Review of Nine (2009) by Matthew R — 26 Sep 2011

A film with fiery passion, an amazing cast of top-talent actresses and the always impressive Daniel Day-Lewis, led by the creative director of "Chicago", Rob Marshall. This is the makings of a great landmark film, however where it falls is the subject matter and the execution of it.

The musical Nine is a musical send-up and adaptation of Federico Fellini's amazing film, "8 1/2". Now, I can see where Oscar-winning screenwriter and director Anthony Minghella wanted to take the screenplay, however, his efforts are refuted by the very fact that the Arthur Kopit/Maury Yeston musical is a poor adaptation of Fellini's film, which was closley autobiographical and personal, where the musical and subsequent film are distant and at times even cold where the original film was very real and very emotional because, in its own way, connects more with the reality of the world around the characters, the personal crises, and the utter flawless direction.

This film is disjointed in ways that even those not watching the original could still be confused by. The songs were very well sung, very well shot and very well edited, but besides Fergie's "Be Itialian", Kate Hudson's "Cinema Italiano", and Marion Cotillard's "Take It All", they were all tragically forgettable.

A decidedly good effort, and by itself, it is a bit too chaotic and not nearly as bold as the film it is homaging and based on.