When the live-action adaptation of ‘The Cat in the Hat’ premiered in November 2003, it primarily targeted late Millennials and early Gen Z viewers. As a young audience, they were mostly oblivious to the film’s many adult jokes. Instead, they delighted in the memorable musical numbers, the vibrant color palette of every scene, and the playful comedy. Now, 21 years later, that same audience has grown up and often remembers the movie as either a comical fever dream or a childhood nightmare. From the many reviews I've read about this movie, it's clear that it didn't live up to many people's expectations upon release. Movie critics hoped for something that truly depicted the book—something more wholesome, rather than an oversized cat making adult jokes every few minutes. One critic remarked, “The Cat in the Hat comes scarily close to being the most unendurable Hollywood creation of the last dozen years.