The Truth About Cats and Dogs Review

by Robin Redcrest (henry AT uspan DOT com)
May 17th, 1996
THE TRUTH ABOUT CATS & DOGS
    A film review by Robin Redcrest
    Copyright 1996 USPAN

The URL of this review is:
<a href=http://moviereviews.com/janesreviews/thetruthaboutcatsanddogs.html> http://moviereviews.com/janesreviews/thetruthaboutcatsanddogs.html</a>
Rating: 3 stars (out of 4)

I loved this movie for one reason - Janeane Garafalo. I haven't
stayed up to watch her on Saturday Night Live, but ever since I
saw her as the blind-date-from-hell in the otherwise silly "Bye
Bye Love", I've been anxious to spend more time with her
on-screen.

Garafalo starts in this adaptation of the ancient tale of
Cyrano, as Dr. Abby Barnes, the host of a radio talk show about
pets. She's supposedly a plain Jane, who, because of the
intelligence and wit she displays on the radio, wins the heart
(sight unseen) of a cute, sexy listener. Naturally, when he
wants to meet her, she's too intimidated to show him what she
really looks like, so she talks her blonde, willowy and very
ditzy neighbor (Uma Thurman) into posing as her.

This premise might work, if Garafalo were truly plain, and
Thurman were truly beautiful. But Garafalo is real, human and
way too adorable to be overlooked, and Thurman is really just
pretty messy.

But even if the contrast were greater, come on folks! In the
90s, it just doesn't ring true that physical beauty is
automatically the only thing that brings two people together. I
just saw "Jane Eyre" and watched William Hurt fall in love with
the truly plain Charlotte Gainsburg over supermodel Elle
MacPherson because, frankly, she was a much more interesting
person. In this movie, Abby is so bright and funny and
delightful, that a guy would have to be crazy not to want to
spend time with her. And, Thurman is so ditzy and (allegedly)
adorably disheveled that a guy might be tempted to take a second
look, but after a very short time would have serious trouble
sinking an intelligence depth finder. Zzzzzzzzz....

Garafalo's appeal defies description, because it's all based on
how she reacts in the moment. She's like that hilariously funny
best friend who can finish your sentences and make you laugh in
that "you-had-to-be-there" way. See this movie and be there.
It'll probably make you take a second look at that
less-than-glamorous person in your life, who's presence you keep gravitating towards even though he or she is "not your type."

A review by Robin Redcrest of USPAN's
<a href=http://moviereviews.com/coc-home.html>Circle of Critics</a>

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