NINE LIVES (2016)

Summary:

Nine Lives is a whimsical family comedy that follows the extraordinary transformation of Tom Brand, a ruthless and workaholic billionaire, into the body of a housecat named Mr. Fuzzypants. Obsessed with launching the tallest skyscraper in North America, Tom consistently neglects his family, including his loving wife Lara, his aspiring architect son David, and his sweet daughter Rebecca, whose greatest wish is to have a cat for her birthday. His sudden, magical predicament forces him to experience life from an entirely new perspective, trapped within the furry confines of his new feline form, observing his family and corporate empire from the ground up.

Through a series of hilarious and heartwarming events, Tom, as Mr. Fuzzypants, must learn to appreciate the simple joys of family life, confront his past mistakes, and ultimately find a way to reconnect with his loved ones before he is permanently stuck as a cat. Guided by the eccentric pet shop owner Felix Perkins, Tom's journey is a race against time to mend his relationships and save his company from a treacherous takeover, all while navigating the challenges of being a pampered house pet. The film delivers a charming message about prioritizing family over ambition, wrapped in a fantastical premise.

Keywords: Nine Lives, 2016, Kevin Spacey, Jennifer Garner, Christopher Walken, Comedy, Family, Fantasy.

Plot:

The story opens by introducing Tom Brand, a high-flying, self-made billionaire with an insatiable ambition. His latest obsession is the construction of a magnificent skyscraper in Chicago, which will be the tallest in North America. Tom is portrayed as a quintessential workaholic, constantly on his phone, making deals, and pushing his employees to their limits. His relentless pursuit of success, however, comes at a significant cost: he routinely neglects his family. His wife, Lara, tries to maintain a semblance of family life, while his son, David, works at his company, aspiring to follow in his father's footsteps but often feeling overshadowed. His young daughter, Rebecca, is celebrating her eleventh birthday, and her biggest wish, one that Tom has repeatedly ignored, is to get a cat.

On the evening of Rebecca's birthday, Tom is once again preoccupied with work, having a critical meeting about the skyscraper's launch. Realizing at the last minute that he forgot to get Rebecca a gift, he frantically searches for a pet store that's still open. He stumbles upon a mysterious, anachronistic pet shop run by the enigmatic and philosophical Felix Perkins. Perkins, with an unsettlingly knowing gaze, presents Tom with a large, fluffy, and somewhat grumpy cat, warning him that he doesn't choose the cat; the cat chooses him. Reluctantly, Tom purchases the cat, named Mr. Fuzzypants by Perkins, and rushes to the party. On his way to the top floor of his new skyscraper for the launch event, a sudden, violent thunderstorm erupts. Lightning strikes the building, causing a catastrophic malfunction. Tom, carrying Mr. Fuzzypants, falls several stories from the unfinished building, seemingly to his death.

Tom awakens to a horrifying realization: he is trapped inside the body of the cat, Mr. Fuzzypants. Initially, he's disoriented and utterly bewildered, trying to speak, only to produce meows and purrs. He attempts to communicate his predicament to his family, but they, of course, only hear a cat. His human body is discovered in a coma, rushed to the hospital, leaving his family in distress. Felix Perkins mysteriously appears at the hospital and later at the Brand residence, revealing to Tom (in his cat form) that this transformation is a karmic lesson. Tom has been given "seven lives" – a chance to prove he can be a better husband and father. If he fails to reconnect with his family and learn his lesson, he will remain a cat forever, and his human body will perish. The clock is ticking.

As Mr. Fuzzypants, Tom is forced to experience life from a completely different perspective. He observes his family's grief and sorrow over his comatose state, witnessing firsthand the pain his neglect has caused. He sees his wife, Lara, struggling with the uncertainty, and his son, David, stepping up to take the reins of the company in his father's absence, despite his lack of experience. Rebecca, initially delighted to have a cat, becomes Mr. Fuzzypants' primary caretaker, showering him with affection, which Tom, despite his initial disdain for felines, slowly begins to appreciate. He endures the indignities of cat life – eating cat food, using a litter box, being dressed in doll clothes by Rebecca – all while his sharp billionaire mind remains trapped within a furry body. He also quickly discovers a sinister plot brewing within his own company: his ambitious and treacherous executive, Ian Cox, is attempting a hostile takeover, leveraging Tom's comatose state to manipulate the board and sell off key assets, including the very skyscraper Tom so painstakingly built.

Tom, as Mr. Fuzzypants, becomes desperate to intervene. He tries to warn David about Ian's true intentions, scratching notes, knocking over objects, and creating general chaos, but his attempts are largely misunderstood as quirky cat behavior. He begins to guide David subtly, leading him to crucial documents and information that expose Ian's treachery. The climax of the corporate subplot arrives during a crucial board meeting where Ian plans to finalize the sale of the company. Tom, with David's help, manages to disrupt the meeting, using his feline agility to cause a scene, ultimately leading David to present evidence that exposes Ian's fraudulent activities, saving the company from ruin. This experience also forces David to step out of his father's shadow and prove his own capabilities as a leader, earning his father's respect (even if Tom is still a cat).

The final act focuses on Tom's personal redemption. Despite saving the company, he still hasn't fully reconnected with his family on an emotional level. Rebecca, upset that her father hasn't woken up, climbs to the top of the unfinished skyscraper, believing she can talk to him there. A strong gust of wind threatens to knock her off the ledge. Tom, still in Mr. Fuzzypants' body, sees his daughter in peril. Driven by pure paternal instinct, he races to the top of the building, his cat instincts taking over. In a heroic act, he leaps and shoves Rebecca away from the falling debris, saving her life but causing himself to fall from the building once more. As he plummets, his human body miraculously awakens from its coma. Tom is back in his own skin, but not before realizing the profound love he has for his family. He rushes to Rebecca, holding her close, truly seeing and appreciating her for the first time. The film concludes with a changed Tom Brand, a man who now prioritizes family above all else, having learned his lesson through his extraordinary feline journey. Felix Perkins makes one final, knowing appearance, confirming that Tom has fulfilled his karmic duty, before disappearing as mysteriously as he arrived, leaving the Brand family whole and happy, with Mr. Fuzzypants now a cherished, normal cat in their lives.

Cast (Lead Roles):

• Kevin Spacey as Tom Brand / Mr. Fuzzypants (voice)
• Jennifer Garner as Lara Brand
• Robbie Amell as David Brand
• Cheryl Hines as Madison Camden
• Malina Weissman as Rebecca Brand
• Christopher Walken as Felix Perkins
• Mark Consuelos as Ian Cox

Crew:

• Director: Barry Sonnenfeld
• Writers: Gwyn Lurie, Matt R. Allen, Caleb Wilson, Dan Antoniazzi, Ben Shiffrin
• Producers: Luc Besson, Lisa Ellzey
• Music by: Evgueni Galperine, Sacha Galperine
• Cinematography: Michael Seresin
• Editing: David Zimmerman

Release Info:

• Original Release Date: August 5, 2016 (USA)
• Language: English
• Genre: Comedy, Family, Fantasy
• Running Time: 87 minutes
• Accolades: None significant