The movie, whose cinema release was impacted by Covid, holds an 89% Rotten Tomatoes score.
Nine Days, a fantasy drama which earned rave reviews upon its initial release, has just been added to Netflix in Ireland and the UK.
The movie stars Winston Duke (Black Panther, Us) as Will, an arbiter who judges souls before they inhabit bodies in the living.
Living in an isolated house in the middle of a desert landscape, his job requires him to interview souls hoping to be born and to observe how the souls he has selected are living on Earth.
However, when one of his previous selections suddenly dies, Will becomes dispirited and confused about the true meaning of life as a new batch of souls arrives to be interviewed by him.
Winston Duke in Nine Days
Co-starring several recognisable faces including Benedict Wong (Doctor Strange), Bill Skarsgård (It), Tony Hale (Arrested Development) and Zazie Beetz (Atlanta), Nine Days is the feature film debut of writer-director Edson Oda and is executive produced by Spike Jonze (Being John Malkovich, Her).
The movie received very strong reviews upon its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2020 and currently holds an 89% Rotten Tomatoes score.
Here is a sample of some of the positive write-ups the fantasy drama earned from critics:
Chicago Sun-Times: "A much heavier, live-action version of Soul crossed with Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.”
Los Angeles Times: "A life-affirming epiphany, Nine Days is cinema of a higher calling, spiritual without denomination."
The New York Times: "Oda is a very assured and sometimes inspired filmmaker, and he handles his actors beautifully. Duke and Beetz in particular deliver performances for the ages."
RogerEbert.com: "Oda's touch is extremely controlled, and the actors are so connected to what they are doing, that the film doesn't feel manipulative. The catharsis, when it comes, is exhilarating."
Rolling Stone: "It's heavy, heady stuff, coming at you via a delivery system of catalog-worthy set design, magic-hour cinematography, and often tamped-down, deadpan performances. And somehow, it all works in harmony."
Variety: "Nine Days is that rare work of art that invites you to re-consider your entire worldview."
Despite the critical acclaim though, the movie was not a hit at the box office when it finally got a cinema release following Covid-19 delays.
That said, now that it is available on streaming, it should find a larger audience.
Nine Days can be watched on Netflix in the UK and Ireland now. Check out its trailer below:
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