Like a Cat on a Highway

Like a Cat on a Highway

Year: 2017

Runtime: 99 mins

Language: Italian

Director: Riccardo Milani

ComedyFamily

The story of an encounter between a bourgeois man and a poor woman, because their teenage children fall in love.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline & Setting – Like a Cat on a Highway (2017)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Like a Cat on a Highway (2017). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Contemporary / present-day Europe

Set in modern times, the story centers on a European think tank studying poverty alleviation through entrepreneurship. It juxtaposes elite policy rooms in Brussels with everyday life in Italian neighborhoods like Bastogi, highlighting current social policy debates. The timeline follows funding discussions, travels to Brussels, and family dynamics in the present day.

Location

Capalbio, Coccia di Morto beach, Brussels, Piazza Cavour (Rome)

The film unfolds across Capalbio, a quiet Tuscan town, and the lively Coccia di Morto beach. It also traverses to Brussels, the heart of European policy, reflecting the think tank context of the story. A touch of Rome’s Piazza Cavour anchors the narrative in Italian civic spaces.

🏖️ Beach 🏙️ City 🧭 Europe

Last Updated: October 01, 2025 at 12:44

Main Characters – Like a Cat on a Highway (2017)

Meet the key characters of Like a Cat on a Highway (2017), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Giovanni Minimo (Antonio Albanese)

A high-level think tank leader for the European Parliament who studies poverty alleviation through micro-entrepreneurship. He is also an involved single father protecting his daughter Agnese while increasingly entangled with Monica’s world. His pragmatism is tested as he navigates policy, family, and desire.

🎯 Think Tank 💼 Elite 👨‍👧 Family

Monica (Paola Cortellesi)

A tough, resourceful woman who lives with her son Alessio in a modest apartment and challenges Giovanni’s assumptions. Her motives blend practical choices with a willingness to bend rules for her family’s sake. She ultimately becomes a catalyst in the cross-class dynamic.

💪 Resilient 👩‍👧 Family 🎭 Drama

Agnese (Alice Maselli)

Giovanni’s 13-year-old daughter, navigating a world where her elite father’s worldview collides with the realities of Bastogi. She represents innocence and curiosity, yet is drawn to a romance that pulls her into competing social spheres. Her choices drive the tension between two families.

🧒 Young 🎒 Student 💫 Curious

Alessio (Simone de Bianchi)

Agnese’s boyfriend from Bastogi, whose family’s struggles and the prison-stained past of his father shape his environment. He embodies the allure and danger of crossing social lines, as well as the fragility of adolescent romance.

🧒 Boyfriend 🕊️ Rebellious 🧭 Grounded

Luce (Sonia Bergamasco)

Giovanni’s ex-wife who moved to France. Her absence and eventual re-entry reflect the personal costs of the policy-driven life. She embodies a daughter’s distant parent and the complexities of family separations.

🧭 Exile 👩‍👧 Family 🌀 Complexity

Sergio (Claudio Amendola)

Alessio’s father, recently pardoned and released from prison. He represents the lure of old criminal networks and the potential for redemption, but also a destabilizing force for both families. His presence tensions Giovanni’s and Luce’s positions.

🔒 Criminal past 🧱 Barrier 🎭 Drama

Last Updated: October 01, 2025 at 12:44

Major Themes – Like a Cat on a Highway (2017)

Explore the central themes of Like a Cat on a Highway (2017), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

💼 Class Divide

Agnese’s life in Bastogi contrasts with Giovanni’s elite think-tank world, revealing how wealth and opportunity shape relationships. The couple’s cross-class partnership exposes tensions between living rooms and policy rooms. The film uses these contrasts to question how policy translates into real-life change.

❤️ Cross-Class Romance

Giovanni and Monica form a romance despite coming from different social spheres, challenging family boundaries. Their relationship strains both families and tests loyalties, showing how personal desire intersects with public policy concerns. The romance acts as a catalyst for examining social mobility and empathy.

💰 Policy and Funding

The think tank investigates whether money can uplift peripheral communities through entrepreneurship. The Brussels funding pledge and its use to start a local business illustrate the gap between policy promises and on-the-ground impact. The film suggests funding alone isn’t enough without social relevance and inclusion.

Last Updated: October 01, 2025 at 12:44

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Explore Movie Threads

Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.

Class clash romance movies like Like a Cat on a Highway

Awkward and charming stories where love bridges social and economic divides.If you enjoyed the awkward charm of Like a Cat on a Highway, you'll love these other movies about romance bridging social divides. Discover films with similar gentle humor, observant social commentary, and stories of unlikely connections.

socially observantcharmingawkwardreflectivegentlequirky

Narrative Summary

These stories typically follow two characters (or families) from opposite sides of the socioeconomic spectrum as they are brought together by circumstance, often through their children or a shared project. The narrative explores the initial awkwardness, the challenges of overcoming prejudice, and the fragile hope of connection, usually without grand, dramatic gestures.

Why These Movies?

They are grouped by their central theme of cross-class relationships, their use of gentle humor to navigate social tension, and their focus on character-driven observation over high-stakes drama. The shared vibe is one of charming social awkwardness and reflective optimism.

Gentle family observer dramedies similar to Like a Cat on a Highway

Quietly reflective stories that find humor and heart in family dynamics and community.Looking for more movies with the gentle, observant feel of Like a Cat on a Highway? This list features similar character-driven dramedies about family dynamics, parenting, and community, all told with a light touch and charming humor.

gentlereflectivecharmingquirkysocially observantheartwarming

Narrative Summary

Narratives in this thread are often episodic, unfolding through a series of everyday interactions and misunderstandings rather than a single high-stakes conflict. The journey is one of small realizations and gradual shifts in perspective for parents and children alike, often centered on themes of second chances and adapting to change.

Why These Movies?

They share a specific mix of light tone and moderate complexity, focusing on family and community dynamics with a steady, observant pace. The emotional blend prioritizes charm and gentle humor with moments of reflective sincerity, creating a coherent, comfortable viewing experience.

Unlock the Full Story of Like a Cat on a Highway

Don't stop at just watching — explore Like a Cat on a Highway in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what Like a Cat on a Highway is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.

Like a Cat on a Highway Summary

Read a complete plot summary of Like a Cat on a Highway, including all key story points, character arcs, and turning points. This in-depth recap is ideal for understanding the narrative structure or reviewing what happened in the movie.

Like a Cat on a Highway Summary

Like a Cat on a Highway Timeline

Track the full timeline of Like a Cat on a Highway with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.

Like a Cat on a Highway Timeline

Like a Cat on a Highway Spoiler-Free Summary

Get a quick, spoiler-free overview of Like a Cat on a Highway that covers the main plot points and key details without revealing any major twists or spoilers. Perfect for those who want to know what to expect before diving in.

Like a Cat on a Highway Spoiler-Free Summary

More About Like a Cat on a Highway

Visit What's After the Movie to explore more about Like a Cat on a Highway: box office results, cast and crew info, production details, post-credit scenes, and external links — all in one place for movie fans and researchers.

More About Like a Cat on a Highway