NINE LIVES/ MR FUZZYPANTS

US/France, 2016, 85 minutes, Colour.
Kevin Spacey, Jennifer Garner, Robbie Amell, Cheryl Hines, Mark Consuelos, Melina Weissman, Christopher Walken.
Directed by Barry Sonnenfeld.

A number of reviewers were surprised to find Kevin Spacey in a film like this!
The American title is rather sober, indicating the theme of cats, Nine Lives, but overseas there was the more family and children-friendly title, Mr Fuzzypants. This is the name of the cat at the centre of the film.

Direction is by Barry Sonnenfeld whose major films include Get Shorty, Wild, Wild, West and the Men in Black series.

This is a fantasy for a family audience – some of its themes and treatment might go over the heads of younger children. However, it is probably important for parents to see it, especially with children, as the moral of the story is that adults can be far too busy, job and money preoccupied, not giving enough attention and love to their spouse or to their children.

Kevin Spacey is an ambitious businessman who wants to have the highest skyscraper in North America. He is arrogant in his manner, has built up a company all by himself, his associate wants to sell but he himself wants to own the highest building. Jennifer Garner plays his wife whom he loves but often neglects for his work. Malina Weissman is his daughter, turning 11, loving her father but anxious for his presence. Robbie Amell is his son, who works with him, but has been brought up by his ex-wife, played by Cheryl Hines. The son wants to prove himself to his father.

The key aspect of the film is the businessman deciding that he will give his daughter the cat that she wants for her birthday, visiting an eccentric shop run by Christopher Walken in his eccentric mode (even at one stage doing a little dancing jig is always). The main point is that the businessman, struck by lightning, enters into the cat, Mr Fuzzypants and spends most of the film trying to communicate with his wife and daughter, be concerned about the business deals and the building. This provides a great deal of comic situations and some farcical humour.

All’s well that ends well, of course.

1. The focus on cats? Humans and cats? Humans inhabiting cats?

2. New York, apartments, offices? Skyscraper? Cat shop? Hospital? Atmosphere? Musical score?

3. The title, cats with nine lives? Mr Fuzzypants as a cat, inhabited by Tom Brand?

4. The opening credits, the focus on the cats? The place of cats throughout the film? Tom and his dislike of cats? Rebecca wanting a cat for her birthday? Felix Perkins and his shop? The range of cats? Mr Fuzzypants and his behaviour, antics, communication, his look? As embodying Tom? The finale with Ian going into a cat?

5. Tom Brand, Kevin Spacey enjoying himself in a film like this? The opening, his jumping and hang gliding, landing for the press conference, his ambitions with his building, wanting it to be the tallest in North America, condemning Chicago? His manner, arrogance, the board meeting and his treatment of the members? His interactions with Ian and Ian wanting to sell the company? His son David, not doing the jump, his work in the office? His relationship with Lara, her phone calls, his being busy? The issue of Rebecca’s birthday, the gift? His discussing a gift at the board meeting? Being urged to ask what she wanted? At home, her looking at him on the television so many times, wanting his presence, asking for the cat?

6. The touch of magic? Christopher Walken as Mr Perkins, his eccentric manner, threatening Tom, the cat, the lightning, Tom and the transformation? Mr Perkins and his visiting, the discussions with the cat? The visit of Rebecca, her happiness with the cat, his doing a jig? Coming at the end, liberating Tom? Ian and his being hit by the van, going into the cat?

7. Tom in the form of the cat, the voice-over, his exasperation, unable to communicate? At home, with Rebecca, with Lara and her puzzlement? His trying to write with a pen, other means of communication, his name with the wool?

8. The scene on the roof, with the cat, the confrontation with Ian? The lightning, his falling, Ian letting him go? Ian later pretending that he tried to save him? Ian and his double dealings, the members of the board? The clash with David, dismissing him?

9. Madison and her daughter, her memories of being married to Tom, the divorce, her sardonic remarks? Friendship with Lara, the visits? The two little girls together, playing, clashes?

10. David, his hopes of impressing his father, working in the office? The documents? Being ousted by Ian? Seeing himself as a failure, going to the roof of the building? His jump, the hang gliding, his success? Tom and his concern, as the cat, jumping after him?

11. Lara, her friendship with Josh, the revelation that she wanted to leave Tom, the possibility of buying the house, yet her love for him, wanting him to be present to their daughter?

12. The theme of transformation, Tom not able to be so busy, so arrogant, spending time with Lara, getting to know Rebecca better, sharing with her, her sense that he was in the cat? The visit to Mr Perkins?

13. Tom, his recovery, with Rebecca, a happy future?

14. The message for busy parents and the need for time and space love for their children?



This is an entertaining fantasy for a younger audience – but the main message is actually for an adult audience, especially for busy fathers. It is the same message that was dramatised in such films as Steven Spielberg’s Hook or Ewan Mc Gregor as Christopher Robin. It is seen in such films as The Family Man with Gerard Butler.

There is more than a touch of spoof in the presentation of the self-made millionaire, Tom Brand, doing skydives into press conferences, trying to build the tallest building in the world (with some rivalry from Chicago). He is divorced (though his former wife, Cheryl Hines, and his daughter visit the house for social occasions). One of his business associates has a plan to make the firm go public and for it to be sold. Brand is also the patron of various charities, especially those of his wife, Jennifer Garner. He neglects his daughter who idolises him.

A crisis comes when his board discusses the present he should buy for his daughter’s birthday – to ask her. She wants a cat. So he goes to a mysterious cat shop which is managed by Christopher Walken who steals all the scenes that he is in (and, as always, does a little jig dance).

Then it becomes one of those films where the soul of one character goes into the other, and vice versa. Tom Brand becomes the cat, Mr Fuzzypants, while his body lies in coma in hospital. His owner’s son from his first marriage, David (Robbie Amell) tries to do his best in the firm but is neglected by his father who wants him to do a skydive as he did. While his father is in coma, David tries to rescue the company, make suggestions about how the New York building could be taller.

Much of the entertainment, of course, is in the behaviour of the cat, make a mess at home, with voice-over to the audience, trying to create messages, using his first wife’s purse as a litter box, disdaining food but enjoying alcohol, learning more and more about his family, the company, about the double dealings. Christopher Walken also visits and has conversations with him, getting him to appreciate why he has become a cat.

The film builds up to a climax, David going to the top of the building, seen on television, audience assuming he is going to kill himself but, of course, he does a skydive. Mr Fuzzypants sacrifices his daughter’s sadness at losing him as he races out the door to be with his son.

And, of course, the villain of the piece is hit by a car, Christopher Walken close by and the schemer becoming a cat!

A bit of a surprise to find Kevin Spacey this kind of film but he manages to enjoy it.