Nine

When you review movies, part of the job is to put yourself in the shoes of the audience that the movie was intended for. So if it’s a kids movie then you wouldn’t review it in the same way that you review an intense drama, you have to compare it to other kids movies. I try to do this most of the time but it is very hard to disconnect from my preconceptions. One preconception I have is disdain for musicals. However if I like one it must be good because I detest the form so much. “Nine,” is not one of those.

“Nine,” is the story of a filmmaker struggling to make his next film in 1960’s Italy. But what it’s really about is Fellini. So get ready cause here’s where my film degree finally pays off. I was forced to see Fellini's film “8 ½” three times while in school, and while it’s regarded as a masterpiece it’s also a fairly boring endeavor. That movie is a semi-autobiographical take on Fellini’s struggle to make his next film and how while he struggled he kept revisiting different periods in his life and especially all the women who have been a part of it. And while I dared to say it was boring, it is a hell of a lot more artful and interesting than “Nine.” “Nine,” removes any semblance of vision and surrealism that the original film might have had. The actors over act and the musical numbers are dreadful. It became so tedious, after every new girl there would be a new song and dance taking place in the main characters mind. Really the only good performance in the whole film is by Marion Cotillard. And actually the film might not have been nearly as bad if not for the musical numbers. The structure of the story of this philanderer might have been effective if not for the terrible songs every other scene.

One of the reasons I really hate musicals is the songs take away one of the fun things about watching a movie. In most films there is a subtext, the characters know things that the audience doesn’t necessarily and it’s a challenge to put the pieces of the puzzle together by the end of the film. But with a lot of musicals they come right out and sing every thought and feeling they are having thereby causing me to check out and fall asleep. So the verdict is that nobody needs to see “Nine.” And I never thought I would do it but if you happen to be interested in the story, I recommend “8 ½”. At least it is a more engaging movie.