Nine (2009)

Adapted from one of surrealist cinema’s most iconic and seminal pieces, Fellini’s 8 1/2, Nine plays more like an elaborate stage piece then it does a film. While this allows for a few stunning scenes, the film comes off – to use musical lingo – a touch flat, both surprising and disappointing given the talent assembled.

The heart of the piece is, of course, the song and dance numbers. While each is played out with dazzlingly glamourous production design and intricate choreography, none of the songs are catchy or powerful enough to stand on their own. The cast is willing but the combination of their star power and the technical flash feels more like covering the music’s weaknesses rather than enhancing its qualities.

On top of this, the narrative feels disjointed. While this allows for variety from one number to the next, it also means you are watching a string of tenuously related scenes rather than a story progressing and building, robbing the work of an emotional core.

It’s still enjoyable watching the bona fide A-listers, particularly Day-Lewis, Cruz and Cotillard, in a different setting from the norm but anyone expecting Nine to live up to its award season hype might be let down.