The Nines - DVD

Movie: After actor Gary (Ryan Reynolds) accidentally burns down his house and then also builds an accident under the influence of drugs, he is put under house arrest by the police. He is now to be kept out of all sorts of trouble in the empty house of a screenwriter, which press agent Margaret (Melissa McCarthy) is to see to. When Gary meets Sarah (Hope Davis), who lives in the house next door, his forced stay seems to change for the better after all. But more and more often the actor has the feeling that something is wrong with the house. Or does he suffer from delusions?

The screenwriter Gavin (Ryan Reynolds) has to fight with completely different problems. He's in the middle of production on a new series he wrote especially for his good friend, Gilmore Girls actress Melissa McCarthy. But after an initial test screening, the network demands that McCarthy be swapped out for a more attractive actress. As much as Gavin harps on Susan (Hope Davis) at the network, he's going to have to disappoint his girlfriend willy-nilly if he wants to keep the show alive. The fact that he's accompanied by a TV crew during this entire time doesn't make things any easier...

Video game designer Gabriel (Ryan Reynolds) is out for a drive in the countryside with his wife Mary (Melissa McCarthy) and their daughter Noelle (Elle Fanning), whom they share, when their car breaks down in the middle of nowhere. Searching for help, Gabriel meets Sierra (Hope Davis), who pretends to want to help him but has very different intentions...

Three stories that at first glance have little in common, but are inextricably linked, connected by The Nines...

The Nines is hard to describe and even harder to pigeonhole. Director John August, who primarily made a name for himself as the screenwriter of films like Big Fish or Corpse Bride, presents here a mystery puzzle in three episodes, which differ from each other both in content and style, but are nevertheless always connected to each other and ultimately create a (more or less) coherent overall picture. August mixes elements of drama with mystery, fantasy and even science fiction, but also lets humorous and satirical moments shine through. Especially in the second episode, which has almost autobiographical features, as August admits in the DVD extras, there is a clear satire on the world of film and television business.

The occasionally odd mix and rather confusing storyline, at least initially, may cause some viewers to lose interest quickly. The Nines is not a film that can just be passed by, here the viewer's attention and interest are completely required. When at the end of the second episode and in the third part of the movie it is explained in more detail what it is actually about, it is also necessary that the viewer can get involved with this explanation. If that can be done, then a genius reveals itself behind this episodic film that is quite comparable, at least in approach, to that of Donnie Darko.

With three really good actors, who each have to embody three different characters and do so more than convincingly, and a basic atmosphere that is engaging in a very peculiar way, The Nines definitely knows how to captivate, even if some scenes turned out a bit long-winded. If you can get involved with the mix of different genres and the resolution that isn't really anchored in reality, if you also like to deal with some challenging entertainment beyond the mainstream, you might discover the cult potential that lies dormant in this film. Absolutely worth seeing!

Image + Sound: Each individual chapter of the film is dominated by different hues. In addition, the look also changes, which is about in the middle chapter rather documentary, in the first and last part more clearly feature film character. Accordingly, different strengths and weaknesses in the picture quality can be found in the different chapters. Overall, however, the picture quality can be described as quite successful, whereby especially the coloring provides a very special atmosphere. The sound is largely restrained and is dominated by the dialogues. From time to time, however, there are also discreet, but well used sound effects. The German DTS track is only conditionally more powerful than the also good Dolby Digital 5.1 mix. Good!

Extras: The DVD has plenty of extras to offer. It starts off with no less than two audio commentaries. The first one was recorded by director John August together with his leading actor Ryan Reynolds. While August talks quite enthusiastically about his film, the contributions of Reynolds remain rather monosyllabic, which also leads to the one or other pause. The second commentary is a bit more lively, with August assisted by actress Melissa McCarthy and his editor Douglas Crise. Since the information content is really the same for both commentaries, it's worth listening to the second one at most, as it's quite entertaining, informative and also amusing. Unfortunately, there are no optional subtitles for either audio commentary, so only those interested with a good command of English will get their money's worth here.

Continues with an insightful interview with director John August (approx. 14min), who reveals more about the origins of the project, the importance of the story, the casting and his personal connection to the second chapter in particular. We continue with the nearly 10-minute short film God, which August shot with Melissa McCarthy and which is a kind of prequel to the first chapter of the film. August, McCarthy and Crise reveal more about the backstory in an optional audio commentary. That's also available for the nine cut scenes, which include the original, more sober ending. There's also a nearly 14-minute making of and the animated From Script to Screen image gallery, as well as the trailer for the film. Very good!

Conclusion: The Nines is a very strange film. That's not necessarily meant in a negative way, because if you can get into the story(s) and the somewhat absurd staging, you'll definitely discover one or two moments of genuine genius here. However, the whole thing is very special and will probably only be accessible to a small fan base. But there The Nines would have good chances to become a small cult film. The DVD is technically well done, the bonus material is pleasantly extensive and informative. For friends of somewhat weirder and challenging fare beyond the mainstream absolutely recommendable!

An article by Frankfurt-Tipp