MOVIE REVIEWS

Found this one overly preachy and formulaic. It's good to see Luke Treadaway return as James, as well as Bob the Cat; before his sad passing. However, everything else felt too forced in <em>'A Christmas Gift from Bob'</em>. The plot is boring and predictable, with most of the dialogue feeling like it's telling us about issues rather than showing us; which is the opposite of the 2016 film. Away from Treadaway, who is solid, there aren't any exceptional support casts - though I did like Phaldut Sharma's Moody. It misses Ruta Gedmintas and Joanne Froggatt, though I can understand that they might not have fitted with the story that they went for here; especially Froggatt. It does have some sweet scenes still, as well as the expected cat cuteness. Unfortunately, it just didn't work due to the earlier mentioned problems - at least in my opinion. It's nothing terrible, granted.

The sequel to A Street Cat Named Bob has James Bowen (Luke Treadaway) looking for a follow up to his original story. When James meets a rough sleeper. James recalls a Christmas experience with Bob. An animal welfare officer wants Bob to be taken away from James. The local council thinks Bob may not be safe on the streets with James. People rally round to keep Bob and James together. An online campaign is launched. This is a feelgood movie with not much of a plot. Bad guys who want to take Bob away. Some thieves who break into a free veterinary service that once cared for Bob. James makes fundraising effort to save the service. At least the movie stands as a tribute to Bob who died shortly before the movie was released.

If you liked the first one (and I did) then you'll probably like this sequel. It pretty much picks up where the last one left off, as "Bob" and James Bowen (Luke Treadaway) continue to busk their way through life with plenty of trials and tribulations against the weather, the winter, animal welfare - you name it. It is told in such a fashion as to avoid any jeopardy with the ending, so we always know what will happen at the end - but it's still an enjoyably delivered Christmas feel-good film demonstrating the best (and worst) of human nature. It's a bit overly padded out, I felt, though. I could also have done without quite so much of Luke Treadaway's singing and it is exceedingly sentimental at times - but at this time of this particular year it is about a sincere and loving relationship - so cynics and bah humbuggers beware. What's not to like?