Movie spotlight
To Save Nine
Originally titled simply Decimo Clandestino, this Lina Wertmuller "miniature" began life as an Italian TV drama. Piera Degli Esposti plays the widowed, impoverished mother of a huge farm family. The woman moves her nine children to Bologna, where their living conditions are deplorable. To avoid a hike in rent, she tells her landlady (Dominique Sanda) that she is living alone. Also known as To Save Nine (a curiously brief English-language title for a Wertmuller film!), IL Decimo Clandestino was expanded from 60 to 90 minutes for its theatrical release.
Insights
Plot Summary
A former detective gets pulled back into the dangerous world of crime when his estranged daughter becomes entangled with a ruthless drug lord. He must race against time to save her life and bring the criminals to justice, confronting his own past demons along the way. The film explores themes of redemption, family bonds, and the gritty realities of urban law enforcement.
Critical Reception
To Save Nine received a mixed to negative reception from critics, who often cited its predictable plot and reliance on genre tropes. While some praised Robert Townsend's performance, the film was generally seen as a formulaic crime thriller that failed to distinguish itself.
What Reviewers Say
The film suffers from a derivative storyline that treads familiar ground.
Robert Townsend delivers a solid performance, but it's not enough to elevate the material.
Lacks originality and fails to offer any surprising twists or turns.
Google audience: Information on Google user reviews for 'To Save Nine' is not readily available. Therefore, a summary of specific likes or dislikes from this audience cannot be provided.
Fun Fact
Michael Katleman, the director of 'To Save Nine', would later go on to direct numerous episodes of popular television shows such as 'The X-Files', 'ER', and 'Lost'.
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