A man who crosses paths with a has-been TV star gets taken on a wild ride in this comedy from director Tony Rogers. For years, Darren McWarren (Jason Gann) was one of the biggest stars in Australian television and he seemed like a shoo-in for a successful career in the movies. But when the tabloid press learned that McWarren was having an affair with a (much) younger female co-star, he became the center of a scandal that sent his rising star crashing to the ground. Ben (Adam Zwar) is a writer for an entertainment magazine who was a big fan of McWarren during his time in the spotlight, and he's assigned to write a piece about the disgraced star for a "Where Are They Now?" issue. Ben discovers McWarren is living in a middle-of-nowhere town in Western Victoria where he spends his days driving his girlfriend, a "massage therapist," to sessions with her various clients when he isn't busy getting in bar fights and making time with other women. Ben is fascinated with McWarren, who has settled into a life where he can seemingly get away with almost anything, but the actor clearly hasn't come to terms with the fact he's not likely to make a comeback anytime soon. Written by leading men Gann and Zwar, Rats and Cats was an official selection at the 2009 South by Southwest Film Festival.
by Mark Deming
synopsis
