Set in a time and place that looks like the afterlife, Will (Winston Duke) spends his days viewing the many lives of people on Earth on a stack of old tube TVs. When one of the TVs loses signal, it’s up to Will to seek someone to replace the person lost. Will begins an interview process with five people, one of whom will take the place in the disconnected TV. The interview process will take nine days, and only one from the five souls he is interviewing will be given the opportunity of a new life and return to Earth. As for those who are unsuccessful, they will unfortunately disappear and become no more.
As the process begins, we are introduced to various characters who differ from one another. The questions and tasks that Will sets for the group are always unexpected but critical to the final selection process. Will’s methods include various moments of deep questioning or sometimes tasks that must be completed. Naturally, once our group of five are introduced, I was highly invested, wanting to know how this film would end and how each character would handle the many questions and tests. The film becomes more profound as we witness Will himself dealing with his duties over the nine days as he, too, is affected emotionally and mentally.
Nine Days is dialogue-heavy, and at times, I felt like I was watching a professional play on screen. The dialogue of every character felt raw and real. The pacing of discussions is pleasing and enhanced by how different each character is. Whenever Will interacts with someone, the outcome of their time together is always unpredictable.
The film’s visuals are tremendous and stunning to watch. Nothing on screen was ever dull. There are plenty of highly creative moments that only enhance the heartfelt emotions and assist with the film’s general ‘wow’ factor. The audio score features violins playing with a folk-like sound. While the music seems light and straightforward, it’s highly effective during key scenes and, again, assists with powerful and engaging moments on screen.
Performances all around are a complete knockout. Winston Duke, as the lead, is nothing but incredible in his role as Will. His performance is genuinely applaud worthy. The supporting cast deliver terrific performances that will have audiences laughing or caring for them.
Overall, going into this film, I knew very little about its plot. Nine Days genuinely left me speechless. It is a touching, mysterious, dramatic, heartfelt, and powerful film. The cinematography is nothing but beautiful, and the musical score is impacting and emotional. Performances by all the cast are tremendous, but the biggest standout is Winston Duke as the lead Will. Nothing on screen is predictable, and I adored the film’s level of creativity and storyline. This film may perhaps be the best movie I have seen in years. Wow!
10/10
10th July 2021
Written by Peter Walkden
WALKDEN ENTERTAINMENT
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