23 August 2016. Nine lives has a lot going for it. This movie stands out as one of the most funny of the season with great pratfalls and some great one-liners that are near pre-fect. There is a very nice build up to the transformation which most fantasy movies don't really develop much. There are some very well executed scenes of practical cat moves that are extended for per-fection. The emotional highs and lows are intense and meaningful. There are perhaps three logical flaws with the script that diminish the per-fection of the movie of (spoiler) how does the cat get out of its cage, why does the cat have to taken an alternative route to the Brand tower instead of just going with his son, and how does the son just somehow have a parachute (spoiler). Nonetheless Nine Lives is a perfect treat for young people, families, and pet lovers. This is summer Scrooge package for your summertime delight.

Tom Brand (Kevin Spacey) is a Trump-selfish businessman who is creating the tallest building in the USA, with his name on it, in NYC. He does things like parachute into an outdoor press conference. But, horrors, word comes that there will be a building in Chicago which will eclipse the Brand building when finished. This is because Tom was betrayed by a close associate, Ian (Mark Consuelos),who has designs on taking over the company. Just as Tom and his son David (Robbie Amell) are working on plans to reconfigure their own building to regain the needed height, Mr. Brand's personal landscape changes. His beautiful wife, Lara (Jennifer Garner) is greatly distressed about her hubby neglecting his youngest child, pretty grade school daughter, Rebecca (Malina Weissman). You see, Tom has forgotten her birthday and her greatest desire is for a pet cat. At the end of a long day at the office, Tom is drawn to a bizarre pet shop on the scruffy side of town where owner, Felix (Christopher Walken) works magic with his cats. Therefore, Mr F insists that Tom take Mr Fuzzypants the cat home to his daughter. Rebecca is delighted. But, before long, a thunderstorm and a big accident makes Tom and the cat switch bodies, with Mr. Brand laying in a coma at the hospital. How can this beautiful, smart cat now prevent Ian from taking charge and ruining all his plants? Wait, is that all he thinks about? Isn't Lara, David, and Rebecca most important? This purrfect, darling movie was skewered by the critics and these so called experts were culpable in preventing more folks from seeing it. What a colossal shame! The great cast, the sets, the script, and the zesty direction are terrific. Most importantly, the darling CAT, with the help, at times, of special effects, is as entertaining a screen star as they come! As soon as this review is penned, this movie fan is going to write to those lambasting movie critics and give them an earful. In the meanwhile, go get Nine Lives in the next nine minutes!

Tom Brand (Kevin Spacey) is the head and the founder of billion dollar company FireBrand. He is frustrated that his great achievement, the tallest skyscraper in the western hemisphere, will come up short. His marriage to second wife Lara (Jennifer Garner) is on the rocks. He buys a cat from mysterious Felix Perkins (Christopher Walken) for their daughter Rebecca (Malina Weissman)'s birthday. Before the party, he goes to the top of the building where he confronts company executive Ian Cox (Mark Consuelos) over the error. Ian drops him and he crashes a few floors down. He is left in a coma while his mind is transferred to the cat Mr. Fuzzypants. Tom's older son David Brand (Robbie Amell) from his first marriage to Madison Camden (Cheryl Hines) tries to prevent Ian from taking over the company.

The premise sounds stupid. I really had low expectations coming into this. It turns out not to be as horrible as I figured. It's still not good but there are compelling aspects. The drama of the company takeover has its moments. It is missing the needed humor. The comedic attempts all fall flat. The ending isn't good either. Despite being not completely horrible, I still wouldn't recommend this except maybe for cat lovers.