The Nines

Director: John August

Writer: John August

Ryan Reynolds (Gary/Gavin/Gabriel), Melissa McCarthy (Margaret/Melissa/Mary), Hope Davis (Sarah, Susan, Sierra), Ella Fanning (Noelle), David Denman (Parole Officer/Agitatated), Octavia Spencer (Streetwalker), Ben Falcone (Ben Falcone), Dahlia Salem (Dahlia Salem), John Gatins (John Gatins), and Andy Fielder (Moderator).

The 2007 film the Nines starts off with Gary (Ryan Reynolds) a movie star, getting high on life.  Part One "The Prisoner" deals with this actor in a heap of trouble.  Gary is under house arrest because of his addiction problem and since he had burned his own home down, he resides in another place, where his P.R. and friend "handler", Margaret (Melissa McCarthy) pulls him out of yet another situation.  The strange thing is when Margaret (McCarthy) leaves, Gary meets a single mom next door, Sarah (Hope Davis) who lures him into believing that she is romantically interested in him.  Sarah the next door Mom has other plans, and they're important to his transition.  Sometime between now and then, Gary finds that the number Nine is appearing in everything he connects with, Convinced he is haunted by the number Nine, he notices inside the house, ghosts or something that looks almost like different versions of himself.  Crazy, or just an illusion, he thinks he has lost touch with reality, but decides to break his house arrest, and something happens, an actor becomes someone else, a blip in reality, and the scene fades to a very different place, another reality.

Part Two: "Reality TV" the story of Gavin a TV writer trying to make it big, and by making it he has made a hit TV show called the "Knowing", about a Mother and Daughter who are lost, stars Melissa McCarthy. Cameras follow Gavin as he interacts with people, a reality show within a show. The lead actress would be Melissa, she is not only Gavin's friend but a well known actress from the TV hit Gilmore Girls.  Gavin has envisioned Melissa as his lead character for the "Knowing", a decision he has fought over and won. Susan the big time producer and confidant thinks Melissa isn't strong enough for the lead character, she wants a well know actress, with strong presence. Gavin loses control after his decisions are made for him by Susan, his downward spiral begins with his not so positive interactions with Melissa and Susan.  Gavin must not only tell Melissa she is not going to continue on the show, but it will be re-shot with another actress.  Reality comes closing in on Gavin, his world changes by the decisions that are made.

Margaret (McCarthy) tells Gary from Part One that he is a God-like being, and God is 10, humans are 7 and that he is a 9, a powerful being that could end reality with a single blink.  She continues to tell him that the reality you're in are not real, all of them is a fabrication, a piece of you, but in the end it is only complicated to the point that only a being like yourself would only imagine,understand,control.

Part Three: "Knowing" tells a story of his wife Mary (Melissa McCarthy), and young daughter Noelle (Ella Fanning).  His car is broken down and seeing that they're somewhere in the mountains, getting a cell signal forces Gabriel (Ryan Reynolds) to search for a signal a couple miles from there location, he would call towing and everything is solved.  On the way he meets Sierra (Hope Davis) a woman just happens to walk along the very same path as Gabriel. Fate or just another blip in reality, his interactions are seen by his wife and kid, through a hand-held video camera that tells everything, all the other characters and their interactions.  

Rant part One:  Let me start by saying that Ryan Reynolds plays three characters which is really difficult to get right, so that being said, it really is a two thumbs up to this underrated actor.  Maybe it might be his parts that he picks, but this film is very good for him, it molded him as an actor.  Gary an actor addicted to any drug that comes his way has a big problem, and understandably so, this guy really is something, don't know how to take his attitude, it comes across as mean, and people who know me, would have to say other colorful words to describe this character.  Part One is the introduction and the clues that the writer throws at you, but in this case of the film your still trying to put the pieces together,  The connection between Margaret (McCarthy) and Gary (Reynolds) is pretty good, not much to say about One, but the overall intro lands pretty hard, it comes and at first you're confused, but worry not guys, it takes you on a smooth path, from here on out.

Part Two: Gavin (Reynolds) is my least favorite of the three characters, because well, your just going to have to see the film.  This part of the story is about the reality TV, and the problems and issues that come along with it.  Gavin runs into problems with Susan (Hope Davis) which i have to say she is a wonderful actress, and with that being said Susan comes across as harsh, shrewd, powerful, gives Gavin a run for his money.  The connections between Melissa, Susan, and Gavin is amazing not because of the content of the story but each character has a personality that all of us can relate to.

Part Three: The final part to the story is everything coming  together in a well written screenplay by John August, which i will add that this film and the content of the film is not just for anyone, not because of it being rated R it's because the content that when explain makes you think, and comes together nicely. The writer understands spirituality, which to some folks maybe a bit uncomfortable. The numbers are the story, it's characters that make up this film explains it all by three parts. Focus on the explanations and pay attention to the connections between each of the characters, a wonderful plot that comes together.  All of the actors especially Ella Fanning did really good in there scenes, not because of who they are but the way they interact in the scenes.  This film goes from one character to another, it explains different subject matter that may not be your thing, but i would say check it out, it's a well acted, and if your looking for something different, than check out this film.