Margot, a college student working concessions at an art house theater, meets frequent filmgoer – and rather older local – Robert on the job. Flirtation across the counter evolves into continuous texting. As the two inch toward romance, shifts between them, awkward moments, red flags, and discomforts pile up. Margot feels both attached and reticent, as her gnawing hesitations blossom into vivid daydreams where Robert realizes his most threatening potential. As her distrust and uncertainty mount, an evening, their relationship, and possibly their lives unravel.
Exploring power dynamics, the terrifying nature of some gray areas, and the way young women must balance their relationships to themselves alongside their lovers, CAT PERSON is a provocative portrait of modern dating. Director Susanna Fogel (co-writer of BOOKSMART) brings these questions to the screen with a vibrant tension that packs a serious punch, aided by great performances from Emilia Jones (CODA) and Nicholas Braun (SUCCESSION). Inspired by the most-read piece of fiction ever published in The New Yorker, Kristen Roupenian's short story Cat Person, the film continues a conversation whose urgency is clear, present, and dangerous.
2h.
"A disarmingly creepy film with a disturbing edge that will surely trigger further discussion about contemporary dating and romantic protocols." – Deadline Hollywood Daily
"CAT PERSON is poised to become a lightning rod for discussions surrounding the intricacies of dating and the difficulties of being a woman, a man, or simply someone seeking love." – Rappler
"A fiendishly playful relationship-gone-bad quasi-thriller with a sense of humor about its own unknowability." – The Playlist
"The film excels at presenting both sides of the dating spectrum and tacitly flips the script numerous times, subverting expectations and keeping audiences on the edge of their seats. It's unpredictable." – The Only Critic