Gramercy Pictures
1996
Rated: PG-13
Now on video and DVD
Dr. Abby Barnes (Garofalo) is confident and charming on her radio show, “The Truth About Cats And Dogs.” Outside the studio though, she suffers from low self-esteem. Abby may be smart and funny, but men tend to dismiss her because of her unconventional looks. When a smitten listener asks her on a date, she agrees, but lies about her appearance. It’s this fabrication that has her involving her dim, but dazzling neighbor, Noelle (Thurman). Noelle pretends she is Abby for one date, then she asks Brian (Chaplin) to call her, but it’s Abby’s number he rings. The two spend day and night on the phone, getting to know one another...intimately. And I do mean intimately! Abby loses her heart to Brian and wants to tell him the truth. She and Noelle make a plan to do just that when things go awry. Noelle realizes she has feelings for Brian. It’s then a question of Brian learning the truth and deciding if he will wants Beauty or the Brain.
Janeane Garofalo is completely endearing as the insecure Abby. She’ll charm you with her wide smile and self-deprecating humor. Every woman will be able to identify with her and will cheer her on as they see themselves in her.
It should be easy to hate Uma Thurman in this role. She’s the picture perfect model/actress, the kind of girl that inspires jealousy in women and testosterone-based stupidity in men. She makes it impossible to dislike her though. You see her as a woman who’s never had a true female friend, who’s never been viewed for more than her face and figure, who’s never known love. As surely as you want Janeane’s Abby to get the guy, you want Uma’s Noelle to find self-empowerment and confidence in her person, not her appearance.
Ben Chaplin is darling as Brian. It’s easy to see how he steals two hearts. Just as he wins over Abby and Noelle, he’ll make you feel the nerves and excitement of first love.
I give The Truth About Cats And Dogs four hearts because it beautifully captures the experience of losing our hearts to someone else—the insecurities we suffer, our willingness to do crazy things and how getting to know someone means sharing the smallest details about ourselves, even how we prefer our tuna fish sandwiches.
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