9 Lives December review from (FLA) HeraldTribune

[Hilary the Touched]

http://www.heraldtribune.com/apps/pbcs. ... 60578/1024

'Nine Lives' a series of compelling vignettes of love, loss

BY PHILIP BOOTH

CORRESPONDENT
Several of the short vignettes in "Nine Lives," a fascinating if uneven anthology film set in Southern California, ring with the truth of familiar situations and recognizable characters.

None achieve that more so than a story hinged to a mundane event -- a late-night trip to a supermarket. There, a visibly pregnant woman (Robin Wright Penn) runs into an old lover (Jason Isaacs).

They haven't seen each other for years. Each is now married to someone else. And yet, there's an instant connection between the two, as if their break-up took place only yesterday, and unsettled issues need to be resolved.

The two initially keep the exchange at a surface level, trading pleasantries. And then, suddenly, unexpectedly, they go deep, touching on emotions that are as raw as ever and a bond that's shockingly intense. Could they extract themselves from their respective new relationships and become their old selves -- "Damian and Diana" -- all over again? Would they even dare?

Damian seems to push for such a reunion without actually stating such intentions. But Diana is horrified by the thought. A few moments later, though, she appears to have a change of heart, only to discover that Damian has disappeared into the night. Will she find him?

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