This beautifully animated film was one of the highlights of this years New York International Children's film Festival.It's one of those films that shows you how good a family film can be when done right.
The film begins with Zoe, a mute little girl, waiting for her mother to return. She is staying with her housekeeper/nanny and her cat. When mom returns she pays less attention to the little girl then Zoe would like. It transpires that mom is a police big wig who is in charge of several cases including the one concerning the man who shot and killed her husband, Victor Costa.
The cat in the mean time spends her day in the house with Zoe and her nights running around with a notorious cat burglar, Nico.
Soon comes word that a certain art object is going to be put on display. This brings out Costa and his gang. Complications arise when Zoe tries to find out where her cat goes at night. This leads her to over hear the robbery plans, which in turn forces Nico to act as a protector for the little girl.
The trick is not to think about the film but just go with it. This is a film that operates in it's own little vacuum and as along as you stay with in it's confines it's a blast. The jokes are often very funny, with s couple of really big belly laughs towards the end.
I was impressed that the filmmakers chose to tell what amounts to a really could detective yarn but in a manner that would play well for families. This is pretty much an undiluted mystery/thriller but brought to a level so that both kids and adults will like it. I also liked that they don't really dilute the language and the humor with a few hells and damns in the mix.
If there is any real flaw in the film, it's that the English dub that was run at the festival, seems a awkward at times with the choice of words being wrong.
The film is currently on the festival circuit, it ran at the recent DC Film Festival, and is highly recommended.
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