By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 4 cats
Director: Edson Oda
Starring: Benedict Wong | Bill Skarsgård | Jeffrey Hanson | Tony Hale | Winston Duke | Zazie Beetz
Country: united_states
Year: 2021
Running time: 124
IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10451852/reference
Brett says: “Some may find the concept esoteric, but the science fiction mind-screw NINE DAYS takes an approach that this viewer found unique to the genre: stacking an emotional and humanist card on top of the deck rather than letting the novelty of an original sci-fi idea or ideal fully lead the story. In NINE DAYS, the concept centers on ‘pre-borns’ — that is, souls manifested in a physical form—who undergo interviews and scrutiny in order to determine which ones will obtain approval to be born and, well, ‘live.’
“Will is the main character who serves as a gatekeeper to the right to be born and experience life. His approach with applicants is distant and matter-of-fact, a sort of neutrality one would expect from a managerial role in which frontline workers or subjects are never quite sure whether they are satisfactory or not. Winston Duke nails this performance, which—without my spoiling anything—allows him to expand his range beyond the role of ‘the watcher’ and solidify the film’s emotional foundations.
“Using the complete cast of characters, director Edson Oda arranges his subjects and paints a beautiful and simultaneously tragic landscape of humanism in this, his first feature film. The pacing of the film is a steady, controlled build that never gets ahead of itself or spoils the experience. The tone is often subdued, allowing quiet realizations and connections to properly coat the portions of the film that shift into emotional overdrive. For sci-fi enthusiasts, the world-building that somehow captures both desolation and beauty at the same time and the integration of what—at times—feels like anachronistic monitoring and accommodating technologies amid the landscape are components that trigger one’s imagination and appreciation for outside-the-box thinking. Paradoxically, there is both a sense of nostalgia and newness to the use of science-fiction premises scattered throughout. This volleying of familiarity and oddity fits with the film’s ability to use themes related to what we know as humans in the day-to-day physical world and mingle with our sense of higher, yet-to-be-achieved audacity of ‘purpose.’
“For those music fans out there, the film also has a meltingly good atmospheric selection with one of the featured songs ‘Eu Na Rua.’ 4 CATS OUT OF 5
“I think I’ve officially become a member of the NINE DAYS hype train.”
Tom responds: “Great summary, the ending scene with Winston Duke and Zazie Beetz is really well done… the poop that wouldn’t flush, really? So many Qs there, what did she eat? A toothbrush, not a butter knife or a spatula? and would not that brush not have a certain aroma, hue?
“It was just a weak scene and an old joke been done so many times before, so why bother when the rest of your film is so strong?”
Michael responds: “I have a full review coming, but had to chime in in response to Tom’s comment. I completely agree. I was kind of dreading the final scene as it was approaching, but man, they were so good. And, yeah, the poop story? Felt out of place…”
Michael says: “Creative, powerful and affecting, Edson Oda’s NINE DAYS takes a metaphysical approach to examine what it means to live. Will spends his days monitoring a dozen of so TV screens depicting every action of a select group of people’s lives. When Amanda, one of Will’s favorites, a promising violin prodigy drives her car into a wall, either accidentally or on purposes and killing herself, Will is shaken. While trying to understand what happened with Amanda, Will begins interviewing a series of souls who are each given the chance to live by being born into a human life. Only one of these souls will be selected after a series of tests that Will conducts over the next nine days. Will’s process is regimented but his process is thrown off not only by the impact Amanda’s death has had on him, but on one soul who behaves unlike any other soul he has interviewed in the past. His only support is Kyo, a rare soul who has never moved on to life on earth, but was granted a spot to help monitors/interviewees like Will to do their job.
“Brazilian/Japanese Oda has fashioned an emotionally powerful debut feature, with a stark yet beautiful look, Will’s well-lived home solitary in a harsh desert landscape. The juxtaposition of otherworldliness, anachronistic technologies, like the VCR’s Will uses to monitor people’s lives, and the homey, mundane surrounding of his home come together to create an strange, otherworldly atmosphere. In a beautiful touch, reminiscent of Hirokazu Koreeda’s magnificent AFTERLIFE, those souls who do not make the nine day process are granted one experience that Will creates for them before they are gone. There is one major flaw for me in the basic premise of the film, which if I dwell on for too long would ruin the meditative beauty of the story. Why would a man who is so broken be put in charge with the determination of a soul’s existence? It seems harsh and almost barbaric, coupled with the distasteful reality-show style competition these souls must endure. However setting that aside and just enjoying the film as an experience is truly remarkable, and it has one of the strongest, beautiful acted conclusions I’ve seen in a while. 4 cats”
Julie says: “I liked this one. Interesting premise and well executed.
“Some excellent performances by the lead, his side kick and the woman who played Emma. The other ‘souls’ did a fine job as well. 4 cats“