Catfight

Dir: Onur Tukel

2017

***

I like a dry comedy as much as the next man but Catfight pushed my enjoyment for such humour to the limit somewhat. I loved the concept and the structure of the film. I loved the absurdity and the way the violence was never restrained - even though I'm sure writer/director Onur Tukel would have been advised to tone it down. I'm really not a big fan of Sandra Oh or Anne Heche either but the pair played their parts so well, and so suitably hateful, that it would be fair to say that both were among the best performances of the year, in my humble opinion. Alicia Silverstone is another actor I don't much care for, but she played her part so well and like Oh and Heche, wasn't afraid to portray herself in a negative, rather repulsive light. It feels like three great actresses have just stuck their fingers up to mainstream cinema and have said "You don't cast us, but you're the ones losing out" and I wholeheartedly agree.  However, there is a part of me that feels that only people as repulsively self-centred and snobbish as the characters within the film could actually love it. I can just see the film being discussed at child-like 48th birthday parties and baby-showers without any sense of irony or acknowledgment that they are the ones targeted as negative within the film. Maybe it's just that the performances are that great but there is an element of 'look at how silly we are' and I just don't consider myself part of that demographic. I have entirely different faults. Performances aside, the absurdist structure and unique role-reversal scenario makes Catfight one of those quirky oddities that lay between brilliant and annoying. I think I like the fact that Catfight makes me feel altogether bothered by its structure more than I actually liked or enjoyed the film, again, this makes Catfight pretty unique and something I have to give it credit for. I do like the extra-dry scathing humour, especially when directed at late night comedy-chat shows that seem to be overly preoccupied with politics these days. I thought the political angle was handled particularly well too, in that it (more specifically a war) plays a huge part in the story and in the character's lives and yet is treated as something of a background sub-plot. It initially comes across of a tale of karma but as it progresses it reveals itself as more of an opponent to the idea and rather makes the case for making oneself a target and that the it's the quiet ones (and the simple ones too) who coast their way through things. In many respects it could be seen as an essay on passion, the perils and the pitfalls as well as the positives. Sometimes people misunderstand what makes something a success and what makes a failure, Catfight goes a long way to point out that it is all down to perspective but it also points out that we all are influenced by society and those who say they don't care what people think rarely mean it. Sometimes all you have left is animalistic rage, and sometimes you just can't keep it inside. Catfight is a huge repertoire of ideas, suggestion and sociology. Simple but effective, the whole women fighting thing is one big cynical plot device (and title) to pull the viewer in (because everyone stops and watched a catfight) which makes sense, it's just that I felt some of the joke was on me for watching. It's not often pleasant when a cynic is over cyniced by another cynic but credit due, Catfight is a special kind of something.