Meet the Parents is one of the most famous comedy movies that came out in 2000. It features a Himalayan cat named Jinx.
The movie was very successful and the character of Jinx is highly appreciated by the audience. Even after over two decades of its release, Jinx is hailed as one of the best cat characters featured in a movie.
Movie Synopsis
Greg is in love with Pam and wants to propose to her, but before he could he is invited by Pam to her sister’s wedding. Greg decides to use this occasion as a way to impress her family and then propose.
He reaches Pam’s house and meets her parents Jack and Dina and their beloved cat Jinx aka Mr. Jinx. Greg’s plan to impress her family hits roadblocks when Jack takes an immediate disliking to him and tries to make him feel like an outsider. On top of that, some of Greg’s misadventures cause him to become more left out.
Will Greg be able to make Pam’s family like him or is it the end of their relationship?
Jinx’s Role in Meet the Parents
Jinx is a Himalayan cat and he is the dear pet of Pam’s family. Even though he has a secondary role in the movie, he is present in some of the most vital and comical scenes.
Jinx usually is calm and chill but he has a mischievous side to him and he is quite smart for a cat.
He can understand commands, can wave, and even knows how to use the toilet. He is very close to his human family, especially Jake who taught him all the tricks.
But his relationship with Greg is not so great, the two often end up in hilarious situations which is fun to watch. He is one of the main reasons for misery in Greg’s life.
Fun Facts about Jinx
- The character of Jinx is played by two Himalayan cats, Bailey and Misha. It was done in case one would not cooperate.
- Jinx using a toilet inspired a couple to create Litter Kwitter – a toilet training tool for cats which was a major success.
- Robert De Niro (Jack) loved Bailey and Misha and wanted “Mr. Jinx” to appear in more scenes.
- Robert De Niro desired to train the cats himself but that would have taken a significant time.
- Himalayan cat is a difficult breed to train. So the trainers requested to choose another breed, but the director declined.
Jinx: A Himalayan Cat
The success of the movie and the popularity of Jinx led to curiosity among the public about what kind of cat Jinx is and how much closer it is to reality.
The filmmakers did a good job in making the character of Jinks as real as possible by following the general characteristics that frequently represent this breed
- Himalayan cats are very affectionate towards their owner and Jinx is also very close to Jack.
- Jinx doesn’t like Greg. The Himalayans also don’t get close to strangers.
- Himalayan cats are considered lazy. And Jinx in the movie was also quite sluggish.
- Jinx was an attention seeker which matches with its real characteristic.
- Himalayan cats are not considered a smart cat breed, but Jinx was shown to be intelligent.
Movie Clip: Greg Meets Jinx
Catflix Review
Meet the Parents is an excellent movie that everyone that likes cats should watch. Though the plot of the movie doesn’t center around the cat, Jinx has been a part of most of the movie and the central figure of many important scenes.
Every cat lover enjoyed the sweet relationship between Jack and Jinx. There were moments of Jinx in the movie that are overloaded with cuteness.
The character of Jinx is very relatable and not over the top which is a good thing. It is nice to know that the cats that were chosen for the role were properly taken care of and also cherished by the cast and crew.
