Set in Algiers during the 1920s, the narrative is recounted from the perspective of Rabbi Sfar`s cat, who ludicrously learns to talk by eating a parrot. The film also features a quest to visit the lost biblical city of Jerusalem, a Russian painter, a benevolent imam, and a singing donkey. And you thought Dali was surreal.
Delightfully conceived and charmingly executed, The Rabbi`s Cat is an intelligent, well-crafted animated number that deals with some weighty themes such as religious tolerance, spiritual versus mortal love, and human nature, with a Socratic irreverence and a suitably light touch. The art is done in a vintage, minimalistic style, with flowing lines that help to highlight some of the film`s more hallucinogenic moments.
Despite its visual two dimensionality, The Rabbi`s Cat paints its eccentric cast of characters in endearingly broad strokes; the characters riff off each other with the timing of seasoned comics, and come across as both human and wholly believable. Yes, even the Rabbi`s deadpan, cynical cat, voiced solidly by FranÃ