Nine

One would think a musical starring Daniel Day-Lewis, Nicole Kidman, Penélope Cruz, Sophia Loren and other big stars would be an historical movie event. But directed by Rob Marshall (Chicago), this droning, repetitive project (based loosely on Federico Fellini’s 8 ½) is nothing of the sort. Day-Lewis plays Guido, a film director going through creative and romantic crises. His wife (Marion Cotillard), mistress (Cruz), star (Kidman) and mommy (Loren), along with a vogue reporter (Kate Hudson), all show up in poorly staged musical numbers. The exception is Cruz’s incredibly good dance routine, which comes early in the film and gets one’s hopes up. However, the numbers become less and less distinctive, with terrible songs accompanied by unexciting set pieces and sloppy editing. Day-Lewis is reduced to moping on the sidelines, and while the women all try their best, the material lets them down. Even though this is getting a bunch of awards nominations, it’s undeserving and one of this year’s biggest disappointments.