Nine Lives | Elpidia Carrillo, Aomawa Baker

Nine Lives | Elpidia Carrillo, Aomawa Baker | Nine Lives features some of the most intuitive acting of 2005...

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Nine Lives

	Nine Lives Elpidia Carrillo, Aomawa Baker Sony Pictures, 2006 average customer review:based on 41 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Underrated and terrific

This is a perfectly beautiful film - honest, funny, real and tragic. It's a peek into the lives of nine women, but to call it a chick flick would sell it (and the fine actors in the film)very short. The writing is first rate and the direction seamless. The cast shines across the board. Rent Nine Lives. Trust me, you won't be disappointed.

Nine Lives features some of the most intuitive acting of 2005...

Nine Lives is a quite and introspective look at the lives of nine unique women, all faced with difficult choices, and all suffering in profound and unexpected ways. The brief, unrelated shards of these women's lives are dark, harrowing, and acted with exquisite skill, with Writer-director Rodrigo Garcia content to let each vignette speak bitingly for itself, and to let us fill in the blanks of female distress on our own. In Nine Lives, it is understatement and subtly that brings the world of these women to life.

The movie contains nine segments that are admittedly loosely connected, but clash against each other in unpredictable and surprising ways. Some are more compelling than others, but all the segments are extremely profound and inherently spiritual. In one scene a disabled dad, Larry (an unrecognizable Ian McShane), Ruth (Sissy Spacek), his patient wife, and Samantha (Amanda Seyfried) their radiant teenage daughter struggle to maintain the bonds of family. Later we meet Ruth in a motel with her lover, a boozy philosopher Henry (Aidan Quinn.)

The prison guard from the opening sequence when prison inmate Sandra (Elpidia Carrillo) eagerly awaits a visit from her daughter, reappears as the father of Holly (Lisa Gay Hamilton), a distraught woman who re-emerges as the nurse of Camille an insecure and neurotic cancer patient (Kathy Baker). Some of the stories are unlinked: There's Amy Brenneman as Lorna, an ex-wife falling back in love with Andrew her deaf ex-husband (an excellent William Fichtner) on the occasion of his second wife's funeral.

Holly Hunter plays Sonia, a woman verbally sparring with Martin (Stephen Dillane) her indiscreet boyfriend; and Glenn Close as Maggie, a mother escorting Maria, (Dakota Fanning) her precocious young daughter on a visit to a family cemetery plot. And in what lingers as this film's most haunting sequence, is the meeting of Diana and Damian, (Robin Wright Penn and Jason Isaacs) two old flames who reconnect amidst the aisles of a supermarket.

Whilst seemingly unrelated, the stories have one thing in common; these characters are shown at pivotal moments in their lives when they are faced with difficult choices. Garcia derives rich performances from all his leading ladies, but kudos also must be given to his gallery of supporting males - not least of all Aidan Quinn, who's never seemed as loose and uninhibited in a movie as he does playing Henry, as he's about to embark on a motel-room fling with the married Ruth.

Nine Lives is slow, quiet and methodical, choosing to focus simply on the rigors of the everyday and the quieter moments of life; stories intersect, others don't, and the connections, when they do occur, feel organic and unhurried. This is a fragile and restrained movie that is obviously about women and their place in the world, but is also about the profound nature of time and the chance connections and associations that inevitably bind us all together. Mike Leonard February 06.

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A very insightful film albeit a little too loose

I really love the nine different scenes, especially Robin Wright Penn's scene in the grocery store. Although this film seems like a piece of life, the writers try to connect these stories and don't seem to be very successful. Whereas in a movie like Crash, all of the characters affect one another, even when it seems like they are just brushing by each other. The story in this film seems a little too loosely connected. I'll stop complaining there, because that was my only beef with this film. The scenes are wonderfully done with superb acting, especially, again, by Robin Wright Penn and I like the closing scene with Glenn Close and Dakota Fanning. This film is intriguing and insightful, but still left me wondering what exactly women think. Very well done.

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Call this one 'Personal Velocity' cubed as 9 short stories are loosely connected for the possible delight of chickflickers!!!

Call this one 'Personal Velocity' cubed as 9 short stories are loosely connected for the possible delight of chickflickers, but once again the male gender gets bashed!

2-1/2 stars [(2005)USA/Magnolia Pictures/Rated R] - (1 hr. 55 min.)

Written & directed by Rodrigo Garcia

Review:

CHICKFLICK ALERT!!! Sorry significant others but you're going to get dragged to this one whether you like it or not, so I've added a little checklist below to help you decide when to head to the popcorn stand, take a walk, check your messages, whatever.

Need I review this for the ladies? I think not. Here's an ensemble of some of our leading female character actors doing what they do best: making evident the frailty of human life and how extreme situations can be dealt with in dramatic, humorous, and sometimes melodramatic fashion. I wouldn't dare dissuade any person of the female persuasion from rushing out to enjoy the cathartic situations present in this nearly omnibus format (except that Rodrigo Garcia is the sole director who channels his feminine side with great aplomb).

Mr. Garcia also seems to be allergic to editing as he has shot each episode as one continuous 'steadicam' shot known as an 'all-in-one'. Budding filmmakers may get some added satisfaction working out how the camera and actors were choreographed to achieve this effect, but that's all of the technical satisfaction that will be gleaned from this experiment in delivering raw female emotions.

In any case, here's a little advice to 'da guyz' to make this experience feel less like penance and more akin to understanding the always enigmatic female mind.

9 short reviews as follows (w/ 'guy-breaks' indicated/story titles are mine):

I. PRISON (13 min.)

Characters/Cast
Sandra (inmate Mom) - Elpidia Carrillo
Ron (Prison Guard) - Miguel Sandoval

Mini-review: As 'Sandra', Mexican actress Elpidia Carrillo ("My Family, Mi Familia") ably conveys the tragedy of toiling in a woman's prison, as well as the especially arduous task of repelling the advances of inmates and guards alike since her charge was for 'prostitution'. Sandra's meeting with her daughter turns into a heartrending (though slightly over-the-top) depiction of the explosion that results from the massive frustration that prison life can inspire. And it's definitely not pretty when it happens to a Latina who's drawn the straw that breaks the camel's back.

II. PREGNANT (13 min.)
Characters/Cast
Diana (Pregnant grocery shopper) - Robin Wright Penn
Damian (her old flame/grocery shopper) - Jason Isaacs

Mini-review: Being nearly full-term and having to do your own grocery shopping is bad enough, but what could be worse than to meet up with an old flame and have him profess his undying love to you (while he's married and you are too)! Robin Wright Penn ("White Oleander") does a great job of conveying indecision and anguish at every conceivable level WITHOUT crashing her grocery cart to boot. One would wonder whether Jason Isaacs is playing the old flame or the devil himself as he tempts this fully impregnated woman to limits of her patience. Certainly one of the more entertaining episodes in this collection.

III. HOMECOMING (13 min.)

Characters/Cast
Holly (estranged daughter/See VIII.) - Lisa Gay Hamilton
Vanessa (her younger sister) - Sydney Tamiia Poitier
Ron ('Bad dad'/Prison Guard-See I.) - Miguel Sandoval

Mini-review: Okay guys, this is the one that you want to skip over and make that trip to refill the popcorn bucket, especially if you're a father with a guilty conscience. Lisa Gay Hamilton ("Beloved") offers 'Holly' as a sweating, nervous, and overly neurotic daughter who wants to re-unite with her father after being estranged for many years. While the lovely younger sister 'Vanessa' (Sydney Tamiia Poitier) tries to comfort her it becomes clear that they are both hiding a deep dark family secret. And then Dad comes home ... SURPRISE!

IV. DINNER DATE (20 min.)

Characters/Cast
Sonia - Holly Hunter
Martin - Stephen Dillane
Lisa (wealthy lady) - Molly Parker
Damian (her husband/See II.) - Jason Isaacs

Mini-review: Okay guys, while you're getting the popcorn you might as well check your cellphone messages and use the bathroom too (this is your intermission). As expected, this is the 'my-husband-the-jerk' scenario that starts with the bad hubby forcing his wife onto an elevator (which she's afraid of) and then the evening goes downhill from there. To make matters worse, the always wonderful Holly Hunter ("Broadcast News") is the poor suffering wife who constantly battles her incommunicative husband. Quote: "I thought we weren't going to talk about this" ... now do any of you guys really want to re-live that moment again?

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V. DYSFUNCTIONAL FAMILY (12 min.)

Characters/Cast
Samantha - Amanda Seyfried
Ruth (her mother/See VII.) - Sissy Spacek
Larry (the disabled father) - Ian McShane

Mini-review: Well gentleman, you can return to your seats as the worst has passed and now you can sit back and relax while the disabled husband gets to show off his ability play the 'guilt game'. But hey, he's in a wheelchair so it doesn't apply to you right? Unless you're the type of guy who shouts out crossword clues and expects others to respond. Meanwhile the 'golden child' (Amanda Seyfried) spends her time at home to cater to poor crippled dad. Hey, at least pop isn't a child molester, right?

VI. FUNERAL (13 min.)

Characters/Cast
Lorna (unwanted mourner) - Amy Brenneman
Andrew (Deaf mourner) - William Fichtner

Mini-review: This next episode is possibly the most interesting (for guys anyway) because of its oddball mix of a deaf grieving husband and his 'ex-girlfriend' (Amy Brenneman) reuniting at the funeral of the man's recently deceased wife. Sure it's in poor taste, but it's the one episode where a 'male actor' gets a chance to steal the show even though he's just another horny b*stard (face it guys, we just can't keep it in our pants). William Fichtner ("The Longest Yard") not only gets to propose sex, but since he's deaf he does it in sign language (and also in distorted 'deaf speak'). Guys will be laughing while the ladies jaws drop to the floor of the theater. Certainly worth the price of admission after all that's gone before.

VII. MOTEL RENDEZVOUS (13 min.)

Characters/Cast
Ruth (See V.) - Sissy Spacek
Henry - Aidan Quinn
Sandra (arrest for prostitution/See I.) - Elpidia Carrillo

Mini-review: Normally watching a married woman trysting with a younger man would be improper, but we've already met her disabled husband earlier which defuses the scandalous nature of the meeting. Still, the chemistry between Quinn and Spacek seemed forced to me but these two great talents are still watchable. Your mileage may vary on this one.

VIII. MASTECTOMY (10 min.)

Characters/Cast
Camilla (the nervous patient) - Kathy Baker
Richard (her husband) - Joe Mantegna
Alma (the doctor) - Mary Kay Place
Holly (the nurse/See III.) - Lisa Gay Hamilton

Mini-review: Okay guys, I know your feet must be getting itchy by now and this is your two-episode warning. It wouldn't kill you to watch this but who wants to see a pre-op wife berating her hubby for ten minutes. Plus this is your last chance to get a free soda refill for the road plus you can beat the line to the rest room. Best of all, if you come back too late you'll only be missing the final episode which is the least compelling of the nine.

IX. GRAVEYARD PICNIC (10 min.)
Characters/Cast
Maggie - Glenn Close
Maria - Dakota Fanning

Mini-review: Normally when creating a program of short episodes the director will save the best for last. Not so. Yes, Glenn Close ("Fatal Attraction") is the best of her generation and Dakota Fanning ("War of the Worlds") is the best of the pre-teen set, but great acting only emerges from great writing and this final episode is the most underwritten of the nine. I'm sure they put this episode at the end because a cat appears which provokes the line, "do cats have nine lives?"

Oh brother, give me some explosions and a chase scene anyday, right fellas? Okay, she made you see this one so the next night you take her to a good bloodbath. All's fair in love and war right? As for you chickflickers, do your guys a favor and make this one a girl's night out, whaddaya-say???

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could have done better

I think the writer could have been a little bit better in connecting the stories lines but the acting is incrediable and write on mark, it is not a bad rental but i do not think it is worth the price of the dvd to purhcase. Last scene with Glenn Close at the cemetery I feel the charcters were not drawn out enough.

reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, page 8, 9

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