NINE MONTHS

nine_months2 

Overall Impression – In my eyes, a beautiful movie that gets me every time I watch it. Especially those two scenes in which Samuel watches the ultra sound tape and when he asks Rebecca to marry him in the hospital. Or is it the music that does it?

THE FOUR QUESTIONS

Who’s your main character? — Samuel

What’s he trying to accomplish? – Professional: Figure out how to be both good in a relationship and a good (potential) father.  Personal: Samuel doesn’t want to change his stable life and doesn’t want to get married and have children.  Private: Not be someone his child will hate when he or she grows up.

Who’s trying to stop him? – Rebecca

What happens if he fails? — Samuel will stuck in an unstable, child-like likfe and lose the one woman who really loves him…as well as his unborn child..

THE FOUR ARCHETYPES

Orphan —  Samuel is in a five-year relationship with Rebecca. She lets him know that she would like to get married and have children. He, however, says that he prefers having a stable life. They have everything they want: a good job, a good house and a nice sport car, why risk that? Samuel shows here that he is an emotional orphan.

Wanderer — Rebecca tells Samuel that she is pregnant. He is shocked. It becomes clear that they have to make changes in their life.  He he has to sell the sports car, something he doesn’t want to do.  Also, his cat will have to go, something else he doesn’t want to do.  Samuel tries to learn the rules of how to leave his old life behind.  When Samule forgets an ultrasound appointment, Rebecca leaves him. 

 Warrior —  Samuel watches the video recording of the ultrasound of the baby and finally gets it: he is in love with the baby and feels ready to be fully committed to change. Samuel tries to convince Rebecca that he is ready to be a father. She doesn’t want to believe him. He asks his friend to arrange a meeting with her in the park but then hears that Rebecca had to go to the hospital.

Martyr — In the hospital, Samuel tells her that he is sorry for his behavior and that he is a changed man. He tells her that he sold his sport car for a family car. He even says. “I don’t care about myself anymore, I only care about the baby.”

AND, IN THE END…

This is a movie about change. What Samuel really wants in the beginning of the movie is his current life. What he wants at the end of the movie is to be a father and having a family. He gets what he really needed and not what he wanted: he gives up his playful youthful life and becomes an adult.

This fits very well into the idea of “what is your main character WRONG about at the start of the movie.”  The rest of the movie sets about answering this question.  In NINE MONTHS, Samuel is wrong about thinking that he can be a child forever.  Sooner or later, everyone has to grow up.

–  André van Haren

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