“Nine,” released in 2009, is a musical drama centered on an Italian filmmaker in 1965 (played by Daniel Day-Lewis) who’s struggling to find his creative spark. The pressure's really on because he has just ten days until filming begins for his ninth movie and he hasn't even written a script yet. He looks to the women in his life for support: his wife, Marion Cotillard; his mistress, Penélope Cruz; Judi Dench as his costume designer; Nicole Kidman as his leading actress; Sophia Loren portraying his mother; Kate Hudson as a fashion journalist; and Fergie as a prostitute from his past. This film is based on the 1982 Broadway show of the same name, which in turn was inspired by Federico Fellini's 1963 semi-autobiographical movie “8½.” It shares similarities with director Rob Marshall’s “Chicago” (2002), though it tells a different story and features a new cast set against the backdrop of Rome and its surrounding areas. I wasn’t entirely convinced by the storyline during the first portion, but I eventually became invested in the life of this troubled director experiencing a mid-life crisis. His infidelity to his beautiful wife, Luisa (Cotillard), is certainly problematic, though perhaps we should be understanding of someone who constantly has attractive women vying for his attention. It’s somewhat redeeming that he desires to move past his infidelities and remain faithful to Luisa. Still, I struggle to understand why Guido (Day-Lewis) would pursue Carla (Cruz) over Luisa. Carla is physically appealing, but Luisa possesses a more pleasing figure. Both characters have elaborate dance numbers, yet Luisa’s sequence feels superior despite being less alluring. Day-Lewis delivers a captivating performance as the director wrestling with guilt and who hasn't let fame corrupt him. During one scene, he seeks guidance from a clergyman about faith and his difficulties, and the vicar responds by saying: “Imagination is God’s garden, don’t let the devil play in it.” I typically dislike musicals where characters break into song and dance during everyday situations like strolling through a park or having dinner. My wife and I often tease these kinds of movies by imitating them while doing ordinary things. For me, musicals are most effective when the musical numbers feel authentic, such as a performance at a nightclub or within someone’s imagination—techniques successfully employed in “Chicago.” It's obviously more difficult to integrate song and dance routines in a way that feels natural and realistic, but "Nine" manages it. The movie has a running time of 1 hour, 58 minutes and was filmed in Italy and England. GRADE: B

Source on TMDB