Walking and Talking (1996)

Walking and Talking poster

Channel Four Films
Starring:
 Catherine Keener, Anne Heche
Also Starring: Spatz
Directed by: Nicole Holofcener

Cat Out of the Bag Alert!  This review contains some spoilers for this film!

Synopsis: Two life-long girlfriends and former roommates, Amelia (Catherine Keener) and Laura (Anne Heche), find their lives are taking different paths and it’s questionable if their friendship can remain as strong as before.

Featured Feline: Amelia owns a heavy-set gray and white cat named Big Jeans (played by cat actor Spatz).  In one of the first scenes in the movie Amelia is telling Laura that Big Jeans has been acting sick and she is taking her to the vet.  In the next scene we see Amelia with Big Jeans with the veterinarian (Brenda Thomas Denmark) who comments on how fat the cat is.

Walking and Talking - Amelia Catherine Keener with vet Brenda Thomas Denmark with gray and white cat Big Jeans

The veterinarian promises to run some tests for Amelia on Big Jeans.

Walking and Talking - Amelia Catherine Keener at vet with gray and white cat Big Jeans

Later in the film Laura accompanies Amelia to another vet visit with Big Jeans.

Walking and Talking - Amelia Catherine Keener with Laura Anne Heche and gray and white cat Big Jeans at vet

It is then they are told that Big Jeans has cancer.  Laura suggests putting her down but Amelia won’t hear of it and opts to start Big Jeans on chemotherapy.

Walking and Talking - Amelia Catherine Keener with Laura Anne Heche petting gray and white cat Big Jeans

Amelia ends up dating her local video store clerk (Kevin Corrigan), and he goes to her apartment.  When he starts to sneeze he asks if she has a cat.  She points out Big Jeans in the corner, looking sickly from her first chemotherapy session.

Walking and Talking - gray and white cat Big Jeans played by Spatz

Big Jeans is seen again in another scene with Amelia, lying in bed with her.

Walking and Talking - Amelia Catherine Keener in bed with gray and white cat Big Jeans

Walking and Talking - Amelia Catherine Keener in bed with gray and white cat Big Jeans through window

Kitty Carnage Warning! Late in the film Amelia returns home from shopping and sees a crowd gathered on the sidewalk in front of her home.  As she approaches she sees the gray and white body of Big Jeans lying on the sidewalk.

Walking and Talking - body of gray and white cat Big Jeans lying on sidewalk

Big Jeans has fallen from the window ledge of Amelia’s apartment where she used to let her walk.  The body of Big Jeans is last seen in a box in Amelia’s apartment.  The scene is not gratuitously violent but the sudden death of Big Jeans this way is still disturbing.

Walking and Talking - body of gray and white cat Big Jeans in box

Final Mewsings: Farewell Big Jeans, we hardly knew ye.


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