Sunday, January 3, 2010

Nine: A review

Last night, my friend Micki, her friend Kerry, and I went to go see Nine.  Now, I love a movie musical almost as much as the next person, and though I had very few idea's of what this movie was about, and I knew who was in it.  So, I was very excited to go.

The show opens with Daniel Day-Lewis (a director in a rut) looking at an empty set and suddenly all the "women" in his life appear.  Let's pause a moment and talk about Mr. Day Lewis.  Quite possibly one of the best actors out there.  He is a chameleon on stage, a true genius.  He is one of those actors that I know is in a movie yet I can never pick him out.  He always looks, sounds, acts so different, in every part.  There was no trace of the "My two left feed" guy or "There will be Blood" guy.  He is amazing. 

Anyways, we see that Mr. Day-Lewis is a bit conflicted.  He has a wife (Marion Cotillard), and mistress (Penelope Cruz), both who play intregral parts in his life, not to mention his muse (Nicole Kidman- whose very small part reminds us of how outstanding she was in Moulin Rouge).  It also shows four other women, his long-term costume designer (Dame Judy Dench- amazing), his mother (Sophia Loren- beautiful, classy, captivating as always), Fergie who plays a strong, almost greek Goddess of sex type charactor and a journalist with whom he has limited contact, but obviously left quite the impression.

You automatically love Marion Cotillard (for those of you who aren't familiar with her work, she is a French Actress that worked along side Johnny Depp in Public Enemies.  She is beautiful, elegant, charismatic, lovely.  She is our generations Audrey Hepburn.  She is there, beside her husband, though you learn she knows os his mis-comings.  She has given up a lot to be with him, and she is begining to question if she made the right choices, and if those choices are still correct.

Penelope Cruz, poor lady, she is in love with Daniel Day Lewis, and she cant get over being second place.  However, let's talk a little about her dance/song number.  Hello...I am thinking about making Penelope MY mistress.  She is HOT, SEXY, FLEXIBLE, DARING. 

Dame Judi Dench- I really feel you must begin her name with Dame, as she is one.  She has become Daniel Day Lewis's confidant, and almost a motherly figure.  He ofter crawls into the fetal position when he is having a rough spell in order to gain her full attention.  She doesn't pressure him like everyone else for a script of the new show, and does this FANTASTIC number on Folies Bergere, just an homage to the folies of the past, in beautiful show girl costumes.  We also are introduced to Guido (Daniel Day-Lewis) as a young child. 

Whenever Guido is lost, doesn't know where to turn, is sinking further into himself, he sees his mother.  The lovely, always elegant, Sophia Loren.  The perfect portrayal of Ms. Loren is at the end, during credits, they show all the ladies practicing and dancing.  They all are in thier sweats, yoga pants, etc...except Ms. Loren, who is still in her pearls, of course.

Kate Hudson and Fergie also do stand out numbers, Katie in her go -go boots, american journalist number.  Fergie in her straight up and tough advice to young Guido and his childhood friends to "Be Italian", playing into the whole "Italian Stallion" stereotype.

I would highly recommend this movie.  It will make you leave wanting to take dancing and Italian lessons.  It serves as a good reminder of why Italians (men and women) are so damn sexy.

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