Reviewed by Rama Gaind.
Director: Charles Martin Smith, Rialto Distribution.
Caring, sharing and giving is what the Christmas spirit is all about. This heart-warming tale of friendship, A Christmas Gift From Bob is a festive-themed follow-up to the 2016 crowd-pleaser A Street Cat Named Bob.
The biographical drama is based on the story of homeless busker, James Bowen (Luke Treadaway, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time) and his handsome ginger tom Bob, a stray whom he has nursed back to health.
From the day James rescued the injured street cat, whom he found abandoned in the hallway of his sheltered accommodation, the two began a companionship, which transformed both their lives and touched millions around the world.
Based on the book by former Big Issue seller, Treadaway reprises his role from the first film of a homeless London street musician and recovering drug addict. He looks back at the last Christmas he and Bob spent scraping a living on the streets and how Bob helped him through one of his toughest times — providing strength, camaraderie and inspiration — ultimately teaching each other about the true meaning of Christmas which is “not just a season, it’s a feeling”. And as James says: “caring for Bob makes me a better person”.
It’s a good friend, Moody (Phaldut Sharma, Gravity), owner of a convenience store, who points out that “you must not let your future be weighed down by your past”. He’s responsible for circulating a petition titled, ‘Save James & Bob: help us keep these inspirational characters together’.
Directed by Smith (Dolphin Tale, A Dog’s Way Home), A Christmas Gift From Bob is a delightful story, full of fun, about how a stray cat helped a man learn the true meaning of that special time of year. Even if you’re not a cat lover, this film will touch your heart.
Emotional, good hearted, uplifting true-life story is especially for those of us who believe in happy endings. It’s a feline-good story!
A Christmas Gift from Bob is screening nationally in cinemas.
