Catfight poster

“I have nothing left to do in this life but destroy you.”

Ashley

Billed as a comedic rivalry between reacquainted university frenemies, an unexpected second act turn reveals that writer/director Onur Tukel’s real focus is social satire against the backdrop of America entering another war in the Middle East. Dark comedy is often easier to stomach when bad things happen to bad people, but Catfight suffers from the fact that all of its characters are deeply unlikeable, with moments of relatability skewered by how they treat others. Even 90 minutes in their presence becomes tiresome as we struggle to care about their losses outside of the surprisingly unrestrained fights. This is no slight to the performances from the female-dominated cast: Sandra Oh is of course wonderful and Alicia Silverstone is a particular delight as an overeager prospective parent. Catfight deserves some credit as a bold and unusual picture but it meanders and ultimately cannot find a conclusion, meaning the audience leaves without the catharsis we typically seek from this kind of film.

5/10