick from To Skin a Cat, and he's good. Damn good. I'm not one to go out on a limb with predictions of this sort, but I would be surprised if within ten or fifteen years we're not universally agreeing, as a society, that Pete Monro is one of the finest, most important actors of his generation.

And for that reason, it may be worth sitting through To Skin a Cat.

If anyone who may read this knows where I can obtain a copy, please contact me. While I didn't love the film, I'd like to show some of the scenes to the acting class I instruct. By now my students have all heard so much about Monro - who I basically use as the standard by which acting is defined - that I think they ought to see this film.