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"NINE" (2009) (Daniel Day-Lewis, Marion Cottillard) (PG-13) Alcohol/ Drugs Blood/Gore Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude Frightening/ Tense Scenes Guns/ Weapons Moderate None Heavy None None Imitative Behavior Jump Scenes Music (Scary/Tense) Music (Inappropriate) Profanity Moderate Minor None Moderate Mild Sex/ Nudity Smoking Tense Family Scenes Topics To Talk About Violence Heavy Extreme Heavy Heavy Minor QUICK TAKE: Musical: Facing creative block for writing his next film, a director must also deal with the various women in his life, including his wife and lover. PLOT: Guido Contini (DANIEL DAY-LEWIS) is a once successful film director who's had hits in the past, but has delivered several flops of late. He's supposed to start shooting his latest movie, but is facing a creative block in terms of writing the screenplay, a point not lost on his producer, Dante (RICKY TOGNAZZI), or on-the-set confidante and costume designer, Lilli (JUDI DENCH). Facing that and something of a midlife crisis, he contemplates the other women in his life, including his wife, former actress Luisa (MARION COTTILLARD), and sultry but obsessive lover, Carla (PENELOPE CRUZ). His attitude and treatment of women, of course, not only stems from his view of his late mother, Momma (SOPHIA LOREN), but also a prostitute from his childhood, Saraghina (STACY "FERGIE" FERGUSON), that he and other boys paid for a sultry dance long ago. As a young journalist, Stephanie (KATE HUDSON), tries to seduce him, and his muse-type regular actress, Claudia (NICOLE KIDMAN), says she can't work without a script, Guido tries not only to get that worked out, but also his relationships with both Luisa and Carla. WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT? If they're into musicals and/or are fans of anyone in the cast, they might be interested. WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG-13 For sexual content and smoking. CAST AS ROLE MODELS: DANIEL DAY-LEWIS plays a film director who's burned out in his career and is about to start making a new film despite a string of recent flops and not having a shooting script. He smokes throughout, drinks a little, uses a little profanity, and continues his affair with Carla. MARION COTTILLARD plays Guido's wife and former star actress who isn't happy that he spends all of his time making movies and having an affair with Carla. PENELOPE CRUZ plays Guido's sultry lover who falls into depression when he doesn't spend enough time with her. She tries killing herself and briefly uses profanity. NICOLE KIDMAN plays Guido's star who often plays muse-type characters in his films, but won't participate in his latest until he has a script. She smokes a few times. JUDI DENCH plays Guido's costume designer and confidante who smokes a few times. KATE HUDSON plays a young journalist who obviously likes Guido and offers him her hotel room key (but nothing happens between them). She drinks and briefly smokes. RICKY TOGNAZZI plays Guido's producer who tries to keep him in line regarding making their next movie. He smokes cigars. SOPHIA LOREN plays Guido's mom seen in imagined views. STACY "FERGIE" FERGUSON plays a prostitute from Guido's childhood who helped mold his view of women (and sex). She's seen accepting money from him and other boys to put on a provocative/sultry display for them. CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit? Then read OUR TAKE of this film. (Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below). OUR WORD TO PARENTS: Here's a quick look at the content found in this PG-13 rated musical. Profanity consists of a handful of expletives, while some religious and colorful phrases are also uttered. Sexually related dialogue and song lyrics are present, two married people have an affair together (we see fooling around, and female full frontal nudity is implied), and scantly clad women are seen in various musical numbers where they dance and pose in provocative manners. A flashback shows a priest physically punishing a boy, while drinking is seen in several scenes, and smoking occurs throughout. Tense family material is present, including that stemming from affairs, while an off-screen, attempted overdose occurs. Should you still be concerned about the film's appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home, you may want to look more closely at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content. For those concerned with bright flashes of light on the screen, there's some of that from paparazzi photos. For those prone to visually induced motion sickness, there are varying degrees of handheld camera movement in the film. ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE We see liquor bottles on a table. Guido and others have champagne at a dinner where wine is also on the table. Guido orders vodka, Stephanie says she'll have the same, and we then see them drinking shots of that. A song has a line about opening champagne. We hear that Carla tried to overdose on pills due to being depressed about Guido not spending time with her. People have drinks in a club. BLOOD/GORE None. DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE We hear that Guido and Carla are having an affair (both are married to others). Guido sings a lyric about wanting to be Christ, Buddha and Muhammad but not wanting to believe in God. Guido nearly has a fling with Stephanie. FRIGHTENING SCENES None. GUNS/WEAPONS None. IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR Phrases: "What the hell is wrong with me?" "You won't find it with your head jammed half-way up your ass" and "You're such a dope." Some girls may be enticed to imitate the various dance moves and postures (some sexually provocative) seen in various musical number. During an imagined musical number, Guido walks along atop the back of a sofa before doing some slight acrobatic maneuvers on a spiral staircase. We hear that Carla tried to overdose on pills due to being depressed about Guido not spending time with her. JUMP SCENES Interrupting a quiet scene, Luisa's hand suddenly thrusts through some hanging beads in another scene. MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE) None. MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE) One and possibly two reels were out of place at our press screening, so rather than try to piece it back together in proper chronological order (and risk getting that wrong), the following is listed in the (incorrect) order in which we saw it. Guido sings a lyric about wanting to be Christ, Buddha and Muhammad but not wanting to believe in God. We see a flashback to when Guido was a boy who collected money from other boys to pay Saraghina to do a sultry dance for them. During this, she sings lyrics about "When you hold me, hold this" (grabbing her own chest) and "Pinch me where there's fat." Carla writhes about on her bed, alone in lingerie (showing cleavage and including fishnet hose that cover her legs and butt) and sings lyrics about not wearing any clothes, squeezing her in various places, and such. We see some scantly clad female dancers, including some views of partial bare butts. During that, Lilli shows some cleavage and sings a line about one derriere, all as the dancers suggestively bend over. A song has a line about opening champagne. PROFANITY At least 3 asses (1 used with "hole"), 1 hell, 2 uses of "For Christ's sakes" and 1 use each of "My God," "Mother of God" and "Oh God." SEX/NUDITY One and possibly two reels were out of place at our press screening, so rather than try to piece it back together in proper chronological order (and risk getting that wrong), the following is listed in the (incorrect) order in which we saw it. We see some scantly clad women in an imagined set piece, including Carla who shows cleavage. Guido (clothed) ends up rolling around with her, grabbing her butt and then ending up on top of her. Stephanie does some sexy dancing, while Momma and Saraghina show cleavage, with Saraghina stuffing something down inside her top. At a press conference, Stephanie asks Guido about fashion, with him saying he's less interested in a costume than what's inside it. When he's asked about possibly casting his wife in the film, he makes a joke about making love to his leading lady (meaning Luisa). We see Guido shirtless in a spa. The priest he's asking for guidance tells him he doesn't need so much sex in his films, adding that he should present women as wives and not whores. We see a flashback to when Guido was a boy who collected money from other boys to pay Saraghina to do a sultry dance for them. As she does so (in a cleavage-revealing dress where she lowers the strap on one side in a suggestive fashion, and crawls along showing a lot of cleavage, etc.), we see an imagined musical number featuring her and other scantly clad women doing all sorts of suggestive poses and moves (including sitting with their legs spread, bending over provocatively, etc.). During this, she sings lyrics about "When you hold me, hold this" (grabbing her own chest) and "Pinch me where there's fat." A flashback scene of a priest whacking young Guido's back immediately segues to another showing Guido (shirtless) on top of Carla (in cleavage-revealing lingerie). We hear what initially appear to be orgasm sounds, but it's really just him in distress as he says he can't breathe. He then gets up and leaves, with Carla telling him, "I'll be here waiting for you with my legs open." Carla writhes about on her bed, alone in lingerie (showing cleavage and including fishnet hose that cover her legs and butt). As she sings lyrics about not wearing any clothes, etc. she slides backwards down a set piece on her crotch, while she also delivers lyrics about squeezing her in various places, using her hands to touch her chest, butt and crotch (legs closed at that moment). While down on all fours, she then does some pelvic thrusting up and down, all in a highly sensual/sexual fashion. Carla shows cleavage while meeting Guido at the train station. We see Carla with a just a sheet around her as Guido is on the bed and wants to do some role playing, asking her to go out and then come back in, pretending to be a stranger. She talks about a dream of kissing him on the ground while naked, followed by opening the sheet to show him her full frontal nudity (the camera is behind her, so we don't see anything). She then wraps him up in that and lies down on him. When we next see them, he's sneaking out while she's asleep in bed (we see her bare back). In an imagined bit, Claudia briefly kisses Guido. Guido draws a sketch of a bare-breasted woman. We see some scantly clad female dancers, including some views of partial bare butts. During that, Lilli shows some cleavage and sings a line about one derriere, all as the dancers suggestively bend over. Carla shows cleavage. Stephanie comments about Guido's film being about the death of religion as well as the sexual revolution. While chatting with Stephanie, Guido glances at her fishnet stockings, and she then leaves her hotel key with him as she walks off. As he goes to her suite and spots her in another room in her bra (as he sits on the bed), we see an imagined musical number where she and other scantly clad women do various dance moves, etc. He has second thoughts and then leaves without anything happening. Claudia shows some cleavage. Luisa does a partial striptease, including showing cleavage, during an imagined musical number. During this, we also see various men groping and caressing her, while she pulls off her top in front of the audience and we briefly see a partial bare breast view. During a musical number, Luisa tells Guido he should "take it between the legs." Claudia wears a dress where the material comes together to a point across each of her breasts. SMOKING Guido smokes more than 15 times, Lilli smokes at least 5 times, while Dante (cigars), Stephanie and Claudia each smoke a few times, and many minor and miscellaneous characters smoke in various scenes. As he goes to visit Lilli, Guido tells someone to get him a cigarette and moments later says he needs one. TENSE FAMILY SCENES Guido imagines talking to his mom in his car (we know she's dead in real life, but there's no grief on his part). Luisa sings a song with lyrics about her husband making movies and thus not having time for her, including that he rarely comes to bed and instead makes movies. Luisa isn't happy that Guido has resumed his affair with Carla. Luisa is upset with/mad at Guido and thus leaves the spa restaurant, telling him he's too busy inventing his life. Guido lies to Luisa about Carla surprising him at the spa. Guido briefly encounters Carla's husband when he shows up following her suicide attempt (thus signaling to the husband that she's been cheating on him with Guido). As Dante is packing up the movie gear and leaving the spa, he informs Guido that Luisa has left him (Guido). Watching screen tests, Luisa sees that Guido treated an aspiring actress exactly as he earlier treated her (meaning what she thought was special really isn't). Two years after the main story, Guido sees Luisa leave a theater with another man. TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT Affairs. The filmmaking process. Creative block. Lilli's comment that movie direction is just saying yes or no to people helping one make the film and asking questions related to their particular contribution. Momma tells Guido that the world sees Rome the way he presented it in his films. Stephanie comments about Guido's film being about the death of religion as well as the sexual revolution. We hear that Carla tried to overdose on pills due to being depressed about Guido not spending time with her. Guido being a tormented/frustrated artist. VIOLENCE In a flashback, a priest manhandles young Guido while dragging him to an office. After smacking him on the back of the head as they walk along, another priest then takes a rod to Guido's back (we hear but don't see the impact). Reviewed December 3, 2009 / Posted December 25, 2009

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