The Nines

The Nines has some fantastic ideas and some really rather good performances (Melissa McCarthy is a constant joy throughout and Ryan Reynolds shows an impressive diversity for his acting league) however, after a promising start, loses its way as the story progresses.

A film of three distinct parts in a Charlie Kaufman (Being John Malkovich, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind) style, The Nines deals with some seriously deep themes including philosophy, theology and betrayal. However, unlike Eternal Sunshine, the direction of John August (writer of Go and Big Fish) seems too straight and, dare I say it, Teen-like for such a film where a better choice of helm would have seem to be someone like David Lynch (Blue Velvet, Twin Peaks) or maybe Darren Aronofski (Pi, The Fountain). As it is the film progressively gets weirder and weirder and with it surrealism jars with the previous tone to the point it feels preposterous.

Worth a watch and nice to see someone try something new but ultimately disappointing.

Normally, I don't like gimmicky movies. All right, I'll admit that I enjoyed "The Third Man", "Vertigo", "Psycho", "The Usual Suspects", "The Sixth Sense" and "Memento". But usually when I see something like "Persona", "Miller's Crossing", "Jacob's Ladder", "Mulholland Drive", "Lady in the Water", or "The Prestige", I want to throw something at the screen because I feel the writers and directors of these movies are either insulting my intelligence, or displaying a lack thereof on their part. "The Nines" is that refreshing sort of gimmick-film that shows intelligence on the filmmaker's part, but doesn't insult the viewers'.

The film is divided into 3 distinct chapters, each starring Ryan Reynolds as the protagonist, Melissa McCarthy as someone who clings to Reynolds, and Hope Davis as someone who is trying to pull Reynolds away from McCarthy using the phrase "Look for the Nines." And each chapter ends ironically in a way that partially reveals what the catch-phrase means and connects the chapter to the other two.

In chapter one, Reynolds plays Gary, an actor under house arrest for buying crack. Since he doesn't have his own place, he is assigned to live with his hyper-perky publicist Margaret (McCarthy) in a house belonging to a TV producer, currently in New York shopping his new show. Gary and Margaret eventually develop a flirty relationship, even though "flirting" tends to involve viciously insulting each other. Eventually, the idyll ends when next-door-neighbor Sarah (Davis) takes an interest in Gary, and tells him that since he is a nine out of ten on the attractiveness scale, he should dump the overweight Margaret and "look for the nines".

In chapter two, Reynolds plays Gavin, the TV producer who owns the house where Gary is confined in chapter one. He is in New York shopping a new supernatural series starring Melissa McCarthy (playing herself in this chapter) as a mother who is left sitting in a car with her creepy mute daughter (Elle Fanning) while her husband looks for help. Test audiences love the show, but want him to replace the overweight McCarthy with someone more conventionally attractive. Gavin resists because of his feelings of loyalty towards McCarthy, and eventually network exec Susan (Davis) steps in, and tell him he needs to see how the test audience voted from one to ten and "look for the nines" and see what they have to say about the show.

The third chapter is the drama that Gavin was producing in chapter two. Reynolds is Gabriel, a software designer out for a drive in the woods, when his car runs out of gas. He leaves his wife Mary (McCarthy) to care for their creepy mute daughter Noelle (Fanning), while he looks for help. Eventually he runs into Sierra (Davis) who leads him on a wild goose chase before finally telling him what the phrase "Look for the Nines" really means, and why he has to abandon his family.

I like that each chapter has its own genre. Chapter 1 is a musical romantic comedy shot conventionally on film, with lots of close-ups. Chapter 2 is a pseudo-reality-show shot on shaky-cam DV that never gets particularly close to the actors. And Chapter 3 is a thriller with cinematography that splits the difference between the first two chapters: It's shot on DV; and when the characters run, the camera shakes; but in the still moments, the camera is still; and there are plenty of close-ups of people's faces.

I also like that when the secret of "The Nines" is revealed, it doesn't feel forced or like writer-director John August has pulled a fast one on us. And I thought it was cool that the female lead went to someone who doesn't fit the conventional body type of a Hollywood actress.

The only complaint I have about this movie is that the acting, directing and camera-work were merely adequate. Only the writing was truly exceptional. But good writing can absolve a multitude of sins far worse than what this film is guilty of. 8 out of 10.

This movies suffers from one major flaw, it goes from being a really good movie to a really bad movie and back again. During the times when this movie was good was when it wasn't trying too hard to explain things. However when the explanations come, the movie becomes a exercise in patronization. Apart from these flaws and a musical number during the first act in the film, this film is pretty good. Sometimes I think these type of movies are made for the purpose of making people feel more intellectual than they really are. Nonlinear mysterious stories such as this one deserve more than what this movie has to offer. This movie had so much potential and in the end I'm left wondering what might of been.

I recently rewatched The Nines (2007) on Tubi. The storyline follows an actor on house arrest after a dramatic episode. His publicist helps him settle into a house and find some hobbies to keep his mind busy until his troubles blow over. Unfortunately, he becomes obsessed with the number 9, its meaning, and a neighbor next door. Will he start to lose his mind again, or can his publicist help him keep his sanity?

This film, written and directed by John August in his directorial debut, and stars Ryan Reynolds (Deadpool), Melissa McCarthy (The Heat), Hope Davis (American Splendor), Elle Fanning (Super 8), and Octavia Spencer (Hidden Figures).

The Nines features a great cast, an interesting premise, and just enough content to keep you intrigued about where the story goes. The science fiction elements are smart, the child storyline subplot is interesting, and there is also a unique love story. The acting is solid, although Melissa McCarthy's character is intentionally a bit annoying. The film concludes with a nice twist ending.

In conclusion, The Nines is an average movie overall, but its unique elements make this thriller worth a viewing. I would score it a 5.5/10 and recommend seeing it once with the appropriate expectations.

I saw it yesterday and, too much different of what I've read here, I simply saw a housewife completely slaved by the crack. Her pain and dreams are so intense that she creates another world, where she is important, famous and mother at the same time. But all of this has a high cost, each price showed in each chapter. Ryan is the crack itself: he is her best friend, her lover and her husband. When he goes away her imaginary world comes to an end: she is cured. The movie just shows us what her mind creates while she tries to get rid of the power of the drug, the crack. What does Ryan think of all this? He is God, such is the power of the drug. He created Melissa's world and He has the power to destroy it when she is cured.