Too much (and too little) in 'Nine'

Some films probably shouldn’t be musicals. "Nine" is one of them.

Give director Rob Marshall, along with writers Michael Tolkin and the late Anthony Minghella, some credit for trying to find coherence in a 117-minute film that simultaneously feels jam-packed and far too short.

Musical numbers abound—each of the nine major female characters get at least one song—but mostly fail to make an impression, and one wonders if some of the numbers would have been cut if not for the superstar actress singing them. Consequently, the audience learns too little about all the characters in entirely too much screen time. 

That’s a shame, because there’s a compelling story beneath all the flash—director Guido Contini (Daniel Day-Lewis) is famous for his early films, but his latest projects have been flops, and he has no idea or script for the movie he’s supposed to be shooting in ten days’ time. He looks for inspiration in memories, lovers, and muses, but can’t seem to find it.

Meanwhile, his life as a storyteller (or, as several characters call him, a liar) mixes dangerously with his personal life. The film attempts to draw an introspective portrait of the artist’s psyche, but the inclusion of the songs makes it difficult for the director to maintain a consistent vision.

While there are some fine performances in "Nine," (including Marion Cotillard as Contini’s long-suffering wife, Luisa,) the film sinks under the weight of squandered potential and superfluous star power.