What Moment Would You Choose? – NINE DAYS

I know Winston Duke from his role as M’Baku in Black Panther/Infinity War, and as the Dad, complete with dad jokes, in Jordan Peele’s US, but I don’t remember feeling like his lips were particularly compelling, for some reason they are in this movie. I kept feeling like I wanted to kiss him and I’m not usually attracted to very full lips on a man.  Maybe it was the mood I was in, or maybe it’s because he’s literally playing a lost soul in Nine Days.

Synopsis: Will (Winston Duke) spends his days in a remote outpost watching the live Point of View (POV) on TV’s of people going about their lives, until one subject perishes, leaving a vacancy for a new life on earth. Soon, several candidates — unborn souls — arrive at Will’s to undergo tests determining their fitness, facing oblivion when they are deemed unsuitable. But Will soon faces his own existential challenge in the form of free-spirited Emma (Zazie Beetz), a candidate who is not like the others, forcing him to turn within and reckon with his own tumultuous past. Fueled by unexpected power, he discovers a bold new path forward in his own life. Making his feature-film debut after a series of highly acclaimed and award-winning short films and music videos, Japanese Brazilian writer/director Edson Oda delivers a heartfelt and meditative vision of human souls in limbo, aching to be born against unimaginable odds, yet hindered by forces beyond their will…

In many ways this film reminds me of Disney’s SOUL, only these 9 Day souls have fully formed bodies, but similarly to SOUL, they also have fully formed personalities.  Both films surmise the bureaucratic process of becoming alive on earth or living again (reincarnation) and whether or not it’s a gift.

Benedict Wong plays a soul who has never been alive, yet he’s the salt of the earth type. It’s never really determined whether he’s above or below Will in rank on this in between life and death plane.

Tony Hale plays that kinda dude who’s always looking to kick back and make a friend. Not work too hard.

Bill Skarsgård plays that white, privileged frat boy type, who has no fear and never questions his decisions. Polite, good looking, but kinda soul-less.

Arianna Ortiz plays a sentimental type soul, mildly attractive, looking for love.

David Rysdahl plays a super sensitive, artist soul, the complete opposite of Skarsgård, this soul second guesses everything.

Zazie Beetz (one of my favorite up and coming actresses) plays a newer soul.  She comprehends everything, but has an open, questioning, innocence to her.  She’s never guarded and wonders why Will, in particular, is so much so.

Edson Oda has written a weirdly absorbing, existential, sci-fi drama. But of course this type of film creates more questions than it answers like; why this in between plane got stuck in like circa 1986, all picture tube TV’s, VCRs, file cabinets, and super low tech.  Why after interviewing the souls for 9 Days and determining which will be reborn, does Will and the other interviewers feel the need to watch how their lives turn out on a daily basis? They can’t affect the outcome, so why become so attached?

T&T @LAMB rating: 4 outta 5