While cuddling the fluffy ball of sunshine may seem like an endearing thing, entrapped within a cat might not be that much fun. Well, technically we don’t know about that, but Tom Brand from the upcoming movie Nine Lives sure knows it.
Although I don’t want to give away the entire plot, a little outline of the plot won’t hurt anyone. While everyone is speculating as to why director Barry Sonnenfeld decided to turn Kevin Spacey into a talking cat, it’s hard to deny the fact that the poster is endearing.
The movie revolves around how the immensely successful business person ends up with four paws and a cute little tail and fur after encountering an accident, and hence has a week to free him from being Mr Fuzzypants.
Tom Brand (Kevin Spacey) is portrayed as a Donald Trump-like an entrepreneur who prioritizes his work before family. One fine day when he forgets his daughter’s birthday party, just to make up for his absence, Brand hatches an idea.
It looks like the idea of buying a cat to make up for his absence on his daughter’s birthday was not a very great idea on his part…want to know why? Well, let’s keep that a secret.
But through strings of events which include magical interventions, Tom Brand learns his life lessons along the process and realizes that work may be important but not more so than family, and maybe – or maybe not – things start to get better and the curse may be reversed.
When asked in an interview about his experience in the movie, the K-PAX actor stated that this movie is indeed a great opportunity for him because he loves portraying roles dealing with wit and humor, but is often considered to be the one portraying darker and more evil characters.
The director Sonnenfeld said that Nine Lives is one of those movies that he as a director enjoyed making. He further stated that although it is a fantasy, it is funny and real on certain levels.
The main message of the film as the co-writer indulged in was to let the audience envision the life of a popular businessman who has alienated his family, but through the series of magical interventions, re-thinks and re-evaluates his priorities.
A yet another feline spin on the body swap genre type of movie, Nine Lives has been acclaimed as 87 minutes of humorless and nonsensical and monogamous plot only with popular actors to act in it. But apparently even the popular faces couldn’t bring any life to the movie.
Kevin Spacey fans may be highly disturbed after watching the movie with utmost longing and attention, only to be disappointed more in the process, probably cursing themselves out midway through the movie.
Critics have not only pointed out the script as totally hellish from a viewer’s point of view, but also that the cast looked like talking past each other in the movie while staring into the distance in a daze.
On a slightly different note, new reports stated that back in 1985, Nine Lives actor Christopher Walken had once spent his Christmas with Roger Moore in his home while they were shooting for James Bond.
Walken further stated that during their five months shooting the movie, it was like James Bond and the villain hanging out together over Christmas. Only if Bond could find out the tragedy behind this movie script but alas!
The script is out to pasture, doesn’t indulge in the in-depths of the character building, and lacks a good punch line even though it’s supposed to be a comedy film.