Review: A de-clawed Kevin Spacey seems hairy in ‘Nine Lives’ — Trailer

In a bold move which could have only been the result of a recent boat purchase, the ever brilliant actor Kevin Spacey has decided to take a break from tackling the intricate characters he has molded into cinematic gold over the course of his storied career and play around in the litter box, which is wacky family comedy. We can only hope the trailer for his newest feature Nine Lives is hiding a gem of undiscovered genius under the guise of low-brow kid’s fare.

Still from ‘Nine Lives’

Europa Corp

When billionaire industrialist Tom Brand’s over worked lifestyle begins to affect his waning relationship with his daughter Rebecca, he decides to buy her the cat she has always wanted. With the help of an unusual pet store owner named Felix Perkins, played by uniquely amazing Christopher Walken, Tom buys Mr. Fuzzypants, a sour-faced tomcat whom Tom magically becomes after a car accident on the way to Rebecca’s birthday party. Now stuck as a feline, Tom must find a way to reconnect with his family and become the loving family man he once was. Yes, you read that correctly. Moving on.

Director Barry Sonnenfeld of Men In Black and The Addams Family fame, helms this misadventure in what feels like a step down for all involved. Co-starring Jennifer Garner as the put-upon wife, I can only imagine the huge chunk of budget used in getting these A-listers to show up. Aside from the “clever” double meanings used by the multiple writers on this movie, inspirations such as Tom and Felix used as character names in a cat movie, I can’t imagine what if any fun could be taken from Nine Live en masse. And by multiple writers — it took three people to write the script for this comic romp.

The only ray of sunshine is the inclusion of Walken, who can bring an odd excellence to anything. My only hope is that Nine Lives is somehow a sleeper hit we never saw coming, added in part by a perfectly crafted performance by Spacey. But I’m not holding my breath. A recommend for anyone looking to keep the kids busy on a hot summer day, I would most likely catch this one on cable. But what do I know? Check out the trailer and be your own critic. I hope you’re not allergic to cats. Enjoy.

Release date: August 5, 2015