Unexpected conspiracy theories uncovered in absurd, unrated comedy thriller
Author: Robert Skuch Published
Killing a beloved family pet is never easy, but sometimes, when their health is rapidly deteriorating and their pain is obvious, it’s the most humane option. 2014 murder a cat explores what might go wrong when a bizarre accident involving a crossbow and a cat named Mouse becomes entangled in a bizarre web of conspiracy involving the cat’s secret second owner, a major retailer, and a string of receipts that mean nothing until our heroes have done enough digging that the Sheriff isn’t willing to do himself.
murder a cat Borrowing the beats of noir suspense thrillers but shaping them into a comedy, it makes for a surprisingly engrossing watch as our hero and his unlikely allies try to figure out who murdered their cat, leaving no stone unturned in the process. As they get closer to the truth, new complications arise and nearly everyone they meet becomes a potential suspect in the murder of the rat.
Clinton, Greta, Mouse and Horatio
murder a cat The opening sequence establishes Clinton’s (Fran Kranz) family dynamics. He lives with his mother, Edie (Blythe Danner), trying to make a living selling statues he makes in her basement, and often clashes with Sheriff Hoyle (J.K. Simmons), who also happens to be in a relationship with his mother. For obvious reasons, Clinton is a loner whose best friend is his 17-year-old cat, Mousers. The rats came and went as they pleased and were shamelessly spoiled by Clinton, for in Clinton’s eyes they were life-and-death partners.
When the rat is suddenly shot to death with an arrow, Clinton refuses to let his death hang in the balance. Sheriff Hoyle assures Clinton that he will investigate the murder, but seems more interested in spending time with Edie than actually investigating. Clinton takes matters into his own hands, following in Muthers’ footsteps to a nursing home where he meets Greta (Nikki Reed), who lives there with low rent. Greta reveals that she, too, has been caring for the same cat, even though she knows his name is Horatio.
Sheriff Hoyle eventually deduced that the cat had been living a double life, shuttling between two owners to double his food and affection. Clinton is faced with the unfortunate task of breaking the news to Greta that her beloved Horatio has been murdered.
While trying to track down the arrow’s origin, Clinton and Greta find themselves in the Ford store owned by Al Ford (Greg Kinnear). Al is clearly uncomfortable with Greta’s presence, as she recently quit her job working for him under questionable circumstances. This immediately aroused Clinton’s suspicion that Greta might be hiding something. Although it was revealed that Ford’s big box store had the specific crossbow model that might have been used in the Clinton/Horatio murders, there are no written records linking the weapon to that specific location. This leaves Clinton and Greta in a vain attempt to find out who killed their beloved cat.
It would be better as a short film
murder a cat Obviously, it has its own premise, but it feels stretched throughout its 90-minute runtime. Fran Kranz and Nikki Reed have solid chemistry as they go from reluctant adversaries to allies, and the mystery is interesting enough to keep things going. J.K. Simmons and Bryce Danner are a funny older couple, and their frustration with Clinton’s stagnant development is palpable and consistently entertaining, especially as his investigation escalates.
The problem is that the mystery itself never fully pays off, making much of the investigation feel underwhelming by the end. That is to say, murder a cat Still worth watching for its performances and offbeat tone. Still, I can’t shake the feeling that it would have worked better as a single episode of an anthology series rather than a feature-length film.
murder a cat Currently streaming on Tubi.
