Rodrigo Garcia's anthology film consists of nine episodes shot in single takes, with each roughly-10-minute segment focusing on a woman confronting some difficult emotional problem. While these brief glimpses sometimes afford sharp insights into the character's lives, the film ultimately plays like a series of exercises in which fine actresses (Elpidia Carrillo, Robin Wright Penn, Lisa Gay Hamilton, Holly Hunter, Amanda Seyfried, Amy Brenneman, Sissy Spacek, Kathy Baker, Glenn Close, and Dakota Fanning) are given the opportunity to mostly hone in on a single facet. Some of the episodes feel like complete mini-dramas, but others seem to be little more than the initial scenes of plays that end without resolution, and—ultimately—the only real reason for seeing Nine Lives is the chance to see a host of good actresses at work, even if the material at their disposal isn't top rank. For many, however, that will be enough. A strong optional purchase. [Note: DVD extras include a 73-minute cast and crew Q&A at the Lee Strasberg Theater & Film Institute, and the production featurettes “Working with One Continuous Take” (9 min.), “Sonia: Blocking a Scene” (8 min.), “The Women of Nine Lives” (7 min.), and “Maggie: A Day at the Cemetery” (5 min.). Bottom line: a solid extras package for an uneven film.] (F. Swietek)
Nine Lives
Sony, 112 min., R, DVD: $26.99, Feb. 14 Volume 21, Issue 1
Nine Lives
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As of March 2022, Video Librarian has changed from a four-star rating system to a five-star one. This change allows our reviewers to have a wider range of critical viewpoints, as well as to synchronize with Google’s rating structure. This change affects all reviews from March 2022 onwards. All reviews from before this period will still retain their original rating. Future film submissions will be considered our new 1-5 star criteria.
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