Pictured (from left to right): Judi Dench, Penelope Cruz, Marion Cotillard, Sophia Loren, Stacey "Fergie" Ferguson, Nicole Kidman, Kate Hudson, (opposite) Daniel Day-Lewis.
Rob Marshall should thank whatever gods of cinema blessed him when it came time to cast his musical Nine, based on the stage production of the same name, inspired by Fellini’s autobiographical 1963 film 8 ½. It’s difficult to think of a group of actors quite as gilded in Oscar gold as this. Indeed that was what attracted me to the film in the first place. What could possibly be bad about a film containing my favorite actor starring opposite some of my absolute favorite actresses? Quite a bit, as it turned out.
The production numbers were superbly choreographed and meaningfully directed and overall very well-sung, all things considered. Each actress is given her share of the spotlight and numbers that do their characters and their talents justice (Nicole Kidman being a minor exception, her one song, “Unusual Way” is upsettingly minimalist in production). The acting was great on all counts (not surprising) and the look of the entire piece was extremely visually engaging. However, good acting and clever musical performances are not enough to cover up a deeply flawed plotline in which none of the characters, not even its lead, are properly fleshed out.
I admit, I fell under its trance as any enthusiastic audience member would, however, that same audience member, if they have a knowledge of the work of the actresses in this film, would realize that they are all playing characters they have done before. Penelope Cruz, whom I adore not only in this film but in most of her other work, is simply reprising her role as Maria Elena of last year’s Vicky Cristina Barcelona. She’s just as funny and just as deserving of the nominations she has been getting and will probably continue to get, but it’s nothing we haven’t seen before. The same can be said of Nicole Kidman, who, in her brief appearance, once again is Satine of 2001’s Moulin Rouge as the used muse. Judi Dench is, well…Judi Dench, but to be fair, nobody does it better.
The only two in the movie who move past their comfort zones (and barely so) are Daniel Day-Lewis and Marion Cotillard (both of whom won their best lead Oscars in 2008, funnily enough). Day-Lewis is captivating as ever, and while he does not reach the level of There Will be Blood, he reminds us that he is arguably the best actor currently working. Cotillard is divine as his troubled wife Luisa. Her two numbers are sung with a passion none of the other actresses are really given a chance to convey, but nonetheless, she is certainly not losing steam after her astonishing turn in La Vie en Rose. With Nine and Public Enemies, she proves that she can stand out even in movies that are not meant to necessarily showcase her. If you see this film for any reason, let it be for her performance.
With a cast as amazing as this (kudos to Fergie especially, who could out-sing those Oscar winners any day of the week), Marshall owed it to these women and to himself to give them roles that would challenge them and allow them to prove why they impressed us in the first place. Actresses with this much ability should be given material worthy of it, and quite simply they are not.
That aside, the plot itself has its missteps. The entire story centers on the existential crisis within Guido Contini, however, we are given such little insight into his past that he comes off far less sympathetic than was probably intended (no fault of Day-Lewis’s either, he did the best he could). We are forced to chalk up his frustration and “my life is falling apart” mentality to a bad case of writer’s block, with vague hints at a tormented childhood thanks to imagined conversations between Contini and the ghost of his mother (an incandescent Sophia Loren). At one point the film tries to bring in some sort of battle with his religious conscience, but ultimately just kind of gives up on it.
Nine is not a flop, the acting is great, despite its sense of déjà vu. Marshall puts his choreography roots on fantastic display and reminds us what a true artist he actually is when it comes to spectacle. The flaws match the positives, but do not outweigh them. Essentially, I liked Nine as much as I disliked it.
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