The Nines 2007

“Part One - The Prisoner” follows the life of Gary, a troubled actor characterized by the green lace he wears on his wrist. Under house arrest in someone else’s home due to a disastrous incident where he burned down his own house, Gary finds companionship with Margaret, a P.R. handler, and Sarah, the single mother living next door, whose feelings towards him may veer into romantic territory. As time passes in his isolation, Gary becomes increasingly convinced that the number nine haunts him. He discovers a note in his own handwriting that reads, “Look for the nines,” which sparks a bizarre journey of self-discovery. To his terror, he begins to see various versions of himself, leading to a breakdown of his limitations set by house arrest and causing a ripple effect in reality.

Transitioning to “Part Two - Reality Television,” we meet Gavin, a television writer striving to get his pilot off the ground. Leaving his home to work on his show “Knowing,” which centers around a mother and daughter on a lost journey, he recruits his friend Melissa as the leading actress. During a discussion about the fickle nature of reviews, Melissa tells Gavin to look for the nines, leading him to scribble it down on paper—connecting it back to Gary’s haunting experience in Part One. As the production proceeds, a persistent executive named Susan pressures Gavin to replace his unconventional friend Melissa with a more mainstream actress, triggering a heated argument that forces Gavin to dismiss a non-existent reality TV cameraman. Observing the chaos surrounding him, viewers see the number nine hovering above Gavin’s head.

In a pivotal flashback from Part One, Margaret explains to Gary that he is akin to a God-like entity, declaring that while God scores a perfect ten, humans are merely sevens, leaving him as a nine, capable of devastating the world with just a thought. Skeptical, Gary experiences a meltdown, which is the underlying cause for his breaking free from his house arrest.

In “Part Three - Knowing,” the narrative shifts to Gabriel, a celebrated video game designer whose car breaks down in a remote area. Leaving behind his wife Mary and young daughter Noelle, he steps out seeking cell service. He encounters a mysterious woman named Sierra, who lures him into the woods under the pretense of giving him a ride. As things take a sinister turn, Sierra reveals that she has poisoned him. Back at the car, Noelle finds footage on a digital camera that bizarrely connects Gavin with Melissa and Margaret with Gary, leaving her and Mary perplexed. Sierra further divulges the existence of three parallel universes that Gabriel has inadvertently created, causing him to lose track of his identity. As the situation escalates, Noelle mysteriously vanishes, prompting Gabriel to rush back and carry her home. However, Mary begins to sense that all is not as it seems with Gabriel, ultimately urging him to leave as the reality he represents unravels. Gabriel uncovers that ninety variations of the universe exist, realizing that this is the final one. He discards the green lace from his wrist, culminating in a disintegration of their reality. In the film’s poignant conclusion, we see Sierra married to Ben—a character from Part Two—and Noelle is their daughter. In her innocence, Noelle remarks that “he’s not coming back” and that “all the pieces have been put together,” leading to a heartwarming moment where Melissa looks up and expresses her gratitude with a smile just before the credits roll.