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The Truth About Cats & Dogs (1996)
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Overview
User Rating:
Director:
Writer (WGA):
Audrey Wells (written by)
Release Date:
26 April 1996 (USA)
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Tagline:
Brian's about to discover the woman he loves isn't the woman he loves.
Plot:
A successful veternarian & radio show host with low self-esteem asks her model friend to impersonate her when a handsome man wants to see her. full summary | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
Self Esteem
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Model
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Dog
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Art
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Mistaken Identity
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Awards:
1 nomination
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User Comments:
Charming and moving
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Cast
(Cast overview, first billed only)| Uma Thurman | ... | Noelle | |
| Janeane Garofalo | ... | Abby | |
| Ben Chaplin | ... | Brian | |
| Jamie Foxx | ... | Ed | |
| James McCaffrey | ... | Roy | |
| Richard Coca | ... | Eric | |
| Stanley DeSantis | ... | Mario | |
| Antoinette Valente | ... | Susan | |
| Mitch Rouse | ... | Bee Man | |
| La Tanya M. Fisher | ... | Emily | |
| Faryn Einhorn | ... | Child Model | |
| David Cross | ... | Voice of Male Radio Caller / Bookstore Man | |
| Mary Lynn Rajskub | ... | Female Radio Caller (voice) | |
| Bob Odenkirk | ... | Bookstore Man | |
| Dechen Thurman | ... | Bookstore Cashier |
Additional Details
MPAA:
Rated PG-13 on appeal for a sex-related scene and brief strong language.
Parents Guide:
Runtime:
97 min
Country:
Language:
Colour:
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Certification:
Iceland:L |
Philippines:PG-13 |
South Korea:18 |
Canada:14A (Canadian Home Video rating) |
Argentina:13 |
Australia:M |
Chile:14 |
Germany:12 (w) |
Peru:14 |
Portugal:M/12 |
Singapore:NC-16 |
Spain:13 |
Sweden:11 |
UK:15 |
USA:PG-13 (appeal) (Approved No. 34015) |
Finland:S
Filming Locations:
Fun Stuff
Trivia:
Janeane Garofalo, a shade over five feet tall, sometimes had to stand on a box just to be in the same frame with 6-foot co-star Uma Thurman.
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Goofs:
Continuity: Brian loses his bag when he asks to escort "Donna" out.
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Quotes:
Cosmetics Saleslady:
We also have this new face cream which neutralizes the free radicals that attack the skin. Let me ask you: what's your skin regime?
Dr. Abby Barnes: My regime? The regime from which the radicals are trying to get free? Are we selling face cream or staging a coup?
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Dr. Abby Barnes: My regime? The regime from which the radicals are trying to get free? Are we selling face cream or staging a coup?
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Movie Connections:
Referenced in "The Sopranos: D-Girl (#2.7)" (2000)
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Soundtrack:
You Do Something To Me
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FAQ
This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.more (92 total)
Message Boards
Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for The Truth About Cats & Dogs (1996)| Recent Posts (updated daily) | User |
|---|---|
| My problem is... | speedreader |
| I love this film but.... | carla27-1 |
| Dog | ireland_18 |
| Violin part... | Pearl_Chilled_Blue |
| Violin Scene | night_stardust |
| great film but.... | divyadev |
Recommendations
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Without a doubt, my favorite play ever written is CYRANO DE BERGERAC, by Edmund Rostand. People can tell me it's sentimental and mawkish, but I don't care; I absolutely love it. I've seen, I think, most, if not every, movie which has been inspired by it, from the 1950 version by Jose Ferrer(the movie is stagy and changes the play, but he's wonderful), to ROXANNE in 1987, Steve Martin's wonderful re-working of the play as romantic comedy, and best of all, the 1990 version starring Gerard Depardieu(how appropriate France's greatest actor should appear in it giving his best performance). Now comes this movie, which is inspired by it(as I understand it, writer Audrey Wells is a big fan as well) rather than being an outright remake of it, but it's still quite good.
Admittedly, it all hangs on a rather thin premise; that Brian(Ben Chaplin) is unable to tell the voices of Abby(Janeane Garofalo) and Noelle(Uma Thurman) apart. But romantic comedies have had more outrageous concepts before, and no one complained about how realistic they were(like RUNAWAY BRIDE; does anyone believe that one?). And by switching genders, it's able to talk about how women are forced to conform to an impossible ideal of beauty. And yet, at the same time, the message comes through comedy, so you're not being hit over the head.
Also, the performers are quite engaging. It goes without saying Janeane Garofalo is terrific in her first lead role. She's funny, as could be expected, but as she's had to fight the impossible ideal of beauty much of her career, you can sense something personal for her, and she brings that out without getting mawkish. Uma Thurman sends up the "dumb blonde" role without condescending to her. Plus, we like Noelle for the same reason we like Christian in the original; she's actually smarter about love than Abby is(when she says of Brian, "Plus, he's got this one, tiny little fault. He loves you."). Chaplin of course has the object of desire role, which is tough to play, but he brings humor and intelligence to it. And, of course, the dog is great.