A film with Nicholas Braun (who played Cousin Greg in HBO’s Succession) is one in which I expected his shy side and quirky elements to be featured in spontaneous adventures. In Cat Person, his character, Robert, is like Cousin Greg with a few twists. Cat Person is a film where there is desperation for a relationship, and it has the right characters to do so. However, the film does not begin with Braun. Instead, it starts off with Emilia Jones (who plays Margot), an introvert who believes in love at first sight.

The film introduces its audience to Margo, a sophomore in college who works at a cinema as a part-time floor attendant and spends a lot of time working in her science lab. She has the normal life of a college student, but that all changes when Robert (Braun) comes into her cinema. He asks for an odd combo of popcorn and red vines every time he visits the concession stand. He is fascinated by movies and loves to watch the classics on the big screen. He feels a true connection to Margot, and Margot feels the same about him. They begin to date and click over their mutual love for movies. Margot is often infuriated by her mother Kelly (played by Hope Davis) and her stepfather Ernie (played by Christopher Shyer), but she feels that Robert is the one person in her life that brings her happiness. After continuous loving text messages and a few dates, the love vibe feels right for Margot. That is until she realizes much of what Robert says about himself is not true. Once she begins to question him, Robert’s behavior becomes stalker-like and highly bizarre.

The film explores the life of Margot as she tries to avoid her problems as well as those who try to convince her that Robert may not be who he says he is. Margot’s roommate, Taylor (played by Geraldine Viswanathan), tries to warn Margot that Robert could have dangerous qualities. However, Robert’s shyness causes her to ignore the warnings which lead to matters getting more stressful. An added stressor is Margot’s science professor, Dr. Enid Zabala (played by Isabella Rossellini). Enid oversees the lab that Margot spends her time in, and an incident with Robert in the lab puts Margot in an odd place.

With Margot desperate for companionship, she begins to make herself seem more sexualized for Robert. This is obviously a big red flag as it opens her up to more vulnerability. Of course, it causes an even closer connection with Robert and further denial of his dishonesty up until he violates her boundaries. Cat Person will cause viewers to ask themselves if Margot is doing what is right for herself.

The movie involves a bizarre trail of deceit and the exploration of an individual’s truth upon close examination. Cat Person is more of a dark comedy in parts than a true psychological thriller because even the dangerous moments are presented in a matter that seems jokingly strange.

The film features the chemistry of young love with a desire to not give up. It involves an experience that is twisted and a relationship that is questionable. The title has meaning, but it is not as sweet as it appears. Cat Person is about building a trail around those who open themselves up to others, and the negative outcomes that can result. Its presentation lacks seriousness, but it is still fun to watch. Two out of four stars for Cat Person.