Catfight (film)

The film opens showing two women, artist Ashley Miller and housewife Veronica Salt. Ashley is struggling to sell her artwork, straining her relationship with her girlfriend. Veronica, an alcoholic, treated with disdain by her husband Stanley, mocks her son's drawing talent. Both women watch a news show that reports tension between the United States and the Middle East.

Stanley throws a party for his business partner. Lisa, catering the party, forces Ashley to help her. Veronica comes for a drink and the two women recognize each other from college. They try to make small talk but descend into verbal barbs. Veronica is told to leave by her husband, and she runs into Ashley in the stairwell. The two sling insults, leading to a fight. Ashley gets the upper hand, punching Veronica in the face. Veronica attempts to stand up but collapses into a coma.

Two years later, Veronica awakens with no memory of the fight. She learns that her husband shot himself, her son died fighting the war in the Middle East, and all of her money was spent to pay for her treatment. Veronica moves in with her former housekeeper Donna and gets a job as a maid. Ashley has become a famous artist after the war causes her dark paintings to become popular. She and Lisa decide to start a family. Ashley is impregnated, using a sperm donor. Ashley and Lisa's differing beliefs cause their relationship to become estranged.

Veronica finds a magazine with Ashley on the cover, and is annoyed at her success. Veronica clashes with Donna about the war, and she moves in with her Aunt Charlie. Veronica finds a video left to her by Kip, revealing he left school to join the army because he believed it would make her proud. Veronica breaks down in tears. Veronica goes to Ashley's new gallery. When she sees a painting depicting her own bloodied face, Veronica remembers their fight. Veronica begins destroying the paintings, and Ashley tries to stop her. Veronica punches Ashley and runs off with the painting of her face. Ashley runs after her and the two begin beating each other with various tools. Veronica overpowers Ashley and hits her over the head with a wrench. Veronica stumbles away. A cinder block falls and hits Ashley in the head, and she falls into a coma.

Two years later Ashley awakens and discovers that she lost her baby during the coma. Lisa has left her, and she is broke after her paintings were sold to pay her hospital bills. The United States has won the war on terror, and her dark art style has lost all popularity. Sally, meanwhile, has become famous and wealthy after her comics about happy blue bunnies became popular. Ashley is now forced to work for her former assistant and attempts to begin painting again, only to find she is physically unable to do so because of her injuries.

Ashley discovers a bus ticket to Pennsylvania and realizes it belongs to Veronica. Veronica has been caring for her Aunt Charlie. Ashley suddenly appears at Veronica's home, intending to "destroy" her. Veronica offers to make her breakfast and Ashley accepts. They discover they have some things in common. Veronica shows Ashley the recordings made by Kip, and confesses that watching them makes her feel like her son is still with her, and has helped her overcome her anger towards Ashley. Ashley is moved. Ashley accidentally spills her coffee onto the camera. Veronica freaks out, revealing she never backed up the files. They begin fighting, taking their brawl from the house and into the woods. The two women end up sitting on the ground punching each other over and over again as they both break down sobbing. Aunt Charlie watches the two fight from the window. The video camera suddenly reboots, revealing it wasn't broken after all.

• Sandra Oh as Veronica Salt [1]
• Anne Heche as Ashley Miller [1]
• Alicia Silverstone as Lisa [1]
• Ivana Miličević as Rachel
• Peter Jacobson as Carl
• Myra Lucretia Taylor as Donna[2]
• Amy Hill as Aunt Charlie
• Damian Young as Stanley Salt
• Tituss Burgess as John
• Jordan Carlos as Howie
• Giullian Yao Gioiello as Kip Salt
• Dylan Baker as Doctor Jones
• Ariel Kavoussi as Sally
• Stephen Gevedon as Tom Ferguson
• Annie McCain Engman as Christie
• Marisa Vitali as Debbie

Principal photography on the film wrapped up in late December 2015 in New York City.[3] The film was produced by MPI Media Group's Greg Newman along with Gigi Graff.[1]

The film had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 9, 2016.[4] Shortly after, Dark Sky Films acquired distribution rights to the film, and set it for a March 3, 2017, limited release and through video on demand.[5]

On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 73% based on 59 reviews, and an average rating of 6.1/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "Smart, suitably nasty, and well-cast, Catfight lands narrative punches just as fast and hard-hitting as the physical violence doled out onscreen."[6] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score 66 out of 100 based 17 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[7]

• Catfight at IMDb
• Catfight at Rotten Tomatoes