SHE’S ALLERGIC TO CATS ** U.S.A. 2016 Dir: Michael Reich. 82 mins
Michael is an aspiring filmmaker stuck in a dead end job as a dog groomer while trying to get his film, a remake of 1978’s Carrie starring cats greenlit in Hollywood. Then, he meets Cora and begins to fantasize about taking her out after she takes an interest in his passion for filmmaking. But their first date doesn’t go according to plan, resulting in a surreal, farcical ending that delivers on its title.
She’s Allergic To Cats delivers more cringy moments than horror in an intentionally ridiculous story that takes a particular type of humor to appreciate. Michael’s internal thoughts are depicted in psychedelic video montages featuring clips of the dogs he grooms, the rats that infest his apartment, his unproduced film, and the woman of his dreams.
It’s a classic story of one creative man’s descent into madness, but it’s not necessarily one that needs to be told. Its contradictory tone, fluctuating sound quality, and pointless premise make for a low budget horror film that you shake your head at rather than play along with. After all, a bad horror movie is more fun when the jokes are unintentional.
Review by Laura Smith
SHE’S ALLERGIC TO CATS is available on Amazon