A Street Cat Named Bob (2016)
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The story
James Bowen, a homeless man and former heroin addict living on the streets of London, is moved into a council flat by his support worker, Val. On his first night, he discovers a cat in his home. After attempting to return the cat to its owners, it returns to him with an injury. James takes the cat, whom he names Bob, to a local vet. Although he initially intends to set Bob free, the cat begins following him into town, attracting crowds and helping James earn more money as he begins his journey toward recovery.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
James Bowen, a homeless man and former heroin addict in London, is moved into a council flat by his support worker, Val. He discovers a cat in his flat and, after learning its name is Bob from a neighbor, takes it to a vet. Bob begins following James into town, becoming a tourist hotspot and helping James earn money. During this time, James develops a bond with his neighbor, Betty, and begins to find success busking. However, James faces setbacks, including the death of his friend Baz from an overdose and a period of being banned from busking. After a period of grueling withdrawal symptoms, James successfully gets clean with Bob by his side. He eventually reconciles with his father, Jack, and agrees to write a book about his and Bob's journey. The film ends with James being celebrated at a book signing by his family and Betty.
- First release year
- 2016
- Runtime (minutes)
- 103
- Production countries
- United Kingdom
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Roger Spottiswoode
- Writers
- Tim John · writer; Maria Nation · writer
- Cast and characters
- Luke Treadaway · James Bowen; Bob · himself; Ruta Gedmintas · Elizabeth "Betty" Robinson; Joanne Froggatt · Val; Anthony Head · Jack Bowen; Beth Goddard · Hilary Bowen; Caroline Goodall · Mary; Darren Evans · Baz
- Genres
- biographical drama
- Themes
- recovery; homelessness; friendship; redemption
- Tone and mood
- heartwarming; biographical
- Premise and plot tags
- biographical; drama; animal; homelessness; addiction
- Source material / true-story basis
- A Street Cat Named Bob by James Bowen and The World According to Bob by James Bowen
- Franchise connections
- A Street Cat Named Bob
- Reception
- The film received mixed or average reviews, with a 77% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a score of 54 out of 100 on Metacritic.
- Production trivia
- The title is a spoof of A Streetcar Named Desire.; The film was released posthumously as Bob the cat died in June 2020.; The real James Bowen makes a cameo appearance in the film.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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