When the Cat's Away
A young Parisian's search for her missing cat opens into a buoyant romantic and social tour of her neighborhood.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Mild
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- None
- witty
- warm
- playful
- lazy sunday
- date night
What critics said
Critics broadly viewed the film as a charming, warmly observed romantic comedy with an appealing portrait of Parisian neighborhood life.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Chloé's search for her lost cat leads her through a Paris quarter and introduces its inhabitants.
The cat hunt becomes a portrait of a specific Paris neighborhood and the people living there.
Chloé's practical search exposes her to new encounters and relationships among neighborhood residents.
The lost cat serves as a pretext for exploring local residents and their interconnected lives.
Films like When the Cat's Away, and why
Paris-Manhattan
romantic comedy with an observant, neighborhood-scale portrait of Paris and an ensemble of eccentric residents
Amélie
warm, character-driven romantic comedy rooted in Parisian neighborhoods and everyday urban encounters
The Spanish Apartment
French romantic comedy balancing playful social observation with an ensemble of interconnected city dwellers
Movie Details
- Director
- Cédric Klapisch
- Release Date
- 1996-04-03
- Runtime
- 91 min
- Rating
- 6.2 / 10 (103)
Cast
- Garance Clavel
- Zinedine Soualem
- Renée Le Calm
- Olivier Py
- Simon Abkarian
- Marilyne Canto
- Antoine Chappey
- Romain Duris
- Hélène de Fougerolles
- Éric Savin
Common questions
- What is When the Cat's Away about?
- A young Parisian's search for her missing cat opens into a buoyant romantic and social tour of her neighborhood.
- What is When the Cat's Away like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of When the Cat's Away as brisk, its intensity as mild and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is When the Cat's Away violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in When the Cat's Away.
- What did critics think of When the Cat's Away?
- Critics broadly viewed the film as a charming, warmly observed romantic comedy with an appealing portrait of Parisian neighborhood life.
- Which films are like When the Cat's Away?
- Films with a similar feel include Paris-Manhattan, Amélie, and The Spanish Apartment.
- How long is When the Cat's Away?
- When the Cat's Away runs 91 minutes.
