THE CAT IN THE HAT
aka DR SEUSS' THE CAT IN THE HAT

Year: 2003
USA: Universal Studios
UK: UIP
Cast: Mike Myers, Alec Baldwin, Kelly Preston, Dakota Fanning, Spencer Breslin, Amy Hill, Sean Hayes, Danielle Chuchran, Taylor Rice, Brittany Oakes, Talia-Lynn Prairie, Dan Castellaneta, Victor Brandt, Daran Norris, Bugsy, Frank Welker, Clint Howard, Paige Hurd, Steven Anthony Lawrence, Paris Hilton, Candace Dean Brown, Stephen Hibbert, Roger Morrisey
Director: Bo Welch
Country: USA
UK: 82 mins
USA Rated: PG for mild crude humor and some double-entendres
UK Certificate: PG contains mild crude humour and sexual innuendo
USA Release Date: 21 November 2003
UK Release Date: 2 April 2004


Synopsis

Today is a special day for Conrad and Sally Walden - even though they don't think it is.

It seems that Sally (Dakota Fanning) and Conrad (Spencer Breslin), different as black and white, have pushed their single mom, Joan Walden (Kelly Preston), to the limit. Conrad's endless rule breaking (the indoor stair luge) has his mom seriously considering military school for her son - an idea planted by her just-this-side-of-smarmy neighbor and suitor, Lawrence Quinn (Alec Baldwin). Sally, tightly wound though well behaved, has bossed away every friend she has and divides her time between upbraiding her brother and inputting new 'To Do' lists into her junior palm pilot.

And all the while their mom is just trying to keep domestic peace while balancing a successful career as a real estate agent for her germophobe boss, Mr. Humberfloob (Sean Hayes). But on the Saturday she is to host her company party, Joan's preparations have fallen prey to Conrad's shenanigans and she has laid down a mom-size decree: Sally and Conrad are not to leave the house while she is at work and are forbidden from making a mess or misbehaving in any way. The kids are left with little to do besides sit and stare out the window while their babysitter, Mrs. Kwan (Amy Hill), dozes in the den.

All things considered - nope, not special in the least.

But that's before a six foot-tall talking feline appears, sporting a red and white striped stovepipe hat, a jaunty red bow tie and a super-sized fondness for fun. Their unexpected guest - the original party animal himself - arrives to turn their world upside down by showing them that "it's good to have fun...but you have to know how!"

Now that's special.

Anyone for a game of Cat and House?