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December 03, 2009
Review - NEIN (aka Nine)
Have you ever seen a singer with a great voice and no grasp of the lyrics? That’s Rob Marshall.
Nine is a movie with two memorable songs, performances that are routinely better than what the performers were given to perform, a problematically intense but not charming performance at the center, and most painfully, a lack of basic storytelling.
What does Nine want to be? Putting aside the Fellini of it all, it is the story of a movie director/auteur who after great success telling stories, inspired by his life’s adventures, hits the wall creatively and cannot find the movie he is supposed to start making. The movie and show are, basically, him calling on those muses to come back and inspire him to what is next.
What we get instead is a rather symmetrical series of music videos with two women he’s fucked, two women who he hasn’t and knows he shouldn’t, a whore (literally), and two Madonnas in mama and wife. Rob Marshall knows how to come up with specific ideas in these music videos and he knows how to deliver what he wants.
But what he wants is often painfully confused and superficial.
He commits from the start to the idea of all of his musical numbers taking place on a film stage… unlike the theatrical stage of Chicago. But it is a terrible mistake. It can be visually arresting at times, but it undercuts every moment where you think you are about to run into a real emotion in the film.
And for me, the most effective number in the film is Marion Cotillard’s second – newly written by Maury Yeston - which is her expression of her anger at her emotionally disconnected husband, Guido (Daniel Day-Lewis). And it is in no small part because it is the number that is least apparently on that stupid stage. It is fantastical, as all the jumping around must me… as people bursting out in song must be. But it is the one time that the emotion of the sequence is reflected in what we are actually seeing… Cotillard’s bitter wife being manhandled by men on what seems to be a strip club stage, becoming the kind of woman that she thinks he chases, but dripping with the irony of being a strong woman objectified.
The number that seems to get the most out of going back to the stage, by audience reaction, is Be Italian, which is also easily the most memorable song in the score. The story behind it is Young Guido going to the town whore, with some friends and a handful of gathered change, and getting the lesson of his life from her. The song is sung and danced by Fergie, who might be able to act… or might not. We don’t know because Marshall never gives her the chance.
Instead of allowing her to teach the boys with the gusto of an unrepentant whore, we are off to the stage where Fergie and 30 of her closest dance-pantied hotties can do a big number which, as is often the case, is a pale theft of Fosse. It is well sung and well danced. But as a piece of theater, it is The Grinch before his heart grew five times that day.
There is a similar problem with Judi Dench’s one number, Follies Bergere. In the original show, it was a bittersweet memory of past glory as a dancer. She’s also his producer in the tale. Here, in order to accommodate Dame Judi, who is both a wonderful actor and the gold seal of easy pre-approval, they have turned the character into a wardrobe mistress who also dies hair and make-up and who worked in her youth at the Follies. But what does that do to the storytelling?
For me, the song cue is a clue. The song is inspired in the film by Guido saying something that is disrespectful of the Follies Bergere. And Dame Judi steps up to defend the institution. Lots of fans and sequins. But it means virtually nothing in terms of Guido’s journey.
There is a similar problem with Cinema Italiano, Kate Hudson’s number, which is inspired by a journalist meeting Guido in the bar and telling him how much she loves his work (and is prepared to bed him). The number works on a lot of levels. Hudson is terrific. Marshall & Dion Beebe and everyone else on the film make it cool looking. But it means nothing in terms of telling Guido’s story. It’s random and if it were removed from the film, would not change the story one little bit.
The thing about Chicago, besides the songs being more memorable, is that every single song moved the story forward in a real way. And that includes side stories about Mama Morton (Be Good To Mama), Roxie’s husband (Mr. Cellophane), and the other girls in the jail (Jailhouse Tango).
Here, only five of the ten songs – the ones sung by Guido, his wife (Cotillard), and his mistress (Penelope Cruz) - really move the story forward. And that’s not the inherent fault of the songs. It is how they are presented.
Then there is the problem with the casting…
Daniel Day-Lewis, one of the greatest actors of his generation, cannot dredge up the charm necessary for this role. The role demands an actor in whom you can see the grandiose vision and easy leadership of a great film director. Day-Lewis plays him tight and scared and a bit like an animal in a trap. But what would have made the role fly would be a performance in which however trapped Guido might seem, we can see that in reality, he is the trap and the world is happy to be his prey.
I didn’t care that he didn’t dance. I didn’t care that his singing was iffy and his movement, especially in his first number, was covered by overshooting and overediting by Marshall. I cared that he didn’t feel like an artist whose future I cared about for one moment of the film.
Judi Dench is a goddess, but as noted before, the ship was rebuilt to get her onboard and the payoff isn’t worth the damage to its speed.
Nicole Kidman is shockingly forgettable. I am fine with her singing, her acting, and her looks, though she doesn’t embody the Italian body of that era at all. Her beauty is more fragile than that and as a result, her role as The Muse never lights up.
Sophia Loren, with all due respect and decades of lust, is like a Hall of Presidents animatronic mannequin here. It’s painful to watch because she simply looks like she is going to break at any moment.
The two super-strong bits of casting here are Cotillard and Cruz. Both play the roles in their own voices… explanations unnecessary. Both get more to do than almost anyone else. Both seems stronger with every role since they became award winners. Cruz seems ripe to play a sexy role in which her character pushes the sensuality and is not just the object of men. And Cotillard holds her space in a film with very strong actors and in English better than I have seen her before. She seems ready to move up the next notch in her Hollywood career. And to her second Oscar nomination in 3 years… and Cruz to her third in 3.
As much as I got irritated in the film as Marshall stole from All That Jazz for his opening and close and made so many mistakes not in execution, but judgment, I have to say, the film will play well in spurts. Should be strong on DVD. A movie that will capture you when flipping channels for 5 or 10 minutes. But it is an episodic mess of movie. And for no good reason.
I believe that these actors had a ball making this movie. Marshall did give each – except Loren – a full out conceptualized number. They own those 6 minutes each. And they clearly worked their asses off to make it work. I honor that work and the work of the many below-the-liners who make the film lush and the sound thick.
But this film and Memoirs of a Geisha suggest that Rob Marshall’s skill set has a clear limit because at some degree of complexity, he goes tone deaf. And this goes right to the very end of Nine, when Marshall arrogantly and disastrously – the two times I have seen it – decides to do a curtain call that the audience doesn’t seem to want, closing with Sophia Loren, who unfortunately leaves the crowd wanting less and not leaping to their feet.
In the screening Thursday night, there was very light credits applause for Judi Dench and Daniel Day-Lewis, a little more for Fergie, a nice hand for Penelope Cruz, and the most for Cotillard. None for the film title or filmmakers. It is brutal fact of the film that the behind-the-scenes footage over credits is more compelling that the main movie footage.
It was most certainly not a failure of effort. But mistakes were made. Big mistakes. And unlike Guido Contini, there was not a director on board who could overcome, for the mistakes seem to be his vision.
Posted by dpoland at December 3, 2009 11:09 PM
Comments
Crimes against the state reviews always smell wrong. I could understand it if this was a Man of La Mancha, At Long Last Love or Lost Horizon sort of fiasco.
NINE is FINE.
Posted by: snazzy ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.mcnblogs.com/thehotblog/nav-commenters.gif)
at December 4, 2009 06:06 AM
Guess it's not as good as Phantom of the Opera.
Posted by: Glamourboy at December 4, 2009 08:26 AM
I think I am pretty clear about what I think is wrong with the film... and if it seems harsh, so be it, but I don't think I am saying anything close to it being a crime against the state.
And as charming as being a smart ass is, Glamour, I am predicting the film to be nominated for more than 6 Oscars, perhaps as many as 11. So I guess if you want to compare it to Phantom, you can. But you would be wrong in every way possible.
Posted by: David Poland at December 4, 2009 09:34 AM
What a letdown...
Posted by: EthanG at December 4, 2009 10:18 AM
The musical numbers in this movie aren't meant to move the story forward. They're representations of what's going on inside of Guido's heart and head.
Posted by: CaptainZahn at December 4, 2009 10:18 AM
For a Musical director, Marshall needs to stop being so self-conscious about making Musicals. He should start making films where the all the musical numbers AREN'T all inside some character's head. Maybe then the audience would feel more connection to whats going on onscreen.
Posted by: polarbear2 at December 4, 2009 10:49 AM
When a musical loses Poland, it loses the war.
Posted by: LYT at December 4, 2009 10:51 AM
Mamma Mia got along okay without him.
Posted by: CaptainZahn at December 4, 2009 11:14 AM
Uh oh. They steal from All That Jazz, my wife is going to pissed off about that one. Me too, probably my favorite musicals.
And the description of music videos I'd say fairly describes many other recent musicals (Chicago and especially Moulin Rouge!). I'll definitely see this for the spectacle.
Couldn't be happier to hear good things about Cruz and Cotillard. Them and Amy Adams are my current favorites. And good GAWD do they look smoking hot in this movie.
Posted by: Hopscotch at December 4, 2009 11:46 AM
Mamma Mia didn't win any Oscars, though.
Posted by: LYT at December 4, 2009 12:09 PM
Dave, what about Kate Hudson, who dominates the current trailer, and even has a "video" in rotation on VH1? The movie looks m'eh...wasn't a big fan of Chicago, though, on repeat viewings, have gained a deeper appreciation. Still, I think Marshall is stunningly over-rated.
Posted by: jennab at December 4, 2009 12:55 PM
Hudson's role is much smaller than Cruz and Cotillard's, jenna.
Posted by: CaptainZahn at December 4, 2009 01:20 PM
Hudson is the journalist character I mention.
She does really well in the number. Most of the actors do. But it feels like a music video from a marketing campaign, not an integral part of a movie with a story.
And speaking to polarbear2's comment, the really frustrating part of this film - amongst others - is that he has the magical notion of how to do the songs in the moment... but insists on breaking away to go back to the movie stage. Can I imagine "Be Italian" on that beach, all in black and white, with dancing whores emerging from the surf like mermaids who then do much the same number? Yes!!! And the young boys, being led by Young Guido, getting the whole thing... hands on... the magic of women... the smell... the flesh...
But no. We get 30 women in red underwear on a movie stage chorus lining with chairs - right out of Fosse - and having no real connection to the boy(s).
Movie in a nutshell.
Posted by: David Poland at December 4, 2009 01:35 PM
Musicals in which the musical numbers are there for no reason really annoy me. I hope I don't have that reaction to Nine.
The All That Jazz riffing doesn't sound that frustrating to me, even though it's my favourite film. If any movie is going to do it it might as well be Nine.
We'll see, I suppose.
Posted by: KamikazeCamelV2.0 at December 5, 2009 01:10 AM
Of course "Nine" is going to get Academy Award nominations. Harvey Weinstein doesn't know how to run a movie studio yet he sure knows how to buy awards. A tie-in on "Dancing with the Stars", broadcast on Disney-owned ABC, doesn't hurt.
Acting nominations are a lock -- Play a Prostie, Win an Oscar. Look how that helped Shirley Jones.
Posted by: Chucky in Jersey at December 5, 2009 07:07 AM
I find it curious that you think Take it All and Be Italian are the only memorable songs in the score. My Husband Makes Movies, A Call from the Vatican, Unusual Way are some of my fave musical theater songs ever.
Posted by: CaptainZahn at December 5, 2009 08:51 AM
*and Unusual Way
Posted by: CaptainZahn at December 5, 2009 08:52 AM
I kind of love Chucky's parallel-universe lingo ('prostie'???). And if you have to go back 49 years for your example, you're not making a very strong case.
Posted by: jeffmcm at December 5, 2009 10:52 AM
Never, ever, underestimate Marion Cotillard in any film, any cast. The critics didn't like LA VIE EN ROSE, either.
Posted by: Kit van Cleave at December 6, 2009 03:32 PM
Never, ever, underestimate Marion Cotillard in any film, any cast. The critics didn't like LA VIE EN ROSE, either.
Posted by: Kit van Cleave at December 6, 2009 03:32 PM
Never, ever, underestimate Marion Cotillard in any film, any cast. The critics didn't like LA VIE EN ROSE, either.
Posted by: Kit van Cleave at December 6, 2009 03:48 PM
OK, Kit, we won't.
Posted by: Joe Leydon at December 6, 2009 04:28 PM
"The critics didn't like LA VIE EN ROSE, either."
Not exactly true. It's got a 74% at Rotten Tomatoes, which makes it "Certified Fresh."
Posted by: Stella's Boy at December 6, 2009 04:55 PM
I don't think Kidman's character is supposed to be Italian.
Posted by: CaptainZahn at December 8, 2009 08:22 AM
"The critics didn't like LA VIE EN ROSE, either."
Which is presumably why the LA Film Critics Association gave her Best Actress. Come on.
Posted by: LYT at December 8, 2009 11:21 AM
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