When a short story by Kristen Roupenian was published by the New York Times in 2017, the internet was set ablaze.
It was a previously unheard of phenomenon - a piece of literature sparking such a visceral reaction across the internet that it goes viral, in a way usually reserved for gossip or memes.
Roupenian’s story deals with themes of consent, gender, sex and power, and used a uncomfortably close up photo of a heterosexual couple kissing, which sparked disgust in a lot of people.
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And now, an adaptation of the book is on Netflix. Take a look at the trailer for Cat Person here:
Ultimately, the book's plot follows Margot, a 20-year-old student who goes on a date with an older man, Robert, and their unequal dynamic gives the audience a lot of reasons to feel uneasy.
Cat Person sparked such an unprecedented reaction that it led to a book deal for Roupenian, who went on to release a short story collection titled You Know You Want This.
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It was then announced that Cat Person was to be made into a film, directed by Booksmart’s Susanna Vogel.
Fast forward to now, and the film adaptation of Cat Person has been released. It stars Emilia Jones and Nicholas Braun, of Coda and Succession, respectively.
The film is inspired by the story but features a number of changes from the original storyline.
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Whilst critics have been less than generous with their reviews - the Independent called it an ‘embarrassing cinematic blunder’, viewers have been more forgiving with their takes.
After watching the film, one person wrote on X: “Cat Person: Netflix. Not what it seems for first 30 minutes. Intense. Unsettling. Intelligent writing. Male rejection. College student/Older male. Threat. Watch it!”
Another said: “It’s a hard watch but PLEASE WATCH IT! #CatPerson like the romanticising of this guy. Him just being SO unaware.
"AS SOON as he found out her age he needed to bounce. And she…ugh the games this girl was tryna play…I just can’t explain my feelings.”
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A third added: “It has to be written by a woman because i see myself in the protagonist so much. it is so realistic.”
And a fourth said: “An offbeat genre bending film. A quirky romantic comedy with layers of horror and thriller. Nothing is what it seems and it keeps you guessing the next twist. Emilia Jones and Nicholas Braun's chemistry worked so well.”
Cat Person is now streaming on Netflix.
Featured Image Credit: StudioCanalTopics: Netflix, TV And Film, Sex and Relationships