Rat (film)
| Rat | |
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DVD cover
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| Directed by | Steve Barron |
| Produced by |
Steve Barron Alison Owen |
| Written by | Wesley Burrowes |
| Starring |
Imelda Staunton Pete Postlethwaite |
| Music by |
Pete Briquette Bob Geldof |
| Cinematography | Brendan Galvin |
| Edited by | David Yardley |
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Production
company |
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| Distributed by | Universal Focus |
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Release date
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6 October 2000 |
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Running time
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88 minutes |
| Country | Ireland United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $2,630 |
Rat is a 2000 Irish-British-American comedy film directed by Steve Barron and starring Imelda Staunton and Pete Postlethwaite. The film focuses on the transformation of a working-class man into a rat and how his family copes with the startling change. The film's scenario is partly based on Franz Kafka's The Metamorphosis.
After his usual night of drinking at the local pub, Hubert Flynn (Pete Postlethwaite) returns home and transforms into a rat. Hubert's family each have different views on him now that he became a rodent. His wife Conchita (Imelda Staunton) thinks that this change is supposed to be a lesson to Hubert and that the reason he transformed is his own fault. Their son Pius (Andrew Lovern), destined for a religious life, feels that because his father is now an animal, his family should kill him. Their daughter Marietta (Kerry Condon) feels that the rat is still her father and that they should treat him with love and respect.
After hearing the news of a man changing into a rat on the local radio, ghostwriter Phelim Spratt (David Wilmot) convinces Conchita to write a book of the story. Because Phelim wants to write about Conchita's bravery and the family's loyalty to Hubert in the face of adversity, he suggests that they take Hubert out to the pub and bookie to see his friends and to show the public that they are proud of him.
Conchita sends for her brother, Matt (Frank Kelly), whom she describes as "a rock of sense". After telling the family all of the changes they will have to undergo, including Hubert's poor hygiene, unemployment, and unusual diet, Matt feels that Hubert would be more comfortable in a maggot factory with other rats. This decision is further solidified after Hubert bites Conchita on the finger.
After the family leaves him at the maggot factory, Hubert treks forty miles back to the house to be with his family on Christmas. With Hubert nearly dead from exhaustion, Conchita calls the doctor (Geoffrey Palmer) and sends Pius to get Father Geraldo (Niall Toibin) to perform the last rites and an exorcism. After the doctor tells Conchita to cool Hubert down because of his fever, they put him in the refrigerator. Father Geraldo then arrives and performs the exorcism and Hubert emerges from the refrigerator as a man.
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