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This adaptation of the stage musical based on Fellini’s “8 1/2” makes me want to see the musical; not because the movie is good, but because it looks like the stage musical would be pretty good. The film offers some decent production numbers and some very pretty well dressed (and undressed, and barely dressed) women. May be worth seeing if you really like stage musicals, to catch a glimpse of what the live production might be like. Or if you just really like looking at pretty women well filmed.

It’s no " 8 1/2 " and it doesn’t pack the punch of Marshall’s" Chicago" but I was entertained none the less. It is hard to really care about a director’s writers block interrupted by stagey MTV like music videos, especially when only one song"Be Italian" is memorable. Despite its failure to engage me on the story front it entertained me with its flashy dance numbers and some memorable performances.
Daniel Day Lewis was the glue that holds it all together and he did a fine job as the troubled director. Marion Cotallard is mesmerizing as his cheated on wife. Penelope Cruz has never been more tantalizing as his mistress. Fergie gets the best song and she belts it out with all the gusto she can muster. Judi Dench is great except she can’t sing the pathetic song she has to warble. Nicole Kidman is eye candy but is nobodies idea of a muse. Kate Hudson is fine but her song and reason to be seems to be tacked on." Nine" is an ambitious film that almost had me but its lack of substance and musical mediocrity shadowed its entertaining flashes of brilliance.

Dieu que c’est mauvais ! On n’y croit pas un instant, ni à l’Italie de pacotille, ni aux chorégraphies qui semblent être sorties d’une boite à strip-tease américaine et encore moins aux acteurs ou à la musique sirupeuse. Une comédie musicale sans rire, sans élan, sans passions. Et le déluge de stars (dont le nombre donne le titre, non ?) ne suffira pas à sauver le film du naufrage. Comme quoi, la quantité ne sert à rien.

Let’s make a movie about a person who can’t make a movie. It seems like an ill-fated conceit. But Felinni somehow managed to do it quite well with “8 1/2.” And then for some reason, Maury Yeston decided to put “8 1/2” to music, which gave us the Broadway musical “Nine.” And then, Rob Marshall was possessed by a demon spirit that told him to make a movie adaptation of a Broadway musical based on a Felinni film. And then he did it. And the world is worse for it.

Charlie Kauffmann made a movie about a guy with writer’s block in “Adaptation” to universal acclaim, so why couldn’t Marshall do the same? To begin with, the performances are mediocre with a few exceptions. Basically each woman shows up for five minutes, sings a forgettable, ear-tingling song, and leaves without a trace, never to be seen again. Kate Hudson tries to act hot and prissy to miserable results (her sorry excuse for a song, “Cinema Italiano,” made me want to take a fork and stab my ear); Penelope Cruz kicks her legs and talks in her pretty accent, but other than that she’s given nothing to do (do not even begin to ask me how she got nominated for an Oscar); I would tell you about Nicole Kidman’s performance except that I fell asleep during the three minutes that she was on screen; Daniel Day-Lewis seems to come from the Johnny Depp / Rex Harrison school of acting, where he talks his way through most of his songs and attempts to hit a note here and there.

Things get better when Judi Dench shows up, which is a given. Her song is actually bearable, and she makes a few welcome snide remarks every so often. But then Marion Cotillard shows up. And it’s then that we wish the film was called “One.” Ms. Cotillard is truly one of our greatest talents, and here she shows her ability to rise about the material and the mediocrity that surrounds her to give a passionate, even furious performance as DDL’s wife. Her role is the hardest, most emotional, as she must play the thankless role of a wife who watches her husband cheat on her. And thankfully she is given two songs, because she sure can sing. Cotillard should have been nominated instead of Cruz by a long shot.

In the end, “Nine” is glitzy, glamorous, and full of pretty things to look at. But it’s all style and no substance.

Dengan naskah yang didasarkan pada karya Broadway populer, didukung oleh jajaran pemeran yang diisi aktor dan aktris papan atas, lagu-lagu dan score yang menarik, sinematografi yang mengagumkan dan diarahkan oleh seorang sutradara peraih nominasi Academy Awards, Nine tentu saja dapat dengan mudah menjadi film terbaik sepanjang tahun lalu.

Mungkin. Namun seluruh keunggulan tersebut tentu saja akan mengundang rasa penasaran serta ekspektasi akan kualitas film kelas atas yang sangat besar dari banyak orang. Hal ini akan menghasilkan dua hal: pujian yang selangit atau sebuah rasa kekecewaan yang teramat dalam.

Nine adalah sebuah film drama musikal yang naskahnya diadaptasi oleh Michael Tolkin dan Anthony Minghella dari buku berjudul sama karya Arthur Kopit. Kopit sendiri menuliskan Nine sebagai sebuah adaptasi dari film semi-autobiografi dari sutradara Italia, Federico Fedellini, yang berjudul 8½, untuk kemudian dipentaskan di Broadway. Versi film ini sendiri disutradarai oleh Rob Marshall, yang sebelumnya berhasil mengantarkan film drama musikal, Chicago, memenangkan Best Picture di ajang Acdemy Awards di tahun 2002.

Mengisahkan mengenai Guido Cotini (Daniel Day-Lewis), seorang sutradara populer Italia yang dimasa lalunya telah membuat beberapa film yang dianggap sangat berkualitas, namun akhir-akhir ini sepertinya mengalami penurunan pada setiap karyanya. Saat ini, ia sedang berada di tengah pembuatan film terbarunya, Italia, yang hingga beberapa hari menjelang proses pengambilan gambar dimulai masih belum memiliki naskah cerita.

Di sepanjang pembuatan film tersebut, Guido diceritakan dikelilingi oleh tujuh wanita yang sepertinya selalu berada di kehidupannya; istrinya, Luisa (Marion Cotillard), selingkuhannya, Carla (Penelope Cruz), aktris yang dianggapnya sebagai seorang sumber inspirasinya, Claudia (Nicole Kidman), reporter majalah Vogue, Stephanie (Kate Hudson), penata busana di setiap filmnya yang telah menjadi sahabat terdekatnya, Lilli (Judi Dench), serta bayangan akan ibunya (Sophie Loren) dan juga Saraghina (Fergie), wanita tuna susila yang sempat dikenalnya di masa ia kecil.

Berbagi peran dengan nama-nama besar diatas tentu mungkin akan sedikit menyulitkan, apalagi jika ditambah dengan peran yang Anda mainkan sepertinya kurang begitu berarti di dalam jalannya cerita. Mungkin karena hal itulah baik Nicole Kidman dan Sophia Loren sepertinya gagal memberikan sebuah penampilan yang dapat diingat dengan jelas oleh para penontonnya. Kate Hudson juga hampir berada di posisi yang sama jika saja ia tidak membawakan Cinema Italiano, lagu paling catchy yang ada di sepanjang film ini.

Akting paling memukau disepanjang Nine diberikan oleh Penelope Cruz dan Marion Cotillard. Kedua karakter yang mereka perankan digambarkan sebagai sosok dua oarng wanita yang sangat jatuh cinta pada karakter Guido. Bedanya, Carla (Cruz) awalnya terlihat begitu nyaman dan kuat atas rasa cintanya, namun malah berakhir dengan rasa kekecewaan yang dalam. Sebaliknya, Luisa (Cotillard) malah terlihat rapuh dan lemah sejak awal namun kemudian mampu bangkit dan meninggalkan tokoh Guido. Ekspresi-ekspresi ini mampu dimainkan dengan sempurna oleh kedua aktris pemenang Academy Award ini. Khusus untuk Cruz, ia juga menambahkan kemampuan menarinya dan menjadikan tokoh Carla sebagai wanita paling sensual yang ada di Nine.

Fergie, yang notabene memiliki jam terbang akting yang lebih sedikit daripada aktris lainnya di film ini, ternyata mampu menjadi scene stealer di film ini. Walau ia sama sekali tidak memiliki dialog (well… dia berdialog lewat lagu), dan tampil hanya lewat ingatan Guido, namun Fergie dapat menampilkan penampilan yang cukup mengesankan. Judi Dench, walau tidak begitu berarti, juga mampu memberikan penampilan yang baik di film ini.

Dikelilingi tujuh orang karakter wanita, ternyata berpengaruh banyak pada karakter Guido yang diperankan aktor Daniel Day-Lewis. Entah kenapa, sepanjang film ini berlangsung, Day-Lewis sepertinya kurang mampu menampilkan kharisma seorang Guido yang mampu menarik banyak perhatian wanita. Belum lagi dengan aktingnya, yang jujur, sangat kurang kuat jika dibandingkan dengan akting-akting yang selama ini pernah diperlihatkan oleh Day-Lewis.

Sebagai sebuah film musikal, hal yang paling diperhatikan tentu saja lagu-lagu yang ditampilkan di sepanjang film ini. Harus diakui, jika dibandingkan dengan Chicago, lagu-lagu yang ditampilkan di Nine terdengar sedikit kurang catchy, beberapa diantaranya bahkan terkesan terlalu dipaksakan dan ada baiknya malah dikeluarkan dari film. Beberapa penampilan favorit saya film ini adalah Cinema Italiano oleh Kate Hudson, Take It All oleh Marion Cotillard, Be Italian dari Fergie dan, tentu saja, A Call from the Vatican milik Penelope Cruz.

Faktor teknikal lainnya yang menonjol di film ini mungkin adalah sinematografi dan tata busana. Dion Beebe, yang sebelumnya juga bekerjasama dengan Marshall di Chicago, sekali lagi membuktikan kemampuan sinematografi-nya yang cukup memuaskan di film ini. Begitu pula tata kostum yang tampil sangat memuaskan di bebera adegan yang memang membutuhkan kostum yang tidak biasa.

Dengan berbagai talenta yang ada di film ini, sepertinya sangat sayang untuk membayangkan bahwa Nine hanyalah akan diingat sebagai sebuah film musikal biasa yang tidak mampu meninggalkan kesan apapun pada penontonnya. Cerita yang terlalu berfokus pada kegalauan seorang Guido dengan sifatnya yang plin-plan mungkin menyebabkan karakter lain menjadi kurang mendapat perhatian. Belum lagi lagu-lagu yang ditampilkan di film ini juga terasa kurang serius dalam penggarapannya. Sayang, Nine hanya akan diingat sebagai sebuah film yang sangat ingin Anda sukai, namun ternyata tidak menawarkan sesuatu yang dapat membuat Anda menyukainya.

Rating: 3.5 / 5

“Nine” puede significar en algún lenguaje lejano al nuestro: Desperdicio de talento. Producida por los sedientos de éxito oscaril, Los hermanos Weinstein (llamados los “Señores Oscuros” por Steve Martin en una ocasión), creadores de la extinta pero prestigiosisima Miramax, “Nine” parecía destinada a ganar otros 34 oscares por el despliegue técnico y artístico que hubiera podido representar. Sin embargo, la dirección de Marshall se siente floja, editando la película con una sierra, muchas de las actuaciones están mal dirigidas, carente de un ritmo y de una estructura filmica convincente, sin cadencia alguna. En el afán de Marshall por crear una obra elegante, sofisticada y con clase, termina creando un embetunado de sutil y abigarrada vulgaridad. Con un guión con diálogos trillados y verdaderamente soso, el fuerte de “Nine” radica en algunas de sus actuaciones y ciertos aspectos técnicos, auqneu muy probablemente les recortaron el presupuesto, ya que el mismo escensario es usado para TODOS los números musicales (Una especie de estructura que emula a la parte caída del Coliseo Romano, fállido simbolismo visual del estado en crisis del chovinista Guido Contini, mira que hacer una película que se llame Italia! esta cabrón).

La critica de esta cinta, estimado lector, e intentado construirla del mismo modo en que la película se encuentra “armada”, a través de los números musicales que aparecen a lo largo de la cinta (intercalados con escenas que poco o nada tienen que ver con los mismos numeros musicales, por lo cual la cinta es tachada de incoherente, obviamente Marshall no aprendió a estructurar el filme como Fellini, quien hace de cada escena totalmente diferente de la anterior, pero que de manera holística tienen una unidad e integridad envidiable).

OVERTURE DELLE DONNE o la promesa

En este número Marshall presenta de manera grandilocuente todo lo que pretendía que ´fuera la película, pero termina siendo un número que funciona más como pornografía cinematográfica, por la presentación de las actrices, que como un número musical verdaderamente integrado a la trama, como en los musicales hollywodenses clásicos o contemporáneos.

GUIDOS SONG

La funcion de este numero es la de dar un completo y breve perfil psicológico del personaje de “Guido”, quien es presentado como un hombre con serios problemas afectivos (tiene la racionaliazión de un niño), tiene un complejo edípico no resuelto, escapista y averso a la confrontación y al conflicto. Desgraciadamente, Daniel Day Lewis, a pesar de ser un actor sumamente inteligente y a pesar de entender perfectamente el dilema de su personaje, es incapaz de llenar un personaje vacuo. Siendo Day Lewis un actor sumido en los detalles y en el perfil de sus personajes, “Guido” en su piel se siente como un personaje con el que el público es incapaz de conectar en un nivel ni de generar empatía con el mismo. Su Guido es antipatico, cae de la verga y tiene un aspecto cadaverico. Contrario al personaje creado por Marcello Matroianni, un actor de ilimitados recursos también, pero que contrario a Daniel Day Lewis cuenta con enorme carisma y “star power” para hacer del vacío de Guido atractivo para la audiencia y crea un personaje de antología. Además la voz cantante de Daniel Day Lewis (que mas bien es platicadita) se ve eclipsada por su “natural” acento italiano y por que al cantar lo hace como lo haría Bela Lugosi.

A CALL FROM THE VATICAN

A pesar del decorado que parece sacado de una secuencia onirica de una telenovela del 13, Penelope Cruz brilla en rosa (gracias al lente de Dion Beebe) con el numero que genero paros (de tod tipo) debido a su exuberante y cachonda interpretación, que a pesar de no tener una gran voz y a veces hacer de la letra de la canción totalmente ininteligible por su aun marcado acento español, Cruz brinda uno de los mejores numeros de la cinta. Pero Penelope demuestra que los dias de “La Mandolina del Capitan Corelli” (2001) y de “Vanilla Sky” (2001) han quedado atras. Modelando su actuación y absorbiendo la deliciosa vulgaridad que exumo Sandra Milo en “Giuletta degli spiriti” (1965) del mismo Fellini más sin embargo matizandola con una sensibilidad de “puta dolida” digna de lo que le hemos visto, por ejemplo, a Sofia Loren en sus peliculas neorrealistas como “La Cioccara” de De Sica. Ademas se ve buenisima y atrevanse a negarlo.

FOLIES BERGERES

Si hay un numero en el que Rob Marshall es capaz de demostrar lo vulgarmente pretencioso que puede llegar a ser ( y lo marica) es este numero a cargo de Judi Dench y que tiene nula o ninguna relevancia para el flujo de la película y que sirve como una digresión para Marshall. Vemos juegos de luces (nada malos, he de admitir) y coristas enfundadas en diamantina, plumas y boas. Judi Dench es una estupenda actriz de soporte y lo demuestra en la cinta, funcionando como patiño comico de Day Lewis, desgraciadamente su numero es burdo, chafa y peca de joto. La ´"fantasía" no esta justificada y se siente como una escena borrada de “Hairspray”.

BE ITALIAN

El numero tiene aspectos positivos, Fergie (pesele a quien le pese) tiene un potente voz y logra la segunda mejor entonación de toda la cinta. Más sin embargo, no puede actuar ni para salvar su pinche pellejo. Nada mas aprieta el hocio, frunce el ceño y abre las piernas para el rol de la fantasía femenina- neurotica- infantil de Guido, Saraghina, que en la cinta original tiene un numero, que aunque mas austero en todos los niveles, se seinte mas autentico y fresco que esta super estilizada y sobre producida version de “El Baile de la Puta de la Playa”.

MY HUSBAND MAKES MOVIES & TAKE IT ALL

Marion Cotillard, en medio del caos, junto a Penelope Cruz ( en la escena que es rechazada por Guido) se convierten en el alma del barato espectaculo. Con una sensible interpretación´de sus numeros, manierismos modelados en los trabajos de Giuletta Massina en cualquiera de las cintas de Fellini que destilan vulnerabilidad y una sensibilidad tremenda ante el egoismo de Guido. Ambas canciones funcionan en un equilbirio y tienen mas cabida y coherencia que cualquier otro numero incluido en la cinta, Mientras que en la primera cancion se nos muestra a la esposa sensible y abnegada, la segunda cación nos muestra el alma dañada y el coraje de la vapuleada Luisa, esposa de Guido. Marion Cotillard se convierte en una auténtica interprete y nos da la mejor actuación de este, ya mentado, ejercicio en la vulgaridad.

CINEMA ITALIANO

La contraparte femenina de Guido, sin crisis, y por lo tanto menos interesante, totalmente vacua y prescindible. Stephanie, el personaje de Kate Hudson ( si a “eso” se le puede llamar un personaje) es un genuino producto de la posguerra, del vacío existencial del que más tarde se escribirían infinidad de libros, digamos, un personaje de Antonioni sin el contexto social apropiado. Kate Hudson se funde en su propio medio abandonando su individualidad y convirtiendose en un flyer ambulante de “Vogue” (el auge de los vacíos y las falsas expresiones artísticas). Ya sea haciendo preguntas estupidas en la conferencia de prensa, hablando sin sentido de la dicotomía “sustancia/estilo” en el “cine italiano” o queriendo desesperadamente echar un palito con el Guido, el “personaje” de Kate Hudson tiene resonancia sociologica involuntaria. Y el numerito esta bastante culero, por cierto.

GUARDA LA LUNA

La aparición de Sofia Loren se siente como un fallido intento de incluir algo genuinamente italiano y sesentero en la producción, más sin emabargo, hace poco con el papel, a pesar de tener una buena voz, el peso de su personaje para el dilema o crisis de Guido no resuena para nada en la película y se pierde en una de las tantas incoherencias y mamadas de dialogo del guión, que pocas veces refiere a la cinta original. Aqui Loren aparece como el “utlimate italian symbol”, vestida de negro, escote abierto dejando ver el escote ( a los que Fellini presentaba una enorme obsesión, vease “Amacord” como ejemplo) y con la cruz de madera (simbolo del cristianismo) en medio de los senos, conjunción de sexo y religión, a la que Fellini era adepto. Detalles pequeños, sutiles y muy buenos como este, desgraciadamente no logran salvar la cinta.

UNUSUAL WAY

Finalmente, viene el personaje de la musa de la cual ya hemos visto similes en otras películas de Fellini, pero Nicole Kidman esta modelada a imagen y semejanza de Anita Ekberg de “La Dolce Vita” (1960). Incluso el numero se lleva a cabo en una fuente (que nada tiene que ver con la ya de por sí mitica “Fontana di Trevi” en la que Ekberg se paseo en Roma en los 60´s). El personaje (y la actuación) de Nicole Kidman poco tienen que añadir a la tónica general de la película y su presencia responde más a la ya mentada pornografía cinematográfica que Rob Marshall fallidamente quiere explotar. Nicole Kidman ( a quien después del Botox y el Oscar no parece dar pie con bola) demostro sus dotes como cantante en “Moulin Rouge!” y “Happy Feet” pero aquí se le ve totalmente incomoda, fuera de lugar, fuera de tono, fuera de piel (por tanta pinche restirada).

Como puede observar, estimado lector, “Nine” era una gran promesa que se quedo en eso, la cinta no cumple, ni como homenaje a “8 1/2” (quisieras…) ni como un decente musical, quedando flotando en un espacio intermedio entre ambos, a pesar de contar con cosas muy buenas, desgraciadamente el guión, la promoción de la cinta (todo el reparto con Oprah, no mamen!) y la dirección de Rob Marshall hicieron que “Nine” se quedara como las grandes ruinas de Roma, visitadas por algunos curiosos, fervientemente estudiada por otros, pero al final un monton de piedra y cascajo que olvidamos para pasar a otra maravilla.

Somewhat disappointing in terms of story and character development, Nine feels oversaturated with stars who don’t all get their own sufficient time to shine. Fergie’s performance was wonderful and her musical number makes for perhaps the best, most energetic scene in the entire movie. Marion Cotillard is simply enchanting as Luisa, bearing an eerily striking, but not undeserving resemblance to Audrey Hepburn. Judi Dench is, as always, a treat to watch and provides jovial comic relief as well as exhibiting her remarkable vocal talents. Kate Hudson and Nicole Kidman, however, were two dimensional and uninteresting in their roles, although this could probably be due to the ridiculously small amount of screentime their characters are given. Daniel Day-Lewis felt appropriate in the title role as Guido, however, his voice grated during his singing and made it difficult to embrace him on an emotional level despite a great need to sympathise with his character. For this reason, it felt as if Day-Lewis was chosen because of his appearance, and not his talent as a singer. Not a great musical by any standards, but nonetheless entertaining to a degree. This film is not 8 1/2, it isn’t trying to be anything like 8 1/2, and therefore should not be used in the same sentence.

That is the main problem of our protagonist, Guido Contini, as sung to us by his wife, Marillon Cotillard. To put it differently or in the words of his muse, Nicole Kidman: “He doesn’t know how to love.”

!

How do you make one of the greatest films of all time into something middle-aged women would drag their families into on Christmas day? A daring task, no doubt…
First you need good actors. Famous, beautiful actors. Then you need catchy songs. And then you need to have a theme, that will intrigue people, make them fantasize.
So you take the only two things out of the original you can make consumable for the general public: Italy… and love.

Because, it’s ITALY, people, the country of lust and passion and wine and beautiful women and little cars and men in sunglasses and people speaking English with sexy accents and art and style! Whoa! Who doesn’t want to dream about that?

Yes, the guy is a director, he is in a creative and existential crisis, that’s all true, but who really cares about that?

I mean, come on! THE MAN IS ITALIAN! AND HE DOESN’T KNOW HOW TO LOVE!!!

His attempts to make a movie and sort out everything with the women surrounding him is frequently intercut with segments of these women singing, stripping and dancing, so that the viewer wont get bored too much.

The country of Italy becomes a disgusting caricature, worse than the most kitschy Italian postcard you have ever seen. You know this picture of Italy some people have in their minds, where you have the colloseum and a beautiful tanned couple riding in front of it on a Vespa?
It’s worse than that.

Fellini and his ideas become an even more disgusting caricature, a freak-show perpetrated by cardboard characters singing some of the worst songs I have ever heard in my life. Just imagine a dancing Kate Hudson, singing this:

“I love the black and white, I love the play of light
The way Contini puts his image through a prism.

I feel my body chill, gives me a special thrill
Each time I see that Guido neo-realism.”

Please… read it again and let the words sink in.

So how do you feed 8 ½ to someone who can’t show Italy on a map? Actually it’s kind of easy: you extinguish everything subtle and smart about the film, make a bunch of beautiful people sing songs and stress the Italian aspect of the film so much that it makes every intelligent viewer vomit. (I hope they didn’t really believe they were making homage to Fellini or Italian neo-realism.)

The only positive thing you can say is that Day-Lewis is great as always.

Long story short, this is a travesty, a crime, a spit in the face of Fellini and every director who ever tried to make or remake a film for artistic merit. A ridiculous nauseating circus which will make you feel like someone is force-feeding you cotton candy for two hours.
I feel like my English does not suffice to find proper words for this film’s horridity.

Oh and I almost forgot: Saragina is played by Fergie.

one star for Penelope Cruz. one star for Marion Cotillard, one star for Nicole Kidman, and one star for Daniel -Day Lewis. and that’s make this 4 stars out of five ! all right all right, kidding. what a shallow-minded rating system there, lets try again…

There are times when i don’t care about the stories, and just wanna see Penelope Cruz and Marion Cotillard half-naked. This is THAT times ! hmm, still pretty dumb opinion…lets try again…this time for real.

First of all, i just wanna say that Nine is a one big very under-appreciated film of 2009. I’m not saying that this film is great (it’s hardly goes into my top ten of 2009), but this is not bad, either. The problem with all the very weak reviews out there are, THEY ALWAYS COMPARING IT WITH 8 1/2. Well, sure, it’s a remake of that film, we got to compare it with that film, so said all the critics. But by comparing Nine with 8 1/2, that is a very big injustice. c’mon, comparing some Hollywood remakes with one of the (and for me, is THE) greatest film of all-time ? Poor poor Rob Marshall, for having to bear that high standard of quality.

now just try to see Nine without 8 1/2 in mind, and i guarantee you that you will get an enjoyful, entertaining musical. with a one or two quite great song, and wonderfully choreographed dancing sequence. And i lied if i’m saying that the presence of Kidman, Cruz, and Cotillard didn’t have some additional values to the film. They’re just…smokin !

Nine wasn’t bad but it wasn’t great either and it definitely pales in comparison to Fellini’s 8 1/2 heavy on melodrama and not nearly as whimsical or magical as it could have been. Only two memorable songs in the bunch. Daniel Day Lewis is great as Guido but it’s not one of his best roles. Overly produced musical numbers which have the look and feel of a music video are clumsily fit into the movie and sometimes jar the audience out of the story. Fergie gets the best number and is fun as the prostitute on the beach.

For more of my views on this please visit my page http://www.examiner.com/x-26299-Milwaukee-Movie-Examiner

As an aspiring film buff I feel as if I am expected to appreciate Fellini’s original 8 1/2 for its Italian style and dense artistic philosophy. And I feel as if I should look down on this as many critics have because perhaps there is some dumbing down from this Hollywood version. Whereas the major changes in the story as well as the change of the title and therefore the happier ending are correctly attributed to the dream machine known as Broadway. However, in the end I felt I got a little closer to the characters, I enjoyed the musical numbers, and I appreciated that this version came in under two hours!

Guido has two major female influences from his childhood that continue to shape him as an adult. He loves his mother (Loren) and misses her taking care of him. As he was developing in puberty he got a thrill from a prostitute living on a beach, Saraghina (Fergie), who would give a strip tease for the boys of the village. There is also a major element of Catholic guilt carried over from 8 1/2, though to a lesser extent. Loren sings a brief song showing the angelic nature of Guido’s mother. Fergie sings a dirty, sand throwing, animalistic song to show the devilish nature of sexuality. Kidman channels Anita Ekberg and almost recreates the fountain scene with Marcello in La Dolce Vita. She plays the actress muse Claudia, and is kind of a cross between the sexual temptress and nurturing mother. Kidman sings with a warm mellow voice. Hudson fills another sexual temptress role in Guido’s adult life. She is a fashion magazine writer who sings a catchy song about the style of Italian cinema. You can definitely see Hudson’s mom Hawn in her. Dench is a costumer and substitute mother who brings to mind Marlene Dietrich when she sings. Penelope Cruz is sexy as Guido’s mistress and primary sexual temptress. She dances and sings with everything she’s got. Marion Cotillard does look a bit like Fellini’s real wife Giulietta Masina at times. She sings very well and brings a lot of heart to Guido’s wife, who is another substitute mother in a way. Amidst all these women in Guido’s life people keep commenting on how his last few films were flops, but they love his good movies. Guido may have some pathological control issues, which have served him well as a director in the movie business, or so he thinks. He is afraid he is out of ideas for a movie script, and nagging guilt over the triangle between his mistress and his wife keeps distracting him from his job.

Ever the glutton for punishment, I saw Rob Marshall’s film version of the musical NINE, itself a musical version of Fellini’s 8 1/2. Full disclosure, not a surprise to anyone: I think Rob Marshall is probably the worst director alive. He has only two living rivals: Joel Schumacher and Zack Snyder, and one recently deceased: the unspeakable Anthony Minghella, who continues his vile influence from beyond the grave as the screenwriter of this film, a rare collaboration of two of the least talented film artists. The results are predictable. NINE is a disaster, plain and simple, except when the glorious Marion Cotillard appears onscreen, gracing the screen and the audience with her magical presence. If you can see this film without falling madly in love with her, you should have your head/heart examined.

The film/musical centers on Guido, a famed filmmaker who is having a creative/personal crisis, or something like that. There are all these women in his life played by assorted movie stars. The story just lurches along with none of the grace or speed of the Fellini film, or the merry energy of the original Broadway production of the musical. Marshall & Co. seem to realize that they can’t just remake Fellini (even though they include big chunks of dialogue almost verbatim from Fellini’s masterwork, without credit), and they seem to not be interested in just doing the musical as written, either, so they go with a grab bag of elements from 8 1/2, LA DOLCE VITA, and even borrows elements from Woody Allen’s STARDUST MEMORIES (a running gag about how everyone loves Guido’s earlier successful films) and the inevitable Bob Fosse, as Guido’s studio-bound fantasies seem to be lifted right out of ALL THAT JAZZ.

It has come to this. Marshall doesn’t just emulate Fellini. He emulates Fellini emulators. Marshall even lifts bits out of Tommy Tune’s original Broadway staging of the musical, and one has to wonder exactly how much in royalties the Fosse estate is getting for the ongoing use of those bentwood chairs that Marshall just can’t seem to function without. Saraghina’s big number, “Be Italian,” is staged with Tommy Tune’s tambourines and the bentwood chairs from the “Lieber Herr” number from Fosse’s film of CABARET, taking sheer plagiarism to heights undreamed of by Brian De Palma.

To be fair, part of the blame has to go to Daniel Day-Lewis, who is quite simply miscast as Guido. Not an actor known for displaying joy or even anything as base as mere fun, Day-Lewis lays on the earnest self-loathing with a trowel without any of the mitigating charm that would make his character interesting or even bearable. His opening song is hideously ill-performed and directed with typically Marshallian stupidity, the opportunity for Day-Lewis to display any warmth in the amusing “duet with myself” is missed as Guido performs the song while climbing through some piping for reasons that pass understanding. And Day-Lewis’ big breakdown is skillfully performed, but it has no impact because there’s been no sympathy built up for his plight. It seems to take Guido a long time to realize what has been eminently clear to even the dimmest sentient audience member: the guy’s an asshole. And the interminable epilogue (2 years later, for God’s sake) ends with a whimper not a bang.

There are some surprises to be had here, though. Marshall’s usual Rusty Cuisinart Editing style is put on hold for a couple of songs, during which we actually get to see the performers sing. Marion Cotillard’s performance of “My Husband Makes Movies” is done with a minimum of wackadoo editing; her pain comes shining through that gorgeous face and teary eyes in what is easily the film’s highpoint.

What surprised me most about the film is the way that almost all fun has been leeched from the story, the characters, the songs, and the very fabric of filmmaking itself. NINE is a big fat downer of a movie, based upon one of the most joyful works of art ever created. I have to say that I detect the narcotizing influence of the late and unlamented Anthony Minghella (who shares screenplay credit with Michael Tolkin) in this particular tonal shift. Instead of Felini’s joyful energy, which animates even 8 1/2’s darkest moments, we get a sort of mournful malaise more in keeping with THE ENGLISH PATIENT or COLD MOUNTAIN than the glories of Fellini.

This is really unforgiveable in a film with delusions of being Fellini-esque. As painful as Marshall’s monstrous CHICAGO is, it at least has energy — the mad plot, the great score, even the outrageously caffeinated weed-wacker editing kept my interest as I watched the film through my fingers. NINE seems to be after a more serious “grown-up” vibe, but Marshall & Co., with their all-too-typical stupidity, miss one of the Maestro’s most endearing traits: joy.

Being the film version of a Broadway musical based on the Fellini film 8 1/2, it interested me to find out what the title meant. The Italian director’s odd half integer was in regards to the fact that he made a few short films, so the work was its number in his oeuvre. But director Rob Marshall has only made two previous, non-television features, so that comparison is a dead-end. Maybe it has to do with the nine women in lead character Guido’s life? Nope again, there are only seven. So, the best explanation I can think of, after sitting through the seemingly longer than it was film, is simply that it follows the original cinematic classic. The reason being because the biggest success coming out of Nine is that it makes 8 1/2 look that much more brilliant. My opinion could be completely different if I had not seen the 1963 semi-autobiographical film, but the writers of the musical have no excuse for missing the source material, so why should I? Therefore, I blame the original book writers for the film’s failure. For all I know, this thing is a faithful adaptation of the stage play and a success as a result. However, as a relevant companion, or even send-up, of Fellini’s masterpiece, it doesn’t even compare.

I’m not even really certain why anyone would make a musical out of the personal journey of a director that’s over his head creatively and sexually such as Fellini’s doppelganger in Guido. The music itself isn’t even really exciting, something it should be to instill interest. Musically, I did appreciate the sounds, though, as they were soothing and classy in their score-like presentation. But this is a musical; there should be bombast and emotive crescendos clashing and jarring us awake. All we get here is matter-of-fact script points being sung rather than spoken, creating a musical fantasy world for Guido to escape into. And this is the most glaring misstep of the whole endeavor—it has all become so literal, shedding all of the ambiguity that made the original such a puzzle to be deciphered and interpreted. What could be meaningful in absolutely different ways to each viewer with 8 1/2 has but one linear explanation with Nine. Everything shot in crisp color is happening in real time, everything stripped of vibrancy going as far as being black and white is a past occurrence, and the moments of song on a half-finished soundstage are daydreams trapped in the interior mind of the Maestro. What was a journey of metaphysical proportions has become straightforward mediocrity. Perhaps the musical’s creators needed simplicity for a Broadway audience, I don’t know. Whatever the reason, they stripped all originality and creativity from the source.

Why would you even want to tackle a work so synonymous with its creator when all the personal moments hold none of that unique meaning to you? Fellini’s work was autobiographical; it was a catharsis to except the errors of his way. Nine is just a broad retelling about a director with creative-block, watching all his lies and secrets unravel before his very eyes. It becomes so nonspecific that the whole project becomes long-winded and boring. Why do we care about this adulterer trying to get on track? Why do we want him to find happiness when all he has ever given is pain and sorrow? Fellini created his for himself and those in his life written in, this was made for an audience. Yes, I understand Judi Dench’s Lilli and her words that Guido must continue working for the mere fact that his art speaks to people and touches them in such a way to be life altering. She speaks about the power of art and its intrinsic value to society, but the film itself does not. All the images on the screen show are an egomaniacal man and his selfishness. The fact that he shows compassion and the ability to be loving, if not ever actually loving, only makes the audience hate him more. By appearing that way, he shows the capacity to change as well as knowledge of his inexcusable actions. He does wrong and knows it; in which case we hope he fails.

Perhaps that is the purpose of this tale; maybe it really is just some masochistic interpretation of the hubris all directors possess. But why would you want to be affiliated with something that gives your own occupation a bad name? You wouldn’t and that’s why I deem this film a failure whereas 8 1/2 was a true success about inner-turmoil and artistic validity. All the intrigue and detail that hid between the lines is gone. You don’t get more literal and expository than what has been constructed here. We have a famous director, who hasn’t made a success since fame set in, about to begin a new work without any ideas where to start. And because the women of his life have always been his muses, he invites each one to the set, pitting the wife, the mistress, and the leading lady against each other. It’s a volatile situation to say the least and my only pleasure was in watching it all implode around him. This may be a spoiler, but the mere fact that an epilogue was tacked on, showing the actual shutting down of the film and then how Guido pulls himself up from his bootstraps to begin anew two years later shows how pandering the movie is. Once again we have a watered-down remake of a classic foreign piece that preaches to the lowest common denominator, making a masterpiece into a hack job unworthy of the talent involved to make it.

That talent does consist of a cast that is unrivaled on paper and screen. Daniel Day-Lewis has done his chameleon best at becoming this Italian philanderer giving a fantastic performance. Penélope Cruz is effective and I did enjoy both Dench and Kate Hudson in their small roles, each woman getting their chance to flex the golden pipes and sing their hearts out. And all of it is ravishing to look at. One cannot deny the talent that is Rob Marshall, but he needs to pick better material. I understand that the stage version won Tony awards and is highly praised and that’s okay since it’s a new medium, but by making it a movie again you automatically ask to compare it to the original film. It never stood a chance. However, if you do not feel like reading subtitles and need to check the story out via this, you will be privy to one component that resonates above the mediocrity, and that is the beautiful and talented Marion Cotillard. Here is an actress that runs away with the emotions being strewn about, taking her opportunities and excelling. Even her musical number, literally and figuratively stripping away the constraints Day-Lewis’s Guido has put upon her, is jarring and memorable. It is just a shame that the rest of the translation is so half-hearted and misguided. You do not take a surreal work and streamline it to be narratively coherent yet still attempt to create a metaphor at the end, bridging the real with the dream. Nine did not earn the rite, walking all over a classic to then, at the end, try and pay respect.

Nine 5/10

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