From Gwyn Lurie and a team of four other co-writers, Nine Lives is a forgettable talking-animal comedy with sporadic laughs that will likely only amuse the most avid of cat-lovers. Kevin Spacey stars as a neglectful father and husband who is magically transported into a cat’s body, embarking on a furry journey he must take to appreciate the value of family. It’s as cheesy and boring as it sounds, but has its moments. (GEP: 3/5)
Review by Social Media Manager Georgiana E. Presecky
If you’re the kind of person who thinks the funniest part of the classic Chevy Chase holiday comedy Christmas Vacation is cousin Eddie’s dog chasing a squirrel through the living room, you’ll probably really enjoy Nine Lives.
The kids’ comedy follows “Tom” (Spacey), a big bad businessman who doesn’t care about anyone or anything – except, of course, his big bad business. He’s basically a less-refined, kids’ movie version of Frank Underwood (Spacey’s corrupt House of Cards politician), but he somehow manages to make this character’s snide selfishness pretty amusing.
Tom is obsessed with his business’ ownership of the tallest building in North America, which makes his daughter’s impending birthday celebration last on his list of priorities. He plugs “pet shop” into his GPS as he zooms through the New York City streets on the way to her party, little Rebecca’s birthday gift of a new cat a complete afterthought in his busy life.
He wanders into a cat shop owned by “Felix Perkins” (Christopher Walken). Of course it’s called “Purrkins Pet Shop” … the kind of gags you can expect throughout the 87 minutes of Nine Lives. As often seems to happen when Christopher Walken is around (Click, anyone?), lightning strikes and something mysterious happens – Tom wakes up in the body of a cat after a dangerous fall.
What follows is essentially one long YouTube video of “Mister Fuzzypants” (for real) falling off of countertops, meowing and doing cute and clumsy things while passing through the lives of his family members. He didn’t have time to pay attention to them in his human body, so this newfound four-legged perspective gives him a better idea of what his family goes through when he’s not home.
The usual somewhat-sweet clichés ensue. The family moral is admirable and refreshing, but the business side of Tom’s story might be a snooze for younger audiences. Robbie Amell holding down the fort at the office as Tom’s son “David” kept my attention for obvious reasons.
The script’s only redemption comes from Spacey’s biting sarcasm. After it’s well established how miserable Tom is in his newfound feline frame, he falls from a kitchen cabinet in which silverware spills across the floor, quipping, “I should’ve landed on the knives.” The character is almost as irritated by the film’s premise as I was, which somehow made it more fun.
Cheryl Hines also provides the biggest laughs as Tom’s snooty ex-wife “Madison,” but that might just be because I find extreme human qualities more amusing than feline ones. Hines is hilarious, and as Tom’s current wife “Lara,” Jennifer Garner once again proves her diversity as an actress. When she makes that certain Jenna-Rink-in-13-Going-On-30 face, I lose it every time – even if she is chasing a cat around her luxurious Manhattan apartment.
If you or your kids are cat people, definitely take ’em. There was no shortage of laughs from theatergoers around me who have likely experienced similar mishaps with their family pets, making the humor relatable and the plot enjoyable. If you’re like me – AKA if both cats and Frank Underwood freak you out – there’s not much life in this one.
© Georgiana E. Presecky FF2 Media (8/4/16)
Top photo: Rebecca bonds with “Mr. Fuzzypants,” unaware he’s actually her dad.
Middle photo: Laura is adjusting to life with a new pet, not knowing he’s her husband in a cat’s body.
Bottom photo: Jennifer Garner steals the show as a neglected wife whose husband changes the family dynamic when he transforms into a feline.
Photo credits: Fundamental Films
Q: Does Nine Lives pass the Bechdel-Wallace test?
Barely. Tom’s daughter Rebecca has a few conversations with Madison’s daughter Nicole about their friends at school and how she’s struggling without her dad around.
I’m not sure exactly why but this site is loading extremely slow for me.
Is anyone else having this issue or is it a issue on my end?
I’ll check back later and see if the problem still exists.
It’s hard to come by knowledgeable people on this subject, but you seem like you know what
you’re talking about! Thanks
That is very attention-grabbing, You are a very professional blogger.
I have joined your feed and look forward to
in quest of more of your magnificent post.
Additionally, I’ve shared your site in my social networks
I’m more than happy to uncover this great site. I need to to thank you for your time for this particularly wonderful read!!
I definitely loved every bit of it and I have you saved to fav to see new things on your blog.
I constantly emailed this weblog post page to all my friends,
since if like to read it then my links will too.
Wonderful blog! Do you have any recommendations for aspiring writers?
I’m planning to start my own website soon but I’m a little lost on everything.
Would you recommend starting with a free platform like WordPress or go for a paid option?
There are so many options out there that I’m completely confused ..
Any ideas? Thanks!
These are in fact great ideas in regarding blogging.
You have touched some fastidious things here. Any way keep up wrinting.
Howdy very nice blog!! Guy .. Excellent .. Wonderful .. I’ll bookmark your web site and take
the feeds additionally? I’m glad to find so many helpful information right here in the publish, we’d like
work out more strategies in this regard, thanks for sharing.
. . . . .
If some one wants to be updated with hottest technologies therefore he
must be pay a visit this web site and be up to date daily.
It is appropriate time to make some plans for the future and it is time to
be happy. I have read this post and if I could I
want to suggest you some interesting things or advice.
Maybe you can write next articles referring to this article.
I desire to read more things about it!
Hmm is anyone else experiencing problems with the images on this blog loading?
I’m trying to determine if its a problem on my end or if it’s the blog.
Any feed-back would be greatly appreciated.
Hello there! This is my first comment here so I just wanted to give a quick shout out and say I genuinely enjoy reading through your articles.
Can you recommend any other blogs/websites/forums that cover
the same subjects? Thanks!
My partner and I stumbled over here from a different website and thought I should check
things out. I like what I see so now i’m following you. Look
forward to exploring your web page yet again.
Thanks for one’s marvelous posting! I actually enjoyed reading it, you
happen to be a great author.I will ensure that I bookmark your blog
and may come back someday. I want to encourage you to continue your
great work, have a nice holiday weekend!
Incredible points. Sound arguments. Keep up the
good effort.
I really love your website.. Very nice colors & theme. Did you make this website yourself?
Please reply back as I’m looking to create my
own personal site and want to learn where you got this
from or just what the theme is named. Kudos!
Hello, i believe that i saw you visited my site thus i came to return the prefer?.I’m trying to in finding things to enhance my site!I
assume its adequate to use some of your concepts!!
Great post. I was checking continuously this blog and I am impressed!
Extremely useful information specially the last part 🙂 I care for such information a lot.
I was looking for this particular info for a long
time. Thank you and best of luck.
Great post. I’m going through a few of these issues
as well..
It’s very effortless to find out any matter on web as compared to books,
as I found this article at this site.
Remarkable! Its in fact amazing paragraph, I have got
much clear idea concerning from this article.
It is appropriate time to make some plans for the longer term and it’s time to be happy.
I have read this post and if I may I desire to recommend you
few attention-grabbing things or tips. Maybe you can write next articles regarding this article.
I wish to read even more issues about it!
Great info. Lucky me I discovered your blog by accident (stumbleupon).
I have book marked it for later!
I have been exploring for a little for any high quality articles or weblog posts in this kind of house .
Exploring in Yahoo I ultimately stumbled upon this web site.
Studying this information So i’m happy to convey that I have a very just right uncanny feeling I came upon exactly what I needed.
I most certainly will make sure to don?t forget this site and give it
a glance regularly.
We stumbled over here by a different website
and thought I might as well check things out.
I like what I see so now i am following you. Look forward to finding out
about your web page yet again.
Good post. I learn something totally new and challenging on blogs I stumbleupon every day.
It’s always interesting to read content from other authors and use something from other web sites.
What’s Taking place i am new to this, I stumbled upon this I have discovered It absolutely helpful and
it has helped me out loads. I hope to give a contribution & assist other customers like its aided me.
Great job.
Hello! Do you know if they make any plugins to help with
Search Engine Optimization? I’m trying to get my blog to rank for some targeted
keywords but I’m not seeing very good results. If you know of
any please share. Many thanks!
Asking questions are genuinely pleasant thing if you are not understanding something fully, however this paragraph provides
nice understanding even.
Nice post. I was checking constantly this weblog and I’m inspired!
Very useful information specially the final section :
) I deal with such info a lot. I was looking for this certain information for a very long time.
Thanks and good luck.
Thanks for finally writing about > NINE LIVES – FF2 Media < Loved it!
Please let me know if you’re looking for a writer for your weblog.
You have some really great posts and I think I would be
a good asset. If you ever want to take some of the load off,
I’d absolutely love to write some articles for your blog in exchange for a link back to mine.
Please shoot me an email if interested. Cheers!
each time i used to read smaller content that as well clear their motive, and that is also happening with this
post which I am reading at this time.
Thanks a bunch for sharing this with all people you actually recognise what you are talking about!
Bookmarked. Kindly also seek advice from my site =). We can have a hyperlink exchange agreement among us
This piece of writing presents clear idea in support of the new users of
blogging, that actually how to do blogging and site-building.
What’s up Dear, are you truly visiting this website regularly, if so after
that you will without doubt get good experience.
I’ve been browsing online more than 4 hours today, yet I never found
any interesting article like yours. It is pretty worth enough for me.
In my opinion, if all website owners and bloggers made good content as you did, the internet will be much more useful
than ever before.
I have read some good stuff here. Definitely value bookmarking for
revisiting. I wonder how so much attempt you place to create this type of excellent informative web
site.
We’re a group of volunteers and starting a new scheme in our community.
Your web site offered us with valuable info to work on. You’ve done a formidable job and our entire community will
be grateful to you.
This blog was… how do I say it? Relevant!! Finally I have found something that helped
me. Kudos!
If you desire to take a great deal from this paragraph then you have to apply
such methods to your won webpage.
A motivating discussion is worth comment. I do believe
that you ought to write more about this subject
matter, it might not be a taboo matter but typically people don’t talk about such issues.
To the next! Best wishes!!
fantastic publish, very informative. I’m wondering why the opposite experts of this sector do not notice this.
You must continue your writing. I’m sure,
you’ve a huge readers’ base already!
Hey I am so grateful I found your web site,
I really found you by error, while I was searching on Bing for something else, Regardless I am here now and would just like to
say thanks for a marvelous post and a all round exciting blog (I also love the theme/design), I don’t have time to read through it all at the moment
but I have bookmarked it and also added your RSS feeds, so when I have time I
will be back to read more, Please do keep up the excellent work.
This info is worth everyone’s attention. How can I find
out more?
It’s going to be finish of mine day, except before ending I am reading this fantastic article to increase my
knowledge.
Wow, this paragraph is pleasant, my sister is analyzing such
things, thus I am going to inform her.
This is my first time pay a quick visit at here and i
am in fact impressed to read everthing at alone place.
What’s up, just wanted to say, I liked this post. It
was inspiring. Keep on posting!
It is perfect time to make some plans for the future and it’s time to be happy.
I have read this post and if I could I wish to suggest you some interesting things or suggestions.
Perhaps you can write next articles referring to this article.
I desire to read more things about it!
hi!,I really like your writing so a lot! proportion we be in contact extra approximately your article
on AOL? I require a specialist in this house to solve my problem.
May be that’s you! Looking ahead to peer you.
I’m really enjoying the theme/design of your website. Do you ever run into any browser compatibility problems?
A few of my blog audience have complained about my site not
working correctly in Explorer but looks great in Opera.
Do you have any tips to help fix this problem?
If you are going for finest contents like me, simply visit
this web page daily as it provides quality contents, thanks
Hi, I do believe this is a great blog. I stumbledupon it 😉 I’m going to return yet
again since i have saved as a favorite it. Money and freedom is
the greatest way to change, may you be rich and continue to
guide other people.
Hi! I just wish to give you a big thumbs up for your excellent info you’ve got here on this post.
I am returning to your web site for more soon.
I love it when people get together and share
ideas. Great blog, keep it up!
Hi! I could have sworn I’ve visited this blog before but after going through many of the posts I realized
it’s new to me. Regardless, I’m certainly pleased I discovered it and I’ll be bookmarking it and
checking back regularly!
You really make it seem so easy with your presentation but I
find this topic to be actually something which I think I would
never understand. It seems too complicated and extremely broad for me.
I’m looking forward for your next post, I will try
to get the hang of it!
When I originally commented I clicked the “Notify me when new comments are added”
checkbox and now each time a comment is added I get four e-mails
with the same comment. Is there any way you can remove me from that service?
Thank you!
Hi there, this weekend is good for me, as this moment
i am reading this wonderful informative article here at my residence.
I truly love your website.. Great colors & theme.
Did you create this website yourself? Please reply back
as I’m looking to create my own personal site and would love to find out where you got
this from or what the theme is called. Thank you!
I’m not sure where you’re getting your information, but
great topic. I needs to spend some time learning much more
or understanding more. Thanks for fantastic info I was looking for this
info for my mission.
Feel free to visit my website; สล็อตเว็บตรง
Amazing blog! Do you have any suggestions for aspiring
writers? I’m planning to start my own website soon but I’m a little
lost on everything. Would you recommend starting with a free platform like WordPress or go for a paid option? There are
so many options out there that I’m completely confused .. Any ideas?
Kudos!
Hey I know this is off topic but I was wondering if you knew of any
widgets I could add to my blog that automatically tweet my newest twitter updates.
I’ve been looking for a plug-in like this for quite
some time and was hoping maybe you would have some experience
with something like this. Please let me know if you run into anything.
I truly enjoy reading your blog and I look forward to your new updates.
I think the admin of this web page is in fact working hard in favor of his website, for the reason that here every information is quality based information.
Here is my blog post … xge2bet