In Nine Days, Will (Winston Duke) isolates himself inside a secluded suburban home. He watches others lives through video tapes, seeing the world directly through their eyes. He has an intimate connection with each person he observes. After an unexpected event, Will reluctantly resumes his task of choosing a new soul/personality to be born into the world.
Kane (Bill Skarsgard), Emma (Zazie Beets), Mike (David Rysdahl), Maria (Arianna Ortiz), Alexander (Tony Hale), and Anne (Perry Smith) are the new souls/personalities that show up at Will's house. Over the course of nine days each are tested, and in the end only one will receive the gift of life.
Nine Days takes place in a different realm that exists outside of "the real world". The realm it's set in is barren, desolate, yet ethereal. It's an off-putting and striking location. That said, we spend the majority of the run time confined with Will inside his house as he tests the applicants.
Nine Days is set up like it's going to be an ensemble piece, and the plot sounds fairly simple and straightforward. Part of the joy of watching Nine Days is discovering it's hidden depths and surprises for yourself.
All of the actors here do great jobs, but the standouts are Winston Duke as Will, Zazie Beetz as Emma, Benedict Wong as Kyo (a close friend of Will's who assists with the tests), and Kane (Bill Skarsgard). Skarsgard isn't given quite as much meat to chew as other roles he's been given, but Kane is absolutely essential to the themes Nine Days is trying to explore. Kane is a bit of a pessimist, and he showcases some concerning thoughts but he isn't a "bad guy".
Zazie Beetz as Emma is absolute fire. Emma is a free spirit filled with curiosity. Throughout the film, Emma seems to be the one who most understands what a gift life would be. Beetz emanates a warmth, compassion, and intensity of spirit any time she is on screen. Watching her is like watching a ball of joy. Needless to say, this might be her best performance.
Benedict Wong also shines as Kyo. It's nice to hear him get to act with his real British accent. He's another warm character who quickly grows to like Emma, and gives her some insights that Will would not approve of. The banter Will and Kyo share in some scenes is fantastic well. Kyo and Will are best friends, but that doesn't mean that Kyo won't point out when Will is acting irrationally.
Speaking of Will, this is the Winston Duke show, and what a show it is. Duke previously appeared in Black Panther, Us, and Spencer Confidential, but this is his best performance BY FAR. Will is a very complex character. He was previously given the gift of life, but now he finds himself in the role of interviewer. He prefers not to discuss his time in "the real world", and openly admits he doesn't have a favorite memory from his years spent there.
Will has recently witnessed an unexpected event that has completely shattered him. It doesn't make sense, and he spends some of his spare time trying to make it make sense. This crisis affects Will's testing process and the decisions he makes throughout. Will has quite an incredible arc, and Duke fully embodies the character. Duke shines in small intimate moments (like a specific scene involving Will, Maria, and a bicycle, which had me in tears), intense moments (like an angry, rageful tantrum he has in the 2nd act), and even in grand moments (like his final, theatrical monologue).
Edson Oda directs and writes, and despite have a multitude of shorts to his name, this is his first feature film. Even if this is the only film he makes (let's hope not), he can rest easy knowing he made a phenomenal, incredible one. He coaxes natural, nuanced performances from his cast and the script is consistently impressive and a joy.
Nine Days presents itself as a film that will be life-affirming and about the joys of being alive. It is, to an extent. It's also about much more. Credit to Nine Days for not shying away from the darker, sadder, more grim aspects of life (There's even a brief discussion two characters have that reminded me of The Fable of The Two Wolves). Yes, Nine Days is filled with warmth, happiness, joy, positivity, and boundless optimism but it isn't afraid to go to some VERY dark, grim places. You might hear more than one of your own fears or worries articulated on screen.
In the end, Nine Days is just about a perfect film. It acknowledges how flawed our world is, and how painful life can be...but it chooses to see the light at the end of the tunnel and walk towards it. It implores those watching to do the same.
5 STARS
No comments:
Post a Comment