The Nines (2007) Reviews

• Major spoilers in second half of post.

  crisnyc2007-08-31

  I saw the premiere in NYC tonight. Ryan Reynolds and one of the producers (Bruce Cohen) spoke beforehand. I thought this film was first-rate. It quite bent my mind. Often after seeing a film that affects me I can't get up from my seat (like most people do) when the credits roll, or even when the credits end (like everyone else does) because I need to process what I have just seen, plus it's hard to bring my self back to reality when a film has taken me to a profound place, like this one did. What I noticed after this film was that practically the whole theater sat in pensive silence until the end of the credits, something I think I've never seen. For me it was stunned silence. I can't see The Nines playing in the big Multiplexes, but no bother. Most of the best films don't. ____________________ Spoilers start here. ____________________ I think I understand about 75% of the script, the rest I figure is ambiguous or inscrutable. Here are my takes. I'd love to hear other's:

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• A predictable 9 for The Nines

  standeman19842007-12-07

  I wrote this without reading any of the other reviews, mostly cos i didn't want them to influence my own, and partly cos i'm lazy. This was a very interesting film that left some to the imagination and a lot to interpretation (but not too much). The film consists of 3 stories: the first about a house-arrested destructive TV star, the second a TV show writer with a new show in the works and the third a computer game creator stuck in the woods with his family. All three are played expertly by Ryan Reynolds. He is supported by two women, Hope Davis and Melissa McCarthy, who are also very good at enforcing the bizarre yet irresistible vision of John August, who has a good track record of writing screenplays, most notably with Tim Burton (it's worth ignoring the Charlie's Angels jobs though). The three leads play different parts in each. That alone should prepare you for the world he has created in The Nines. It is difficult to talk of the story without giving too much away, John August has found a great concept and worked it brilliantly into a interpretable screenplay and image. The world he has created seems very real, with characters that operate in abnormal situations, but ones in which i think we all can relate, given our excessive access to reality TV and celebrity. The direction is good, you know from the very start that the green woollen wristband holds significance, and the witty, experienced, inflective screen writing is a joy (though at times August gives a little more away than is necessary). The film is a fantasy and the nines are a mystery, both collaborating in a way that captures the imagination. The three stories intersect and overlap with themes that confuse and inspire, which will leave many audiences pondering for awhile. But it is not as confusing as it may appear as the plot unfolds fairly intricately to those paying attention. All of the stories hold explanations, and the last explains it all. I saw this with a friend who i wasn't expecting to enjoy it, but surprisingly they did. I giggled, guffawed and gasped, while we exchanged plot ideas and interpretations, throughout. Sometimes it became a little dry, but on the whole this a very well thought out drama mystery thriller with an excellent philosophy.

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• Look For The Nines

  kixbooty2008-02-01

  I started watching this movie after looking it up on IMDb. The plot summary said: A troubled actor, a television show runner, and an acclaimed video game designer find their lives intertwining in mysterious and unsettling ways. I thought it sounded interesting, but never did i expect it would be such a thoughtful, intelligent and awe-inspiring experience. At first, I'll be honest, I didn't understand it. It was extremely random and didn't seem to make much sense. It seemed like Ryan Reynolds' character might be a little insane or something, as he played these three different personalities, whose only connection was the people in their lives. But as the movie progressed and I learned more about what 'the nines' actually are, it starts to dawn on you that this movie has a very unique twist. When the whole thing comes together and the big secret is revealed, everything else in the film falls into place. It is very rare for that to happen in a film, especially in such an effective way, and it is a product of fantastic writing. To have the audience realize what the whole movie has been about at that one revealing moment is a great achievement. And it is accomplished in this movie. So don't worry if you have trouble understanding what is going on at first. When you do find out what the movie is about, I guarantee you will experience an "oh i get it now!" kind of feeling. This movie is sensational and subtle at the same time and i recommend it to anyone who wants to have their minds blown!

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• The Nines Keeps You Guessing Till The Very End

  Matt_Layden2008-03-26

  The Nines tells three short stories, the first of about an actor who is under house arrest after flipping over his car, the second is about a writer who's pilot TV show is in jeopardy and the last deals with a video game designer lost in the woods after his car breaks down. All three stories are told with the same actors. When I first heard about The Nines, everyone was raving about how original it was and how it was like nothing they have ever seen before. So obviously it peeked my interest. After finally watching the film, I can see where it gets it's praise, but don't fully understand why it's getting so much of it. Yes, The Nines is original and keeps you guessing until the very end, but the pay off isn't as good as the rest of the film. This is John August's directorial debut, if you don't know who August is, he's the writer of such films like Big Fish, Corpse Bride and Go. The Nines is another impressive entry to his already good resume. It seems that August was confident enough to tackle this big project. I applaud him ambitions. He didn't fail by any means, but he didn't blow me away either. It is always a love hate relationship when the writer is the director. When it works, you get Pulp Fiction, when it doesn't you get Blade Trinity. When the writer is the director, he knows exactly what he wants, he knows the characters inside out and how to bring everything together. The Nines doesn't seem to fall into either category, it seems to sit on the fence. Ryan Reynolds proves again that he has more range then people give him credit for. He might have painted himself into a corner with Van Wilder and Waiting, but he seems to be slowly breaking free of it. He showed range at the very end of Smoking Aces and in the recent rom com Definitely Maybe. With The Nines he again proves why he is underestimated and will bring greater things in the future. Reynolds plays the lead in all three shorts. We see him as a crack addicted actor, gay writer and family man video game designer. While he doesn't blow you away with his performance, he does manage to capture you and bring you along for the ride from start to finish. Hope Davis appears here in a supporting role, again playing three different characters in all three shorts. She manages to get so much across the screen by doing so little. A look here or move there and you know exactly what she is thinking. Melissa McCarthy plays herself in one segment, I think she had the hardest job. She has to be bubbly, scared, mean and informative. The three segments are all shot differently. The first segment, titled The Prisoner, showcases bright reds and yellows and was shot on 16mm. The second segment, titles reality television is shot on video. The entire segment plays out like a reality TV show as we follow Gavin (reynolds) and his troubles in trying to get his pilot on air. The third and final segment, titled Knowing, is darker and shot on 35mm. The third segment has the same title as the pilot that Gavin in the second segment is writing. Even the same events take place. Without giving too much away, all three segment interconnect with each other. But not exactly in a way you want or think. If you are confused after watching the film, join the club. I knew what happened and sort of got some things, but had to read up on it to see what others thought to finally connect the dots. The films does a very good job of teasing the viewer with bits of information and bringing them along asking questions left right and centre. As the film concludes you sit there wondering if you are satisfied or not. I still do not know really. I like the idea behind the film and the presentation was nice, but the way they dragged us along seemed like it would amount to something bigger, something deeper, something more then what we are ultimately given. The film doesn't answer everything and it doesn't need to. It's a film that leaves it's answers up to the viewer, to make whatever assumptions they want. But even this isn't satisfying enough. I guess because all the hype I head prior, I expected more. If you go into it not knowing anything about it, you will be pleasantly surprised.

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• it's not metaphysics

  fester-152008-01-17

  -- possible spoilers -- Seeing all the comments, I was just wondering if I'm the only one seeing this film differently. In my mind, there's a much simpler perspective to this film than the 'metaphysical' one. I think it is all about writing. The protagonist is the Writer, and what we see is a clever unfolding of the creative process. Writers tend to fully live and inhabit the world they are creating, at least at the time of the creative process. If you watch the film through this perspective, all the references and happenings fall into place. The god-like protagonist, his relationships with the characters - especially the painful parting -, etc, etc. Having said that, it's a great film, and even its indecisive filming tone falls nicely into place when you finally get to realize what is it that you're watching.

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