An Unexpected Conspiracy Theory Revealed in a Funny, Unrated Comedy Game
Written by Robert Scucci | Published
Putting down a beloved family pet is never an easy thing to do, but sometimes it is the most humane choice when their health is rapidly deteriorating and the suffering is obvious. in 2014 The Killing of a Cat explores what can go wrong when a freak accident involving an arrow and a cat called Mousers entangles it in a strange web of conspiracy involving the cat’s secret second owner, a big-box retailer, and a trail of receipts that make no sense until our hero does enough digging that the Sheriff isn’t willing to do it himself.
The Killing of a Cat borrows bits of the noir mystery thriller but injects them as comedy, making for an unexpectedly engaging watch as our hero and his unlikely partner try to figure out who killed their cat, leaving no stone unturned in the process. With each step closer to the truth, new problems arise, and almost everyone they come across becomes a suspect in the Mousers murder.
Clinton, Greta, Mousers, And Horatio
The Killing of a Cat opens by establishing the powerful Clinton (Fran Kranz) family. He lives with his mother Edie (Blythe Danner), tries to make a living selling the paintings he makes while living in her basement, and is always butting heads with Sheriff Hoyle (JK Simmons), who is also in love with his mother. A loner for obvious reasons, Clinton’s best friend is her 17-year-old cat, Mousers. Rats come and go as they please and are shamelessly spoiled by Clinton because, in Clinton’s eyes, they are ride or die partners in life.
When the Mousers are suddenly killed by an arrow, Clinton refuses to let his death go unsolved. Sheriff Hoyle assures Clinton that he will look into the murder, but he seems more interested in spending time with Edie than investigating. Taking it upon himself, Clinton retraces the Mousers’ steps to a retirement home, where he meets Greta (Nikki Reed), who lives there for cheap rent. Greta reveals that she used to take care of the same cat, though she knew him as Horatio.
Sheriff Hoyle eventually discovered that the cat was living a double life, bouncing between two owners to double his food and love. Clinton is left with the unpleasant task of breaking the news to Greta that her beloved Horatio has been killed.
While trying to trace the missile back to its source, Clinton and Greta find themselves at the Ford Megastore, owned by Al Ford (Greg Kinnear). Al seems uncomfortable with Greta’s presence, as she recently quit working for him under questionable circumstances. This immediately raises Clinton’s suspicions that Greta may be hiding something. Although it has been revealed that the Ford Megastore carries a specific model of crossbow that may have been used in the Clinton/Horatio assassination, there is no paper trail linking the weapon to that location. This sends Clinton and Greta on a goose chase to find out who killed their beloved cat.
It would have worked better as a brief
The Killing of a Cat it clearly enjoys its premise, but feels stretched thin throughout its 90-minute running time. Fran Kranz and Nikki Reed have strong chemistry as reluctant adversaries turned allies, and the mystery is entertaining enough to keep things moving. JK Simmons and Blythe Danner make for a funny older couple who seem frustrated by Clinton’s growing up and are always funny, especially as her investigation escalates.
The problem is that the mystery itself doesn’t fully reap its benefits, which makes many investigations feel underwhelming in the end. That means, The Killing of a Cat it remains worth watching for its performance and off-beat tone. Still, I can’t shake the feeling that this would have worked much better as one episode of an anthology series than a feature-length film.
The Killing of a Cat currently streaming on Tubi.
