What does it mean to “Be Italian?”

Rob Marshall’s film Nine explores both the glamour and the gloom of an Italian man, his career and his women. Dazzling musical numbers are paired with dramatic relationships to make the film more of an artistic show than an emotional ride.
Nine begins as Italian superstar director Guido Contini (played by an endearing Daniel Day-Lewis), attempts to reignite his career. However, he delays his script-writing by fanaticizing about his personal life and reminiscing about his past.
Ultimately, Nine is the story of a man and his women—the women who tempt him and guide him, his inspirations and downfalls. The women in Contini’s life include an all-star female cast of Marion Cotillard (his wife), Penélope Cruz (his mistress), Nicole Kidman (his muse), Kate Hudson (his enthusiastic fan), Judi Dench (his voice of reason), Sophia Loren (his mother) and Fergie (his childhood teacher on temptation.)
It’s hard to dislike Daniel Day-Lewis, despite his character’s dishonesty and weakness for women other than his wife. He plays into the charm of his character: the handsome, romantic Italian man. The clincher for his likability is the helplessness revealed when he turns to his costume designer (Judi Dench) for reassurance and advice, not to mention his affinity for his deceased mother (Sophia Loren).
In spite of, or due to, the many relationships interacting throughout the film, there is no central love story. The limited screen time for each actress leaves you wanting more from some storylines, and perhaps less from others. Nicole Kidman’s tears paired with her decadent gown and jewelry is reminiscent of her emotive performance in Moulin Rouge. It was unsatisfying to only see her for one brief musical number as she lamented her complicated relationship with Contini. On the contrary, Marion Cotillard’s two musical performances, while entertaining and aesthetically pleasing, leave the viewer wanting for an emotional connection between her and her husband.
As for artistic direction, Nine shines for its ability to make every shot “like a postcard” (as said by Kate Hudson’s character says about Contini’s movies.) Each scene is colored to reflect a mood and evoke a feeling as well as a sense of place. The storyline in the present is portrayed in normal cinematic style, which contrasts nicely with the blurry black and white of the past. The scenes of Contini’s imagination include impressive cabaret style musical numbers, which are all glittery costumes and lively dancing (and appropriately dark when necessary.) The visual chaos of light, color, and movement create an artistically pleasing representation of Contini’s mind.
Due to its chaotic nature and reliance on musical numbers, Nine was certainly meant for the stage. Although the music was catchy and the dancing was rhythmic, the interspersed story snippets make the viewer feel a little empty, unfulfilled, and not quite immersed in the film. Overall, Nine does a fine job of showing Italian art, but falls short in fully feeling Italian romance.