Nine : Movie Review

Musicals are always a tough sell. I’m not sure why. They’re usually popular, most of the time there’s the built in audience of the Broadway show or stage version, but that doesn’t guarantee a movie will be well
received. It doesn’t mean the movie will be good. Sometimes adapting a show
from stage to screen, movie or not, is difficult and the results aren’t great.
Adapting a Broadway show that is itself based on another movie just further
complicates things. There’s always something to compare it to. A great
performance on that stage, or that original movie that has been adapted twice,
and thus has necessarily changed over time.

Lucky for me, or unlucky depending on how you look at it, I went into the film with no prior knowledge of either. I brought with me my absolute adoration of musicals, which I think will inevitably color every
review I ever do of them, and my love of watching actors I recognize singing
and dancing and, by the looks of it, having fun doing it. So I, if you couldn’t
guess, enjoyed the movie immensely.

Of course, that doesn’t make it perfect. It is a very slow film, in that its pacing is deliberate as it walks the audience through imagination and flash back scenes, as well as through the reality the main
character is actually facing. It has the danger of being confusing,
differentiating between each instance, but listening to the songs and watching
the set/costume changes should be enough to keep viewers on the same page.

The story follows film director Guido Contini as he tries to come up with a new movie that he’s already started to advertise, cast, and promote. He also struggles to keep his private and professional lives separate,
or at least somehow ordered, but both are inevitably linked. Songs highlight
relationships with specific people, from his manager to his muse, his wife and
his mistress.

Daniel Day-Lewis plays Guido, and does so handsomely. He seems to be having a lot of fun, and eases himself into the role with a level of commitment and depth that deserves more credit than it gets. He did the same
in There Will Be Blood, though the role was entirely different, and at least
there he was recognized for it. His performance is strong, compelling, and
honest.

The supporting cast is no less impressive. Everyone gives out solid turns, no matter how long they’re on screen. Nicole Kidman is luscious and serene as Claudia, Guido’s muse and leading actress. Judi Dench is
amazing and powerful as Lilli, Guido’s heartwarmingly dear friend and peer.
Marion Cotillard plays Luisa, Guido’s wife, and is convincingly heartbroken and
conflicted over her relationship with the man. Penelope Cruz has an Oscar
nomination for her role as Carla, Guido’s mistress, who is sexy if not a bit
mentally insecure. It reminds me a bit of her performance in Vicky Cristina
Barcelona, for which she won the Oscar in the same category: actross in a
supporting role.

The music is great. It’s engaging, if not a bit wordy, and full. Each song carries a different emotional impression, from sad and soulful to upbeat and fun. Kate Hudson seems to have an absolute blast in her number,
while Fergie turns in a haunting and raw performance as Saraghina, who is
important to Guido’s development into the man he had become. Sophia Loren is
equally capable as Guido’s mother, just one more complicated relationship he
has to work through.

The music and set are, of course, reminiscent of the stage. The film is set through Guido’s attempt to make a movie, and there are a lot of incomplete sets for the actors to play on. Most of the song sequences take
place in stage-like areas. They’re impressive visually and create a very
specific air for the film, along with the beautiful costumes. Both set and costume
were nominated for Oscars, which are coming up on March 7.

This movie is good. It reminds me of other musical movies, like De-Lovely or Moulin Rouge, and that’s a good thing. It has the same feel, mostly indescribable, as the film version of Chicago,
but that might be expected, since the director is the same. Rob Marshall will
also be directing the upcoming fourth installment of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, if that’s interesting to anyone but
a nerd like me. I’m going to be very interested in seeing how that plays out.

In the end, I think the film deserves to walk away with a B. Maybe a B+. It is opulent and luscious, engaging if not a bit slow and possibly confusing. I’d catch it on the big screen if possible, though it’s out of
rotation in theatres around here as of today. If not, it’s a definite rental
for anyone with tastes to match.