NINE MONTHS
A film review by James Berardinelli
Copyright 1995 James Berardinelli
RATING (0 TO 10): 6.6
United States, 1995 U.S. Availability: wide release 7/12/95 Running Length: 1:42 MPAA Classification: PG-13 (Mature themes, profanity, sexual innuendo) Theatrical Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Cast: Hugh Grant, Julianne Moore, Tom Arnold, Joan Cusack, Jeff Goldblum, Robin Williams Director: Chris Columbus Producers: Michael Barnathan, Chris Columbus, Anne Francois, and Mark Radcliffe Screenplay: Chris Columbus Cinematography: Donald McAlpine U.S. Distributor: Twentieth Century Fox
With HOME ALONE and MRS. DOUBTFIRE, director Chris Columbus has shown an aptitude for rescuing reasonably mediocre films by infusing them with doses of high-energy humor. If not for certain hilarious sequences, neither of those movies would have climbed above the usual continuum of forgettable comedies. Now, adapting from a French screenplay (NEUF MOIS), Columbus has chosen to helm this exploration of the ups and downs of pregnancy.
For the most part, "unspectacular" is an apt description for NINE MONTHS. The motion picture has a pedestrian script that attempts, with only limited success, to wed a romantic comedy with a one-hundred minute exhortation on the joys of having a family. Bursts of hilarity -- and there are three worth mentioning -- save NINE MONTHS from wearing out its welcome. One of the more obvious problems with the film is that it takes a few feeble stabs at drama, something this sort of movie is not well-suited for.
Hugh Grant plays Dr. Samuel Faulkner, a child psychiatrist who, paradoxically, is afraid of kids. His live-in lover of five years, Rebecca (Julianne Moore), is beginning to realize that something is missing from her life. It's not until she discovers she's pregnant that she realizes her maternal instincts have been in overdrive. Unfortunately, Samuel doesn't share Rebecca's excitement about impending parenthood, and spends so much time bemoaning the loss of his perfect lifestyle that his distraught girlfriend moves out. Refusing to see Samuel, she lodges with a pregnant friend (Joan Cusack) and her boorish husband (Tom Arnold).
Despite limited screen time, the real star of NINE MONTHS is Robin Williams. Playing an obstetrician from Russia who has never delivered a human baby and seems more adept at malapropisms than diagnoses, the lead from MRS. DOUBTFIRE shows that he and director Columbus have formed an excellent rapport. With his mastery of physical comedy, Williams is right at home in the midst of this hit-and-miss farce.
Grant, with his "aw shucks" manner and bumbling cuteness, was very good in both FOUR WEDDINGS AND A FUNERAL and THE ENGLISHMAN WHO WENT UP A HILL..., but seems a little out of his element in this, his first big budget, Hollywood movie. Grant's undeniable strength lies in his subtlety, and that's not a quality Columbus films are renowned for. There are times when the actor is charming and charismatic, but those instances are mixed with scenes where he seems lost.
Julianne Moore, on the other hand, continues to display great range. Although there's nothing spectacular about the role of Rebecca, this part, taken in conjunction with her appearances in SHORT CUTS and SAFE, is indicative of the breadth of the actress' ability. On the other hand, following a reasonably strong turnout as Arnold Schwarzenegger's sidekick in TRUE LIES, Tom Arnold gives an uneven performance. On those occasions when he's not funny, he tends to be just plain irritating.
Three sequences in NINE MONTHS are guaranteed to get huge laughs. The first involves a toy store fracas between the two male leads and a green dinosaur ("Arnie") with a penchant for profanity. The second is madcap drive to the hospital in which Samuel manages to injure just about everyone who gets in his way. Then there's the delivery room, where the birth becomes almost incidental. Sprinkled around these payoff scenes are smaller chuckles, but, on the whole, the comic tone is uneven. Those expecting to spend one-hundred minutes rolling in the aisles will probably be disappointed, but, if nothing else, this film offers a light summer option for anyone whose palates has not acquired a taste for action.
- James Berardinelli (jberardinell@delphi.com)
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