Film Review: The Whole Nine Yards (2000)

Hollywood high concept comedies are more likely to succeed if their high concepts aren’t taken seriously. One of the people to be guided by this principle was Jonathan Lynn, British television director who had became famous for his political satire Yes. Minister in 1980s only to successfully transfer to Hollywood and deliver series of relatively successful comedies in 1990s. One such success was 2000 film The Whole Nine Yards.

Protagonist is Dr. Nicholas “Oz” Oseransky (played by Matthew Perry), Chicago-born dentist who lives and works in Montreal. Although he looks well-to-do from the outside, his life is burdened with financial and marital issues. Things get even more complicated when he gets new neighbour who happens to be Jimmy “the Tulip” Tudesky (played by Bruce Willis), notorious Chicago gangland assassin who testified against his bosses in exchange for immunity and new identity. When Oz recognises his fellow Chicagoan and shares the information with his greedy wife Sophie (played by Rosanna Arquette), she insists that Oz travels to Chicago and give up Jimmy to the gang led by Janni Pyotr Gogolak (played by Kevin Pollak) in exchange for financial reward. Oz is confused and frustrated and succumbs to wife’s nagging, not knowing that she has put hefty life insurance policy on him and that she hopes that Gogolak’s gangsters will silence him. When he comes to Chicago, Oz meets Jimmy’s estranged wife Cynthia (played by Natasha Henstridge) and immediately falls in love with her. This is just beginning of the complications for Oz who is being deceived by almost anyone – wife, gangsters and Jimmy.

While the script by Mitchell Kapner suggests “cool” black comedy in style of Quentin Tarantino, Lynn takes another approach and treats The Whole Nine Yards as light-hearted farce. The effect is underlined with the choice of Montreal with its European-looking atmosphere. Many of the flaws of the scripts are compensated by talented and relaxed cast. Bruce Willis, after few attempts to show off his skills as serious dramatic actor, returns to his comedic roots. Same can be said of Matthew Perry, who plays character with certain similarities to Chandler Bing he had played in Friends. Michael Clarke Duncan, shortly after his brilliant performance in The Green Mile, obviously enjoying Jimmy’s sinister-looking and deadly assistant. The best impression is given by female part of the cast. Former Canadian model Natasha Henstridge transcends stereotypes of eye candy by experimenting with slightly “noirish” character. Amanda Peet, star of Jack & Jill television series, is simply brilliant as Oz’s dental assistant with obsession to become professional assassin; her performance is so natural and charming that even her brief nude scene doesn’t come as exploitative. Rosanna Arquette could have played her villainous character better, but that wouldn’t affect generally positive impression of The Whole Nine Yards much. Film was, despite divided critics’ opinion, more than solid hit at the box office. In 2004 a sequel The Whole Ten Yards was made, but the success wasn’t repeated.

RATING: 6/10 (++)

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