114 reviews
When I read the synopsis for "The Truth About Cats & Dogs" I was hoping that it would not be another one of those overly sappy and corny romantic comedy that the movie industry tends to spew out by the dozens. And I was hoping it would be more than such, especially because it had Janeane Garofalo on the cast list.
I sat down to watch it in 2016, 20 years after it was released. And this was actually the first time that I have seen it, believe it or not.
And it turned out that "The Truth About Cats & Dogs" was a rather enjoyable movie, and one that did offer a bit more than your average run-of-the-mill romantic comedies.
The story is about low self-esteemed radio show host Abby who gives a caller named Brian some good advice on how to befriend a dog. And when Brian wants to repay her for her helpful advice, Abby turns to Noelle, a tall model living in her building, to stand in for her and pretend to be her.
Of course, there are elements of classic romantic comedy to "The Truth About Cats & Dogs", but it does have more than just that. I liked the aspect of the switched roles and pretending to be someone you are not, as it offered a different approach to the story.
And the cast in "The Truth About Cats & Dogs" was just phenomenal. Uma Thurman and Ben Chaplin were doing great jobs and were nicely cast. However, it was Jeneane Garofalo who stole the scene, without a doubt. With her amazing on-screen charisma and presence, she just carried the movie so well on her shoulders. She was an absolute delight to witness in this movie.
I was more than genuinely entertained by "The Truth About Cats & Dogs" and it turned out to be a much better movie than I had hoped. So if you haven't already seen his movie, and if you enjoy romantic comedies, then I can more than warmly recommend that you take the time to sit down and watch "The Truth About Cats & Dogs".
"The Truth About Cats & Dogs" scores a solid six out of ten stars rating from me.
I sat down to watch it in 2016, 20 years after it was released. And this was actually the first time that I have seen it, believe it or not.
And it turned out that "The Truth About Cats & Dogs" was a rather enjoyable movie, and one that did offer a bit more than your average run-of-the-mill romantic comedies.
The story is about low self-esteemed radio show host Abby who gives a caller named Brian some good advice on how to befriend a dog. And when Brian wants to repay her for her helpful advice, Abby turns to Noelle, a tall model living in her building, to stand in for her and pretend to be her.
Of course, there are elements of classic romantic comedy to "The Truth About Cats & Dogs", but it does have more than just that. I liked the aspect of the switched roles and pretending to be someone you are not, as it offered a different approach to the story.
And the cast in "The Truth About Cats & Dogs" was just phenomenal. Uma Thurman and Ben Chaplin were doing great jobs and were nicely cast. However, it was Jeneane Garofalo who stole the scene, without a doubt. With her amazing on-screen charisma and presence, she just carried the movie so well on her shoulders. She was an absolute delight to witness in this movie.
I was more than genuinely entertained by "The Truth About Cats & Dogs" and it turned out to be a much better movie than I had hoped. So if you haven't already seen his movie, and if you enjoy romantic comedies, then I can more than warmly recommend that you take the time to sit down and watch "The Truth About Cats & Dogs".
"The Truth About Cats & Dogs" scores a solid six out of ten stars rating from me.
- paul_haakonsen
- Nov 18, 2016
- Permalink
Janeane Garofalo stars as Abby, a veterinarian who has her own radio show. She is a cultured, educated woman, who is smart, has a good sense of humor and makes a great living. The problem is that her self-esteem is low because she does not find herself attractive being 5'1 brunette who once upon a time while in college had gained 40 pounds. Well, she looked like she lost all of them and she was charming if you ask me (perhaps, it is solidarity of another 5'0 brunette ) but when she developed a relationship over the phone with one of the callers, she tells him that she is 5'10" statuesque blonde who is hard to miss. The blonde (Uma Thurman) happened to be her next-door neighbor, the aspiring model/actress who agrees to go on the date instead of Abby... It may sound like cliché, and the film has several holes in the plot but is very enjoyable thanks to wonderful performance by Janeane and to these words:
"You know how someone's appearance can change the longer you know them? How a really attractive person, if you don't like them, can become more and more ugly; whereas someone you might not have even have noticed... that you wouldn't look at more than once, if you love them, can become the most beautiful thing you've ever seen. All you want to do is be near them."
7/10
"You know how someone's appearance can change the longer you know them? How a really attractive person, if you don't like them, can become more and more ugly; whereas someone you might not have even have noticed... that you wouldn't look at more than once, if you love them, can become the most beautiful thing you've ever seen. All you want to do is be near them."
7/10
- Galina_movie_fan
- Aug 22, 2005
- Permalink
This film is really sweet, even more so if you are an animal lover. The three leads are all perfectly cast, with Janeane Garofalo doing an absolutely excellent job as the radio show vet whose self-conscious about her image. This film really does stretch credibility, but then most romantic comedies tend to due to their very nature. The dog has to be one of the cutest I have seen in a film- probably because he is a real dog rather than the little dogs that many comedies seem to favor. A very pleasant way to spend 90 minutes.
- Meredith-7
- Nov 19, 1999
- Permalink
"The Truth About Cats and Dogs" may be a charming and (rare these days) profanity free comedy, but it reveals some unpleasant truths about Hollywood and maybe American society as a whole. Janeane Garofolo plays a veterinarian who dispenses advice about pets on a radio talk show. One male caller is so taken with her voice and personality that he asks her for a physical description and a meeting. Insecure about her looks, the petite brunette describes herself as a tall blonde, and when her admirer appears at the radio station, he is introduced to Uma Thurman, a tall blonde, who agrees to trade places with Garofolo. The message of this film is that the beauty within is more important than physical attractiveness, but the other unintended message is that physical beauty is not in the eye of the beholder but determined by how closely one resembles the seemingly bulimic fashion models plastered on magazine covers. Uma Thurman is a perfect match which is the same as saying she is, in Hollywood's eyes, perfect. I couldn't disagree more. Thurman is a bag of bones and, to my eyes, not at all attractive. Garofolo, who at one point in the film is called "ugly," is, in fact, the woman with the most appeal, physically and in terms of personality. She makes this movie worth remembering.
This is another rom/com based on the Cyrano Hercule Savinien de Bergerac premise. Like Roxanne, this work holds much charm, some great performances, and not a small amount of charisma. I do find it amusing that many male reviewers of this work find it "disgusting," and "deceitful," where the women in the movie are the antagonists, yet men did not find Roxanne (where the men were the antagonists) anything but entertaining.
Noelle is a model/would be news caster. Abby has her own radio show about pets and how to care for them. Abby chose radio because she is intelligent, yet by standards set in today's society, she finds herself unattractive. Noelle is her polar opposite. She is beautiful and thin, yet can barely hold her own against a fifth grader, conversationally and intellectually.
"You know? Between the two of us, we make the perfect woman!" Uma Thurman as Noelle With the comparison to Cyrano de Bergerac in my opening statement, I'm sure you can deduce what happens when a handsome photographer is introduced into their lives.
This is not exactly sweet, as are most rom/coms. But it is enigmatic and holds a strong draw to see how it finishes out. It was fun, even if it did create an ethical stretch mark on the rom/com sub genre.
It rates a 6.5/10 from...
the Fiend :.
Noelle is a model/would be news caster. Abby has her own radio show about pets and how to care for them. Abby chose radio because she is intelligent, yet by standards set in today's society, she finds herself unattractive. Noelle is her polar opposite. She is beautiful and thin, yet can barely hold her own against a fifth grader, conversationally and intellectually.
"You know? Between the two of us, we make the perfect woman!" Uma Thurman as Noelle With the comparison to Cyrano de Bergerac in my opening statement, I'm sure you can deduce what happens when a handsome photographer is introduced into their lives.
This is not exactly sweet, as are most rom/coms. But it is enigmatic and holds a strong draw to see how it finishes out. It was fun, even if it did create an ethical stretch mark on the rom/com sub genre.
It rates a 6.5/10 from...
the Fiend :.
- FiendishDramaturgy
- Apr 20, 2007
- Permalink
A very pleasant romantic comedy, varying the themes of Cyrano de Bergerac and Pillow Talk. The quality of the dialogue is superb, and the acting (especially by lead Janeane Garofalo) is excellent too, not to mention the excellent job done by the dog and its trainer. However, the plot has one gigantic hole: the male lead (Ben Chaplin) is supposedly unable to distinguish the voices of the two female leads; giving this character some kind of a hearing impairment would have saved the plot, but the writers did not dare.
Apart from that (admittedly major) flaw the only other problem with the film is typical for the genre: the story focuses too much on the leads, it does not give the minor characters enough room to develop an identity.
Apart from that (admittedly major) flaw the only other problem with the film is typical for the genre: the story focuses too much on the leads, it does not give the minor characters enough room to develop an identity.
The message of this movie is "personality is more important than beauty". Jeanine Garofalo is supposed to be the "ugly duckling", but the funny thing is that she's not at all ugly (actually she's a lot more attractive than Uma Thurman, the friend who looks like a model).
Now, would this movie work if the "ugly duckling" was really unattractive? When will Hollywood stop with this hypocrisy?
In my opinion, despite the message that it wants to convey, this movie is simply ridiculous.
Now, would this movie work if the "ugly duckling" was really unattractive? When will Hollywood stop with this hypocrisy?
In my opinion, despite the message that it wants to convey, this movie is simply ridiculous.
- vispateresa
- Dec 16, 2000
- Permalink
This is a lovely, funny and well done romantic comedy. I have to admit I am impressed by the folks who continue to say they felt JG was too pretty to be Abby and that it just didn't ring true to them because of that fact. Well I'm here to tell you folks that this movie is closer to the truth than you realize. One of the things that DOES make this film soo good is that Abby is truly a lovely woman but is surrounded by main stream media and what it says beauty is, namely, Noelle, played admirably by Uma Thurman. Yes Abby is a beautiful woman, but as a woman who looks nothing like all the adds on TV or magazines like JG it is easy to see why she would think she isn't. And honestly I know way too many men who would pass her by in favor of the Noelles of this world. I have a beautiful friend who is very similar to JG and she has had the same problems Abby has in this movie because of perceived images of beauty. THAT is the message this film is trying to make that Abby is beautiful and the media has put too much emphasis on stereotypes. No I don't think they should have hired an UGLIER actress that is simply ridiculous, the film was not about an ugly woman but a beautiful woman who has fallen into the trap of "THINKING" she is unattractive! Watch the movie again folks, you'll see what I mean.
- drkjedi1-2
- Jan 5, 2003
- Permalink
(1996) The Truth About Cats and Dogs
ROMANTIC COMEDY
I don't remember too much about this film since it's been awhile except that I liked it, about non- attractive girl well known comedian Jeanne Garafolo, she plays Abby who sort of work as an advice for animal caring through phone. And has trouble with her love life assuming that she's never good enough to go out with any attractive single fellow, because of her attractive sister, Noelle played by Uma Thurman. Although, viewers can predict what happens at the end of this film, the more relevant question is what can this film offer viewers at the center. Sometimes pretentious, but with a likable understanding cast with some heart felt dialogue makes this film a winner.
I don't remember too much about this film since it's been awhile except that I liked it, about non- attractive girl well known comedian Jeanne Garafolo, she plays Abby who sort of work as an advice for animal caring through phone. And has trouble with her love life assuming that she's never good enough to go out with any attractive single fellow, because of her attractive sister, Noelle played by Uma Thurman. Although, viewers can predict what happens at the end of this film, the more relevant question is what can this film offer viewers at the center. Sometimes pretentious, but with a likable understanding cast with some heart felt dialogue makes this film a winner.
- jordondave-28085
- Oct 1, 2023
- Permalink
There's a lot to like in THE TRUTH ABOUT CATS AND DOGS but I find the basic premise completely unbelievable. BEN CHAPLIN is a handsome man who is fooled into thinking that the radio personality he's impressed by is really her blonde neighbor (UMA THURMAN), enough so that he falls in love with Thurman until he finds out the two women have been playing a deceptive trick on him.
He broods about it for awhile before deciding that he really loves the plain Jane for her brains and whatever pearls of wisdom she expressed when they first met. It's really a stretch to think that Chaplin would settle for the unattractive gal after smooching it up with Thurman at every opportunity.
Despite the weak premise, it's played with style and wit and emerges, overall, as a pleasant escapist kind of comedy. Unfortunately, it's not convincing enough in sending the message it tries to make.
Most charming aspect of the film is the performance of BEN CHAPLIN as the bewitched and befuddled guy.
He broods about it for awhile before deciding that he really loves the plain Jane for her brains and whatever pearls of wisdom she expressed when they first met. It's really a stretch to think that Chaplin would settle for the unattractive gal after smooching it up with Thurman at every opportunity.
Despite the weak premise, it's played with style and wit and emerges, overall, as a pleasant escapist kind of comedy. Unfortunately, it's not convincing enough in sending the message it tries to make.
Most charming aspect of the film is the performance of BEN CHAPLIN as the bewitched and befuddled guy.
A modern retelling of the Cyrano de Bergerac tale, except the genders are reversed. Janeane Garafalo is a veterinarian on a radio talk show who gives on-air advice to pet owners. However, she has a poor self-image about her looks, and cocoons herself away from possible relationships, in an effort to shield herself from inevitable disappointment and hurt.
If the movie has one weakness, it's the fact that Garafalo is cast as an ugly duckling. No way, folks; this woman is beautiful. Depending on whether one prefers petite brunettes or tall blondes, you may think she's even cuter than co-star Uma Thurman.
Both Garafalo and Thurman are splendid, and play off each other well in their awkward friendship/romantic rivalry situation. Thurman's ditsy wanna-be actress is very sympathetic; Garafalo's intellectual but emotionally guarded Dr. Abby at times is heartbreaking. Ben Chaplin as Brian, the object of their affections, turns in a good performance of his own. One scene where two of these actors interact with eyes only--no dialogue for at least 30 sec.--is extremely powerful.
Funny bits pop up at strategic moments. The banter between Abby and Brian is like a one-liner ping-pong match; their spontaneous wit is fun to ride along with (almost like a Neil Simon play). Brian's dog is one of the best animals in a flick that I've seen in a while, he did comedy as well as his human counterparts.
A good movie worth spending an evening on, especially as a date flick.
If the movie has one weakness, it's the fact that Garafalo is cast as an ugly duckling. No way, folks; this woman is beautiful. Depending on whether one prefers petite brunettes or tall blondes, you may think she's even cuter than co-star Uma Thurman.
Both Garafalo and Thurman are splendid, and play off each other well in their awkward friendship/romantic rivalry situation. Thurman's ditsy wanna-be actress is very sympathetic; Garafalo's intellectual but emotionally guarded Dr. Abby at times is heartbreaking. Ben Chaplin as Brian, the object of their affections, turns in a good performance of his own. One scene where two of these actors interact with eyes only--no dialogue for at least 30 sec.--is extremely powerful.
Funny bits pop up at strategic moments. The banter between Abby and Brian is like a one-liner ping-pong match; their spontaneous wit is fun to ride along with (almost like a Neil Simon play). Brian's dog is one of the best animals in a flick that I've seen in a while, he did comedy as well as his human counterparts.
A good movie worth spending an evening on, especially as a date flick.
- MartianOctocretr5
- Jul 18, 2006
- Permalink
A great chick flick that focuses on the realistically of a friendship more than a romance. This story follows two gals: one a sweet movie and another that has a face for radio. I have a few contentions with that
but first let's go over the movie. Our main character is a hosts a radio talk show about Animals. During which one of her callers asks her out.
Freaked out and very insecure about her appearance she gets her neighbor the model (played by Uma Thurman) to pretend to be her during the meet. Obviously the movie turns into a series of tests of whether our Romeo loves the brains or the beauty.
In this movie they emphasize how atrocious Janeane Garofalo looks, which is simply not the case. Other than being far shorter than Uma Thurman, Janeane is quite cute. So I didn't really take that as a legitimate plot issue. However, the movie had a sincerity to it that you just do not see now a days, therefore making it a good watch.
Freaked out and very insecure about her appearance she gets her neighbor the model (played by Uma Thurman) to pretend to be her during the meet. Obviously the movie turns into a series of tests of whether our Romeo loves the brains or the beauty.
In this movie they emphasize how atrocious Janeane Garofalo looks, which is simply not the case. Other than being far shorter than Uma Thurman, Janeane is quite cute. So I didn't really take that as a legitimate plot issue. However, the movie had a sincerity to it that you just do not see now a days, therefore making it a good watch.
- copperncherrio
- Mar 12, 2011
- Permalink
Janeane Garofalo has been very public in her displeasure about this film, calling it, among other things, anti-feminist. She has also said on her radio show she hates making "romantic comedies" because she doesn't believe in them. I wholeheartedly agree with Janeane here. This film is a trifle at best. She does her best, but overall, it was just another boring, unbelievable "romantic comedy" that has no basis in the real world. Whereas there will be some who will say "suspend your disbelief", one grows tired of having to suspend it nearly every time you get a romantic film from Hollywood. Janeane's character, for some reason, is usually filmed in shadows and darkness, which makes her look unattractive, while Uma's character is filmed in lighter tones (which probably displeased Janeane and is probably one of the reasons she detests this film). That really hurts the film if we are to buy the premise that Janeane is supposed to be the better looking of the two. As many have said here and on other comment threads, Janeane is not ugly, but in fact, quite beautiful. I haven't read one review where someone said Uma was better looking. Having said that though, I believe that Ben Chaplin's character would more than likely stay with Uma, not Janeane. Many men don't like really intelligent women (and many women don't like really intelligent men), and sadly, Ben probably would have stayed with Uma. And despite the director's attempt to make Janeane unattractive, it doesn't work. Her natural beauty comes through anyway.
I think a lot of Janeane's male fans who are obsessed with her like this film because they like to think of themselves in the Ben Chaplin character, and actually scoring with Janeane. Janeane is a lot more complicated than the character she plays here (real life is always much more complex than Hollywood can imagine), so take a cold shower gentlemen. This is the role that Janeane is best known for, and that's a shame, as this really isn't that good of a film.
I think a lot of Janeane's male fans who are obsessed with her like this film because they like to think of themselves in the Ben Chaplin character, and actually scoring with Janeane. Janeane is a lot more complicated than the character she plays here (real life is always much more complex than Hollywood can imagine), so take a cold shower gentlemen. This is the role that Janeane is best known for, and that's a shame, as this really isn't that good of a film.
- GrigoryGirl
- Jan 24, 2008
- Permalink
If it doesn't irk you when a plot hinges on inexplicable errors made by supposedly intelligent characters, then you may not be annoyed by 'The Truth About Cats and Dogs,' a romantic comedy starring Janeane Garofalo as Abby, a supposedly intelligent, supposedly insightful, and supposedly unattractive veterinarian who hosts a radio call-in show.
A shy photographer (Brian or Eric or something) calls in to the show having trouble with a large dog he's mounted on roller skates for a shoot. Oh, he's so cuuuute!!! Our heroine is in a tizzy. They make a date, but too insecure to face him herself, Abby sends her neighbor, Uma Thurman. How this plan is supposed to work to Abby's advantage, I can't say. Time after time Abby and Uma pass up opportunities to straighten out the confusion. It's a good thing too, because that gives them time to learn a valuable lesson about looks and love, which is: Nice guys don't care about looks. Uh huh.
But audiences do, saith the producers. Thus we have the famously fabulous Thurman cast against girl-next-door Garofalo, who is no slouch in the looks department. So, as Abby, she is frumped up from the start in dowdy, fat-girl clothes and flat hair. It's the oldest trick in pictures. As the credits slowly approach, Abby magically acquires better clothes, a more flattering hairstyle, and a makeup job that gives her lush lips and discernible cheekbones. I guess looks still count for something.
A shy photographer (Brian or Eric or something) calls in to the show having trouble with a large dog he's mounted on roller skates for a shoot. Oh, he's so cuuuute!!! Our heroine is in a tizzy. They make a date, but too insecure to face him herself, Abby sends her neighbor, Uma Thurman. How this plan is supposed to work to Abby's advantage, I can't say. Time after time Abby and Uma pass up opportunities to straighten out the confusion. It's a good thing too, because that gives them time to learn a valuable lesson about looks and love, which is: Nice guys don't care about looks. Uh huh.
But audiences do, saith the producers. Thus we have the famously fabulous Thurman cast against girl-next-door Garofalo, who is no slouch in the looks department. So, as Abby, she is frumped up from the start in dowdy, fat-girl clothes and flat hair. It's the oldest trick in pictures. As the credits slowly approach, Abby magically acquires better clothes, a more flattering hairstyle, and a makeup job that gives her lush lips and discernible cheekbones. I guess looks still count for something.
- anaconda-40658
- Jun 4, 2015
- Permalink
One of the previous reviewers wrote: "It's Cyrano de Bergerac on the surface but more of a sitcom in its substance," and even that's a stretch.
Cyrano is ugly, big-time ugly. So ugly that his own mother had no love for him, and no woman has been willing to love him.
The female host of the radio show that gives this movie its name, "The Truth about Cats and Dogs," Abbey, is not ugly in any way. She may not be a striking beauty, but then, neither is Uma Thurman/Noelle, the neighbor she passes off as herself to the caller who wants to meet her. One is short, the other tall. One is brunette, the other blonde. One a little on the plump side - but only a little; the other skinny. Abbey is not ugly while Noelle is strikingly beautiful. Abbey has one kind of beauty, Noelle another.
Cyrano de Bergerac is about a truly ugly man who wins the heart of Roxanne by the extraordinary beauty of his language, a non-physical type of beauty. He very definitely does not have just "another kind" of physical beauty. He very definitely has NO physical attractiveness whatsoever.
Abbey, on the other hand, has bought into a socially-conditioned idea of what men find attractive - tall, thin, blonde - but it's really all in her mind, since her friend Noelle isn't all that attractive, and Abbey herself is certainly not unattractive. We don't really get a chance to see if Brian really started by buying into the same social convention, since he was told by Abbey over the phone that she was tall, blonde, thin, etc. We never see him attracted to tall, blonde, thin dumbbells whom he knows to be dumbbells.
When Brian tries to explain what he finds attractive in the woman he has spoken to over the phone, he basically says: "She's nice." Abbey gives no indications of a remarkable, poetic command of language either on her radio show or over the phone. Noelle on occasion - but only on occasion, and not very convincingly - comes off as dumb. Brian says that he likes intelligence, but he gives no indication of being intelligent himself, nor of having been attracted to anyone else for her intelligence. So we never really understand why he becomes attracted to Abbey. She's pleasant, but then so is Noelle.
The three leads are all pleasant, but the movie doesn't really seem to know what point it wants to make. If it's "a handsome guy can fall in love with a woman even if she isn't beautiful, as long as she has a striking character," this movie doesn't make that point clearly or convincingly. Abbey just isn't sufficiently not-beautiful, or sufficiently striking in terms of her character, for us to buy that argument. Nor, unlike Roxanne in Cyrano de Bergerac, is Brian ever presented as really interested in qualities other than physical beauty, so that his final attraction to Abbey comes off as convincing.
Cyrano is ugly, big-time ugly. So ugly that his own mother had no love for him, and no woman has been willing to love him.
The female host of the radio show that gives this movie its name, "The Truth about Cats and Dogs," Abbey, is not ugly in any way. She may not be a striking beauty, but then, neither is Uma Thurman/Noelle, the neighbor she passes off as herself to the caller who wants to meet her. One is short, the other tall. One is brunette, the other blonde. One a little on the plump side - but only a little; the other skinny. Abbey is not ugly while Noelle is strikingly beautiful. Abbey has one kind of beauty, Noelle another.
Cyrano de Bergerac is about a truly ugly man who wins the heart of Roxanne by the extraordinary beauty of his language, a non-physical type of beauty. He very definitely does not have just "another kind" of physical beauty. He very definitely has NO physical attractiveness whatsoever.
Abbey, on the other hand, has bought into a socially-conditioned idea of what men find attractive - tall, thin, blonde - but it's really all in her mind, since her friend Noelle isn't all that attractive, and Abbey herself is certainly not unattractive. We don't really get a chance to see if Brian really started by buying into the same social convention, since he was told by Abbey over the phone that she was tall, blonde, thin, etc. We never see him attracted to tall, blonde, thin dumbbells whom he knows to be dumbbells.
When Brian tries to explain what he finds attractive in the woman he has spoken to over the phone, he basically says: "She's nice." Abbey gives no indications of a remarkable, poetic command of language either on her radio show or over the phone. Noelle on occasion - but only on occasion, and not very convincingly - comes off as dumb. Brian says that he likes intelligence, but he gives no indication of being intelligent himself, nor of having been attracted to anyone else for her intelligence. So we never really understand why he becomes attracted to Abbey. She's pleasant, but then so is Noelle.
The three leads are all pleasant, but the movie doesn't really seem to know what point it wants to make. If it's "a handsome guy can fall in love with a woman even if she isn't beautiful, as long as she has a striking character," this movie doesn't make that point clearly or convincingly. Abbey just isn't sufficiently not-beautiful, or sufficiently striking in terms of her character, for us to buy that argument. Nor, unlike Roxanne in Cyrano de Bergerac, is Brian ever presented as really interested in qualities other than physical beauty, so that his final attraction to Abbey comes off as convincing.
- richard-1787
- Aug 21, 2014
- Permalink
This film is an absolute gem, showcasing the incredible talents of Janeane Garofalo and highlighting the physical beauty of Uma Thurman (and Ben Chaplin). It is an incredibly well crafted and well-written film due to the efforts of director Michael Lehmann and author Audrey Wells. If there were ever any doubts as to the acting ability of Ms Garofalo this film will put them to rest. There are scenes in which she is positively luminescent as the 'voice on the radio' Dr Abby Barnes. This film was to be a star vehicle for Uma Thurman: she has top billing both in the opening title sequence and in the closing credits. She also has the personal assistant, personal makeup and hair and even a personal acting coach! But she has worked on just 12 films since 'Cats and Dogs' was released and Ms Garofalo has completed 39! Janeane steals the show (again)! The story is derivative: Basically it is the Cyrano story; however, it is given new life and freshness by the appealing characters and plot twists. I must admit that I am a bit tired of Janeane Garofalo playing the 'ugly' girl roles. She is far from ugly and really should be playing the romantic characters more often. This really is an outstanding film the scenes with 'Hank' steal the show and the late-night telephone conversation between Abby and Brian should not to be missed.
This is a charming little movie. Although the story is an old and well-known one, the character performances and script were very good and made this movie interesting to watch. If you don't get interested immediately, give it about 15 minutes - that's what it took me to start really liking it.
The movie is a classic "Cyrano de Bergerac" story about a radio talk show host who enlists the help of an attractive neighbor (played by Uma Thurman) to deal with an interested listener to her show.
The first time I ventured watching this movie, I quit after about 10 minutes. However, I kept reading good things about it so I went a little further the second time and was hooked to the end.
The main character (played by Janeane Garofalo) is brilliantly fun to hear. She is self-doubting, cynical and intelligently witty. Her character, along with a decent script and a few clever bits of wisdom along the way make the movie worthwhile watching. It's not quite "laugh-out" funny, but it's "cute".
The movie is a classic "Cyrano de Bergerac" story about a radio talk show host who enlists the help of an attractive neighbor (played by Uma Thurman) to deal with an interested listener to her show.
The first time I ventured watching this movie, I quit after about 10 minutes. However, I kept reading good things about it so I went a little further the second time and was hooked to the end.
The main character (played by Janeane Garofalo) is brilliantly fun to hear. She is self-doubting, cynical and intelligently witty. Her character, along with a decent script and a few clever bits of wisdom along the way make the movie worthwhile watching. It's not quite "laugh-out" funny, but it's "cute".
"The Truth?" No, truth takes a back seat in this "family' film."
Wow, is this movie sickening or what? It clearly demonstrates how "family films" had gone down the dumper by 1996. Here, the whole story is a lie: a plain woman lying her way to having a romance.
The most memorable line is Uma Thurman's character casually telling her plain friend (Janeane Garafolo), "Oh, I'd f--k ya!" To the reviewers who said this movie was profanity-free, umm, I think the f-word is considered "profanity."
Even family-friendly critic Michael Medved descirbed this as "good family entertainment. " Sorry, Mike, but you messed up on this one. The "truth" is that the film was an insult to anyone's intelligence.
Wow, is this movie sickening or what? It clearly demonstrates how "family films" had gone down the dumper by 1996. Here, the whole story is a lie: a plain woman lying her way to having a romance.
The most memorable line is Uma Thurman's character casually telling her plain friend (Janeane Garafolo), "Oh, I'd f--k ya!" To the reviewers who said this movie was profanity-free, umm, I think the f-word is considered "profanity."
Even family-friendly critic Michael Medved descirbed this as "good family entertainment. " Sorry, Mike, but you messed up on this one. The "truth" is that the film was an insult to anyone's intelligence.
- ccthemovieman-1
- Sep 1, 2006
- Permalink
Without a doubt, my favorite play ever written is CYRANO DE BERGERAC, by Edmund Rostand. People can tell me it's sentimental and mawkish, but I don't care; I absolutely love it. I've seen, I think, most, if not every, movie which has been inspired by it, from the 1950 version by Jose Ferrer(the movie is stagy and changes the play, but he's wonderful), to ROXANNE in 1987, Steve Martin's wonderful re-working of the play as romantic comedy, and best of all, the 1990 version starring Gerard Depardieu(how appropriate France's greatest actor should appear in it giving his best performance). Now comes this movie, which is inspired by it(as I understand it, writer Audrey Wells is a big fan as well) rather than being an outright remake of it, but it's still quite good.
Admittedly, it all hangs on a rather thin premise; that Brian(Ben Chaplin) is unable to tell the voices of Abby(Janeane Garofalo) and Noelle(Uma Thurman) apart. But romantic comedies have had more outrageous concepts before, and no one complained about how realistic they were(like RUNAWAY BRIDE; does anyone believe that one?). And by switching genders, it's able to talk about how women are forced to conform to an impossible ideal of beauty. And yet, at the same time, the message comes through comedy, so you're not being hit over the head.
Also, the performers are quite engaging. It goes without saying Janeane Garofalo is terrific in her first lead role. She's funny, as could be expected, but as she's had to fight the impossible ideal of beauty much of her career, you can sense something personal for her, and she brings that out without getting mawkish. Uma Thurman sends up the "dumb blonde" role without condescending to her. Plus, we like Noelle for the same reason we like Christian in the original; she's actually smarter about love than Abby is(when she says of Brian, "Plus, he's got this one, tiny little fault. He loves you."). Chaplin of course has the object of desire role, which is tough to play, but he brings humor and intelligence to it. And, of course, the dog is great.
Admittedly, it all hangs on a rather thin premise; that Brian(Ben Chaplin) is unable to tell the voices of Abby(Janeane Garofalo) and Noelle(Uma Thurman) apart. But romantic comedies have had more outrageous concepts before, and no one complained about how realistic they were(like RUNAWAY BRIDE; does anyone believe that one?). And by switching genders, it's able to talk about how women are forced to conform to an impossible ideal of beauty. And yet, at the same time, the message comes through comedy, so you're not being hit over the head.
Also, the performers are quite engaging. It goes without saying Janeane Garofalo is terrific in her first lead role. She's funny, as could be expected, but as she's had to fight the impossible ideal of beauty much of her career, you can sense something personal for her, and she brings that out without getting mawkish. Uma Thurman sends up the "dumb blonde" role without condescending to her. Plus, we like Noelle for the same reason we like Christian in the original; she's actually smarter about love than Abby is(when she says of Brian, "Plus, he's got this one, tiny little fault. He loves you."). Chaplin of course has the object of desire role, which is tough to play, but he brings humor and intelligence to it. And, of course, the dog is great.
While I felt that Jeanine was not ugly enough to play Abby, I mean come on, she is cute, this is a well made and fun little comedy. Uma and Jeanine were just adorable together and fit right as best friends. Together they created the perfect woman. I also think that I enjoyed the film because it hit close to home on my opinion of what people are finding attractive. I watch dating shows sometimes or just listening to my friends and all they want is a smart, funny, intelligent, BUT GOOD LOOKING person. Riiiight. I always thought that there should be some way to show how we act towards what people found attractive, this is a good example of a movie for our behavior. It's a cute movie and I would recommend it for a watch.
6/10
6/10
- Smells_Like_Cheese
- Feb 22, 2006
- Permalink
Good. If not just for Janeane Garofalo's performance in the film. Drags on in most parts, and it's a little sappy and contrived. A little too "things do end up right in the end" for me. Would have preferred it if the ending was a little more realistic. Still, it's a comedy... Enjoyable nonetheless.