Common Sense Media Review
By Tracy Moore
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Clever cat tale has a bit of animal peril; for older kids.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 10+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Miss Minoes (Undercover Kitty)
What's the Story?
A struggling reporter, Tibbe (Theo Maassen) lands the scoop of a lifetime when a cat-turned-girl (Carice van Houten) trades leads for room and board, enlisting her cat pals as informants and tipping him off to the biggest scandal in town, but he risks his employment -- and reputation -- to report it.
Is It Any Good?
Miss Minoes (Undercover Kitty) is a well-done, clever, animal-friendly tale of good and evil told with wit, humor, and antics galore. Based on the Dutch film, which drew from the children's book of the same name, this stylish movie about feline-assisted sleuthing is overdubbed in (British) English, but hardly suffers in the process.
Kids may not be riveted by the tale of a town scandal or the ethics of newspaper reporters, but they will likely enjoy the cat- and neighbor-driven plots, as well as Miss Minoes' comical struggle to curb the cat inside her and act like a real lady, or at least pass as human. Parents will find the jazzy soundtrack and noirish, stylized romp enjoyable.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the characters in the movie. Are newspapers and television reporters often shown as honest or good people? Who are your favorite characters and why?
How can the movie industry ensure that animals in movies are treated well?
If you made your own newspaper about things happening in your neighborhood, where would you look for stories?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : February 1, 2005
- Cast : Carice Van Houten , Pierre Bokma , Sarah Bannier , Theo Maassen
- Director : Vincent Bal
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Allumination
- Genre : Family and Kids
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic ) , Animals
- Run time : 83 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : brief language, smoking and rude behavior
- Last updated : September 30, 2025
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