You know that feeling of sitting in a movie theater and feeling sad when the credits start to roll because you didn’t want the film to end? That’s what happened to me when I saw the film Nine. I absolutely loved this movie. It may not be the best work that Hollywood has ever produced, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.
The acting in this film was wonderful. Daniel Day-Lewis was able to hold the entire movie on his shoulders as Guido Contini, a director in 1965 Italy. Marion Cotillard was a pleasant surprise as his wife. Penelope Cruz, Nicole Kidman, Sophia Loren, Judi Dench, Kate Hudson and Fergie rounded out the cast and electrified the screen.
Fans of another Rob Marshall film, Chicago, will notice similarities between the two films. During the musical performances in both films, the story slips out of reality and into a fantasy world. Visually, Nine also glitters and shines with the style of Chicago and is reminiscent of the older “classic” musical movies. (Elaborate costumes, fancy producton numbers, etc.) With two films that are so similar, you can’t help but compare them, which brings me to my three complaints about Nine.
First, the music wasn’t that memorable. The songs probably won’t get stuck in your head after watching the movie. However, for a mostly non-musical cast I thought they all did an excellent job with their songs and dances.
Second, the supporting cast didn’t get enough screen time. For a film that was about two hours long, Nicole Kidman, for example only got about 10-15 minutes of screen time, including her performance. Fergie was only featured in one scene (a performance) and Kate Hudson only recieved enough screen time to belt out “Cinema Italiana” and chat up Guido at a bar. I feel the film should have been a little longer to accomodate the all-star cast.
Finally, I felt that the plot was a little dull. I won’t give anything away, but after it was all over I had the feeling that nothing had really happened.
What do you think? Do you agree with me or am I completely off base? Does the film really deserve all the award nominations it has recieved so far, including a Goden Globe Nomination for Best Picture (Musical or Comedy)? Leave a comment and let me know!
