Cats Don't Dance

Warner Bros. | Release Date: March 26, 1997

CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION

62	METASCORE Generally favorable reviews based on 21 Critic Reviews

Positive:

Mixed:

Negative:

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Critic Reviews

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Jesse Hassenger

So many feature cartoons of this era operate under formula constraints; the animation of Cats Don’t Dance often feels exuberantly free. Read full review

Robert Faires

Cats Don't Dance is an inspired movie movie, one that celebrates and spoofs cinema with wit, verve, and a breathless enthusiasm for the form. Read full review

Roger Ebert

Cats Don't Dance is not compelling and it's not a breakthrough, but on its own terms, it works well. Whether this will appeal to kids is debatable; the story involves a time and a subject they're not much interested in. But the songs by Randy Newman are catchy, the look is bright, the spirits are high and fans of Hollywood's golden age might find it engaging. Read full review

John Petrakis

Cats Don't Dance is a cinematic anomaly: an animated film that could have more appeal for adults than for children. Read full review

Paul Tatara

Cats Don't Dance is a blast. Read full review

Peter Stack

Adults may have more fun watching this engaging film, which cleverly paints Hollywood as a treacherously duplicitous place even though it turns out some of the most joyous entertainments on earth. Read full review

SlashfilmWitney Seibold

Cats Don't Dance is hilarious and infectious. Dindal was clearly a student of 1930s Warner Bros. cartoons, and wasn't interested in the slick, human figures of a Disney film. He wanted to go off-model, letting the characters squash and stretch with the best of them. Read full review

Michael Saunders

With its bonus points for campy fun, Cats Don't Dance is an all-around winner for all ages. [26 Mar 1997, p.D8]

Lawrence Van Gelder

While the animated characters, bright colors and an appealing Randy Newman score may keep the children content, Cats Don't Dance is no saccharine fantasy. Its Hollywood references and dark satire constitute its real strengths. Read full review

Michael Rechtshaffen

Turner Feature Animation dishes out some fancy footwork with "Cats Don't Dance," a delightful animated musical that conjures up a blend of those all-singin', all-dancin' vintage Hollywood extravaganzas and those deftly satirical Looney Tunes installments of the '30s and '40s. [21 Mar 1997]

David Baron

Along with its implicit messages about the value of perseverance and diversity - and its clever send-up of Hollywood vanities - "Cats" offers some tuneful ditties by Randy Newman (one choice torch song is crooned by Natalie Cole) and enough wisecracking to keep adults from dozing. [28 Mar 1997, p.L34]

Desmond Ryan

Cats Don't Dance is pleasant middle-tier animation that will not cause anyone to lose sleep over at Disney. [26 Mar 1997, p.D07]