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Nine
Italian filmmaker Guido Contini (Daniel
Day-Lewis) is facing a duel crisis. His muse appears to have deserted
him, and his wife of twenty years (Marion Cotillard) looks like
following suit, thanks largely to the director’s dalliances with a
string of starlets such as Carla (portrayed by Penelope Cruz). Contini
must deal with both his mid-life crisis and a crisis of conscience,
saving his marriage and somehow managing to script, produce and the most
important film of his life.
Based on Fellini’s 1963 masterwork 8 ½,
Nine is an enjoyable if flawed outing from director Rob Marshall,
whose previous credits include such diverse fare as Chicago and
Memoirs of a Geisha. The quality of the performances varies
considerably; Day-Lewis and Cotillard are utterly brilliant, but
Penelope Cruz looks strangely wooden during her dance routines, and Judi
Dench is her usual matronly, predictable and sternly disapproving self.
The bulk of the remaining ensemble cast, such as Fergie and Kate Hudson,
could hardly be said to be massive drawcards in their own right, and
septuagenarian Sophia Loren possesses all the facial expressiveness of a
wax effigy. The cinematography is brilliant, containing stunning shots
of the Italian coastline and the odd cheeky nod to Fellini, but, again,
the songs themselves lack the panache of those associated with musicals
like Everyone Says I Love You and Moulin Rouge, and all
too often descend into shrill representations of mental anguish than
anything approaching a hummable tune.
There is certainly no dearth of talent
here. Daniel Day-Lewis, Marion Cotillard, Nicole Kidman, Sophia Loren,
Judi Dench and Penelope Cruz are all Academy Award winners, as are the
director and cinematographer; and the film’s composer Maury Yeston, Art
Director John Myrhe and costume designer Colleen Atwood are amongst the
most respected proponents of their respective crafts currently working
in Hollywood. It just never quite seems to come seamlessly together,
and though Nine is a classy and ambitious outing from Marshall,
it can’t compare with the effortless, lasting brilliance of its
predecessor.
On a more positive note the DVD transfer is
pristine, as is the 5.1 surround soundtrack, and the film both looks and
sounds immaculate. There are also an abundance of excellent bonus
features on offer, including an audio commentary from the director and
producer and a series of insightful featurettes on Day-Lewis, the women
of Nine, the costumes, choreography and more. It’s an excellent
package, and despite the film’s mixed reviews I’d still more than
recommend it. Just don’t watch 8 ½ first. |
