“Man’s Best Friend” has been popularly known to be the dog, but the reality is that men can appreciate the company and friendship of cats too. Director Mye Hoang pays tribute to the feline species by offering real life examples of how cats can positively impact humanity, particularly males, during some of their more challenging moments in life. Hoang aims to dispel the misconceptions and any prejudices implied on men who care for cats. This sweet and often moving documentary presents the stories of gentlemen in America, who have accepted cats in their homes, and workplaces and how these connections have affected them in some very positive ways.
Hoang and her crew follow the lives of very different men in the United States, some of whom never knew the values of friendships and relationships with cats. The men revealed in the film include a personal trainer fire fighters, media influencers, a struggling homeless man, a truck driver, and other people who work to control out-of-control feral cat breeding. In each of these stories, these men find themselves blessed and rewarded for the special relationships with their beloved cats, and express that their lives are so enriched by their experiences in caring for their feline buddies.
As someone who has had positive experiences with both dogs and cats in my life, the message of this documentary comes as no surprise and only reinforces my opinion on the positive impact of having pets. While this movie is yet another documentary with mostly talking heads, the stories and the presentation of them are still valid and moving. It is a beautiful testament to the value of animals in our world, particularly cats whose value is often dismissed. Cat Daddies opens on October 14 in NYC at the Village East by Angelika, followed by an October 21 release in LA at the Laemmle Glendale. It is a lovely documentary I highly recommend.