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Back in 2002, director Rob Marshall’s stylish musical, Chicago, sang and danced away with six Oscars. Ever since, fans have eagerly awaited Marshall’s next big musical adaptation. So, for Nine, Marshall decided to stick with the formula that worked for him before—only this time, it’s a whole lot bigger.
Daniel Day-Lewis stars as Guido Contini—a famed Italian director who’s about to begin shooting his ninth film, which he’s ambitiously titled Italia. He’s been very secretive about the project, constantly skirting questions about the story. But while the media thinks that his silence is just a clever publicity stunt—the big build-up for the project that will bring him back on top following a pair of flops—the truth is that Italia has no script. With just 10 days to go before shooting is scheduled to begin, Guido is still trying to come up with a story for his highly anticipated masterpiece.
As Guido battles his creative block, avoiding his impatient producer and his confused cast and crew, he’s haunted by the women in his life: his stunning star (Nicole Kidman), his brilliant costume designer (Judi Dench), an alluring American reporter (Kate Hudson), his loyal wife (Marion Cotillard), his adoring girlfriend (Penélope Cruz), and even his late mother (Sophia Loren). Each one sings to him in his dreams, and he strives to find inspiration in their stories. But these strong, beautiful women could destroy him as easily as they could save him.
Everything about Marshall’s Nine is big. The music is big. The set pieces are big. Even the hair is big. Guido’s ego, too, is very, very big. The only things that aren’t big, in fact, are the costumes. They, on the other hand, are surprisingly tiny (which might be a small reward for the guys whose wives/girlfriends drag them out to see it).
Like Chicago, though, Nine is a bold and stylish production. The format is similar to Chicago’s—cutting back and forth from Guido’s reality to the dream-like musical numbers. At times, it does tend to feel a bit long and repetitive, but the endless parade of diverse musical performances—starring a (mostly) talented cast of strong, beautiful women—still makes it an entertaining experience.
From Judi Dench’s Parisian club number to Kate Hudson’s shimmery, up-tempo production, Nine is certainly a sight to behold. The choreography is energetic, the costumes bright and dazzling, the sets grand and spectacular. It’s smooth and chic, with fun ‘60s style—complete with mod musical numbers, little Italian convertibles, and (of course) plenty of Vespas.
Although each member of the ensemble cast gets just a short amount of time to tell his or her story, most do so surprisingly well. Oscar winner Cotillard, especially, stands out as Guido’s long-suffering wife. In fact, the women are generally so captivating that Day-Lewis often gets upstaged—a pleasant surprise for those, like me, who tend to find his typically larger-than-life performances a bit hard to stomach.
If you loved Chicago—and you’re eager to see more of the same—Nine is an entertaining follow-up. It’s not particularly noteworthy or original, but its talented cast and its hip, retro style still make it an enjoyable musical experience.
