KMC Forums - Review: 9 Songs - A British porno?

In 9 Songs director Michael Winterbottom documents an indeterminate amount of time with Matt (Kieran O'Brien), a Mancunian living in London, and his American girlfriend Lisa (Margo Stilley). In his introduction to a 'surprise' screening of this film Winterbottom said he wanted to show a relationship from the point of view of the sex the two have, by removing all that other stuff - the romance, the everyday life, the friends and family - and just showing the sex. I'd already heard about this so-called 'porno' after its controversial screening at Cannes early last year, so to say my interest was piqued after the director's words would be an understatement.

The sex scenes then: close-up cunnilingus, intercourse (with protection), some foot assisted masturbation in the bath, oral sex, a 'money shot', female masturbation with a vibrator, more intercourse (with protection), and a little S & M. That's your lot. Oh, and some drug taking to boot.

The sex scenes are remarkably well shot (excuse the pun - if that is one). In fact the photography throughout is noteworthy. Shot on DV, the clever use of lighting and colour seems to imbue most of the film with intimate warmth. This is offset though by panoramic shots of the Antarctic; an accompanying voice-over from Matt draws various metaphors between the awesome, imposing landscape and the nature of relationships and sex: "it generates a feeling of agoraphobia and claustrophobia...like sharing your bed". It must be said that the inclusion of this GCSE philosophising seemed contradictory to the director's stated intention and an exercise in intellectual pretension. This kind of self-conscious artiness was exacerbated by the delicate piano led score that played over the sex scenes - so discordant with the explicitness on screen that no music at all would have been more in keeping with the unstaged naturalistic feel of the film.

When the two do leave the bedroom it is usually to go to a gig, and it is largely these scenes that break up the sex. The line-up of performances is impressive: Von Bondies, Franz Ferdinand, Michael Nyman, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Super Furry Animals. It�s difficult not to wonder if it was on the basis of extended footage of these acts that Winterbottom hoped to find a market for the film.

9 Songs generates mixed feelings. It seems a little too unjust to call it a �porno�, but it is very graphic. And the premise of the film is an interesting one - lots of relationships are based on sexual attraction and not a great deal else after all, so why shouldn't this be reflected in film? Well, the reason is it's just not that interesting. Without a conventional narrative, you invite the audience to make assumptions and come to conclusions of their own, and it�s virtually impossible to care enough for these two or their relationship to be bothered about whether or not their relationship lasts. Sex of its own accord, it would seem, does not a good 'story' make. This is nonetheless a brave piece of filmmaking from an adventurous director, and for that alone Winterbottom should be afforded a certain amount of respect.