Rent-a-Cat-Rentaneko (2012)

Directed by: Naoko Ogigami | 110 minutes | drama, comedy | Actors: Mikako Ichikawa, Reiko Kusamura, Ken Mitsuishi, Maho Yamada, Kei Tanaka

Not only is the celebrated Japanese writer Haruki Murakami fascinated by cats, director Noako Ogigami (“Glasses”) also has a penchant for these mysterious animals. In ‘Rent-a-Cat’, the title speaks volumes, we meet the somewhat strange woman Sayoko (Mikako Ichikawa) who rents out cats to lonely people. These cats need to fill the hole that these people carry in their hearts. What could be more beautiful than the love of a cat?

Sayoko’s grandmother always had cats around her and after her passing Sayoko seems to have taken her grandmother’s place. The animals spontaneously come to her and then do not leave. There is only one small problem, Sayoko does attract cats, but that is the only thing. Men don’t care about her while she has just decided for herself to get married this year. Not only does she have to help others, but she also has to create a future for herself.

‘Rent-a-Cat’ consists of a number of segments in which Sayoko rents the cats to different people. We see an old and life-weary woman, a lonely worker who is estranged from his family and a young lady who has stopped in her career, who look forward to life a lot happier because of the company of a cat.

The most interesting scenes are sort of interludes in which Sayoko is constantly harassed by her neighbor who basically reminds her of her own loneliness and the scenes in which she fantasizes about her own talents as a fortune-teller, broker and creator of jingles for commercials (in which cats again play a prominent role).

‘Rent-a-Cat’ exudes all kindness, in which humor plays an important role. The story flows quietly with occasional forays into Sayoko’s past and selling cats to people. It is very nice when, while walking with a kind of cart, with the cats in it, she shouts through the microphone in a lilting tone: “Rentaneko, neko neko” and moments later her mobile goes off with exactly the same tune. Yet the humor is not easy, it is often quite far fetched or so over the top that you let out a sigh of disbelief rather than a smile on your face.

The sometimes bizarre humor will not be for everyone, but fans of experimental Japanese cinema will like ‘Rent-a-Cat’.