CATFIGHT (2016)

Written, Edited & Directed By: Onur Turkel 
Cinematography: Zoe White 


Cast: Anne Heche, Sandra Oh, Alicia Silverstone, Amy Hill, Ariel Kavoussi, Damian Young, Tituss Burgess, Jay O. Sanders, Peter Jacobson, Jordan Carlos, Ivana Milicevic, Dylan Baker, Craig Bierko, Myra Lucretia Marcel 


The rivalry between two former college friends comes to a head when they both attend the same glamorous event.


The film certainly Lives up to the title and even better doesn’t make you wait until the third act finale to finally witness it. Like in the movie OBSESSED where they know one of the main reasons for watching is to see the fight. Though like that film this film is built on momentum. As we see the two main characters separate lives. Usually one is on a high, while the other is struggling, but we get to know about them and their situations. At first Sandra Oh’s Character has it all a rich husband and teenage son and they are affluent. While Anne heche’s character is a struggling artist who has to work with her girlfriend to get by. Then once the two characters who went to college together literally run into each other they fight brutally (Less a traditional catfight more punching and kicking that most of these fights end up looking more like endurance tests. In other words no scratching to be found) where bloodied one loses and the other the winner goes into success.

As Sandra Oh finds herself waking up from a coma two years later and has lost everything and has to lodge with her ex maid for work. While Anne Heche’s character is selling her art like hot cakes and celebrated as an artistic genius. Then they run into one another and the tables turn again. Though not so much success but levels off.

The two characters at first are made to feel unlikeable but as they continuously seem to fall lower. Their humanity comes out though both still come off as opinionated and sharp.

The film is a dark comedy that is a small story and keeps your interest and surprisingly is earnest but there feels nothing that special about It. It’s a fun watch as a comedy about class and two strong female characters and the tragedies they go through and survive and seem to take out any anger on each other.

The fights clearly telegraph an act break. As once one fight is over we move into the next act and phase.

There is a side storyline about a war. Where most of the information about it is given in a comedic monologue by a talk show host. Which helps set up the situations that effect the characters so much. That might have been more subtle if there wasn’t so much made or talked about this war in the film but to get to certain points where laws are changed that end up helping to ruin the characters it is needed, but it feels a little lazy.

Though both leads are terrific. one might give the edge to Sandra Oh as her story seems more emotional and her acceptance has a transcendence. That seems more emotionally true and resonant. Though the end proves even if buried anger is always still there waiting for the right opportunity to escape and take over.


Grade: C