Moustroll
Good movie but grossly overrated
Claysaba
Excellent, Without a doubt!!
Deanna
There are moments in this movie where the great movie it could've been peek out... They're fleeting, here, but they're worth savoring, and they happen often enough to make it worth your while.
epetridis-1
An outstanding addition to the collection of Modern Noir, Cat City delivers all the familiar elements of the genre in a fresh new setting and story. As noted by other reviews of the film, Palm Springs is an inspired backdrop for this tale of seduction and suspense. The story of a real estate developer who is down on is luck and will do almost anything to secure more financing from a hot young bigwig that comes to town is compelling, as are the characters that get roped into the tale - the developer's insatiable wife, his steamy lover, and the hard boiled detective lured into to surveying them all. Huff masterfully ratchets up the scandal and suspense as the story deliberately clicks towards its extremely satisfying climax. I highly recommend a viewing of this no nonsense, straight ahead noir thriller.
mark-asher
I saw Cat City at a film festival. I love noir thrillers but Cat City fell quite a bit short. The plot is predictable. The dialog isn't sharp at all. And the acting in a couple of the major roles is wooden. Dennehy is fine as a retired police officer now doing PI work but he doesn't get a lot of screen time. Julian Sands was also good as a real estate guy up to no good. The two major roles that were poorly acted were Rebecca Pidgeon as Sands wife -- she's very wooden -- and William Shockey as a dot com millionaire. Shockey got screenplay credit too.It's the kind of movie you'd kick yourself over paying to see at a cinema because it's simply not that good. Tellingly, it appears to be going straight to cable. If you catch it on cable you might pass a pleasant enough hour or two, but it won't stand up well against any good film noir movie.
jotix100
The start of this tale sets the tone for what would follow in that one witnesses a man being hung. The story changes to a house taken out of Architectural Digest, in the Palm Springs, Cathedral City area, in which a couple are being watched by what one guesses is a private detective spying on them. No wonder, Nick Compton, is cheating on his wife Victoria, an attorney. Victoria has been working with Harold, the P.I. man, who promises to mail her the incriminating pictures.Nick has received a call from a friend, Les, to let Jonas, an associate, stay with them while he gets his bearings as he is settling in Cathedral City. Jonas, in fact, might be hiding behind a friendly facade. One thing for sure, Victoria takes quite a dislike to him. When she receives the envelope, she is shocked in finding out the other woman is none other than Allyson Greene, another attorney in the firm they both work.Things get complicated in this surprising film that came out of nowhere. What attracted us was the fine cast Brent Huff, an actor and director, who has worked extensively on television. Mr. Huff contributed to the screenplay and created a stunning film, not only to look at, but one that keeps us involved in this crime mystery that proved to be a satisfying and entertaining motion picture.The only thing wrong with the film, in our humble opinion, was the casting of Alano Massi in the pivotal role of the dubious Jonas. Maybe it was his lack of experience, but one can see right through him; he is a bland figure. Rebeca Pidgeon plays the cheated wife, Veronica, in her usual cool style. Julian Sands is good as Nick the man who has been playing with dangerous people. Allyson Huff has some nice moments as the conniving woman with no scruples. Brian Dennehy is always excellent and here appears as Harold the former cop who loves fishing and ocean voyages, two things that he will be rewarded for.The film is enhanced by Rudy Harbon's cinematography. He captures all the desert colors in vivid detail. His take on the windmills in the area are almost hypnotic. The musical score by Tor Hyams, add a flavor to the film. We look forward to Mr. Huff's next work because he shows he can deliver with films like this one.
GaryMLumpp
(full disclosure: director Brent Huff also directed "Serbian Scars," for which I wrote the screenplay) Film noir is alive and well in "Cat City," a twist-filled thriller that offers up some nice performances and a solid story. Victoria (Rebecca Pidgeon, shining in the lead) is pretty sure her land developer husband Nick (Jeremy Irons) is cheating on her. She hires ex-cop Brian Dennehy to confirm her suspicions, leading to far more than just infidelity. Their new house guest (Alano Massi, in a breakout performance) only complicates things, including revelations surrounding a failed casino project (the "Cathedral City" of the title) and a crooked politician. Before all is said is done guns are drawn, blood is spilled, and the briefcase full of millions ends up changing the lives of more than one person.Despite its modest budget, "Cat City" does a good job of capturing the feel of a modern updating of the classic double-cross flicks of the 40s and 50s. Director Huff keeps the camera moving, which helps with a script that's heavy on dialog. Pidgeon is great as the smart and sexy wife at the center of things, as is Shawn Huff as the other woman. While Massi takes a little getting used to (the facial hair can only do so much to age a baby face), he has a nice presence and a ton of potential. And Dennehy is excellent as always, a guy who's so effortless at what he does it keeps everyone around him on their toes. Only Julian Sands seems to struggle at times, with his accent coming and going during his quirky take on what's usually the "cad husband who's up to no good" role. However special props go out to William Shockley (who co-wrote the script with Huff and Douglas Walton) - his turn as a Senator on the take might only be for one scene, but it's one of the best supporting turns I've seen in ages. I'd love to see him back in this role and given the whole stage to explore the character. All in all a solid noir thriller that makes the best of a limited budget by featuring some great locations and even better performances. 8 out of 10.
