What's on sale in The Cat in the Hat is a free-for-all, postmodern pastiche that feels like a seizure
Dr. Seuss' The Cat in the Hat (2003)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:148
Fresh:18
Rotten:130
Average Rating:3.3/10
Consensus: Filled with double entendres and potty humor, this Cat falls flat.
Rated: PG [See Full Rating] for mild crude humor and some double-entendres
Runtime: 72 mins
Genre: Comedies
Theatrical Release:Nov 21, 2003 Wide
Box Office: $100,446,895
Synopsis: This adaptation of the classic children's book stars Mike Meyers (AUSTIN POWERS) as the wily talking cat with a tall striped hat and more than a few tricks up his sleeve. Set in a colorful... This adaptation of the classic children's book stars Mike Meyers (AUSTIN POWERS) as the wily talking cat with a tall striped hat and more than a few tricks up his sleeve. Set in a colorful make-believe world, the film tells the classic tale of a sister and brother, Sally (Dakota Fanning) and Conrad (Spencer Breslin), who pass a rainy afternoon with their crotchety baby sitter Mrs. Kwan (Amy Hill), during which they receive a visit from the mysterious Cat in the Hat, who leads them on a series of colorful, illogical, silly misadventures. Meanwhile their mother (Kelly Preston), her paranoid boss (Sean Hayes), and her phony boyfriend (Alec Baldwin), present obstacles for the children as they become part of the Cat's chaotic world. With candy colored sets that pop off the screen and zany special effects that give the story a decidedly 21st century spin, this movie presents a fast-paced and very nontraditional rendering of Dr. Seuss. The rhyming lines that usually characterize Dr. Seuss stories are referenced here, but modern jokes that riff on television advertisements and pop psychology are given more importance. Dakota Fanning is utterly adorable as little Sally, and Thing 1 and Thing 2 are delightful in their chittering and acrobatics. A bright and happy film packed with dazzling stunts, DR. SEUSS' THE CAT IN THE HAT is an entertaining treat. [More]
Starring: Mike Myers, Alec Baldwin, Kelly Preston, Dakota Fanning
Starring: Mike Myers, Alec Baldwin, Kelly Preston, Dakota Fanning, Spencer Breslin, Amy Hill, Sean Hayes, Brittany Oaks, Taylor Rice
Director: Bo Welch
Director: Bo Welch
Screenwriter: David Mandel, Jeff Schaffer, Alec Berg
Producer: Brian Grazer
Studio: Universal Pictures
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Reviews for Dr. Seuss' The Cat in the Hat
The filmmakers seem to have decided that the Dr Seuss charm was too simple for them, opting instead for knowing, crude humour full of pop culture references
I remember watching The Smurfs on TV as a kid--that doesn't mean I want to see a film with 100 shirtless, singing idiots that have been dipped in blue paint.
What sick mind thought this was appropriate humor for a holiday movie geared to youngsters?
Fascinating to look at though we hate to sound sore, but this cat should have known that less is way more.
A flea wouldn't have anything to do with it, but dogs certainly have.
Ever catch a family member sniffing your underwear? I haven't either, but I suspect it feels something like how I felt leaving the theatre...Argh!
The Cat in the Hat isn't so much a movie as an extremely long commercial for Universal's Dr. Seuss-inspired products and tie-ins.
Perverts Geisel's complicated legacy as storyteller, cartoonist, and political radical.
Only Hollywood could turn a straightforward children's book into a frantic feature film.
Replace the 'C' with 'S' and 'H' and you'll be on the money as to what the filmmakers have done here.
They missed the point, But stole the name / The real question today, Is who to blame?
There's no warmth and character from the original Dr. Seuss book, and there's no substance or soul in the story elements added to pad out the 400-word picture book to feature-film length.
Latest News for Dr. Seuss' The Cat in the Hat
August 01, 2007:
Trailer Bulletin: Horton Hears a Who
The last few times somebody tried to turn Dr. Seuss into a movie, the results were ... How the Grinch Stole Christmas and (dear lord) The Cat in the Hat. And then somebody got... More...
June 02, 2006:
Mike Myers to Adminster Some "Self-Help"
Funnyman Mike Myers looks poised to make a comeback after his "Cat in the Hat"-inspired vacation, and one of his new projects will be a goofy comedy about a nutty... More...
March 11, 2005:
Fox & Blue Sky to do "Horton" via CGI
The Hollywood Reporter brings us news that Fox and Blue Sky Studios have won the rights to bring Dr. Seuss' classic "Horton Hears a Who" to the big screen. Blue Sky's... More...
October 28, 2003:
News, reviews, links and pictures of The Cat. ![]()
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