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Child psychologist Samuel Faulkner is in a long-term relationship with ballet teacher Rebecca Taylor. This changes when Rebecca declares that she is pregnant. When questioned by Samuel about her birth control, she replies that birth control is only 97% effective.
Samuel's fears mount due to his encounters with overbearing couple Marty and Gail Dwyer and their three young unruly daughters, as well as the confusing advice he receives from Sean, his perpetually single artist friend and Gail's brother. Samuel is confused and unsure about what to do. Feeling that Samuel is not ready to be a father, Rebecca leaves him and moves in with Marty and Gail (who is also pregnant with a fourth child). Samuel tries to contact her, but she ignores him. Sean encourages him to move on, with Samuel trying new things, like rollerblading, getting an earring, and going to parties. But the thought of Rebecca still weighs heavily on his mind.
When a woman makes a move on Samuel at a party, he declines, saying that he is not ready to move on yet. He views an ultrasound of his soon-to-be-born son, and decides that it is time to take responsibility before it is too late. He sells his Porsche, buys a family car, and reconciles with Rebecca, much to Gail's delight.
Samuel and Rebecca wed, and not long afterward, they go out to dinner. During an awkward moment when they bump into the woman who he met earlier at the party, Rebecca goes into labor. They rush to the hospital, where they meet Marty and Gail; who has gone into labor as well. Rebecca gives birth to their baby boy, who they name Samuel, and Gail gives birth to their fourth daughter, who they name Becky.
The movie premiered with strong interest and entered the box office rankings at number three. It trailed behind two other popular films, Apollo 13 and Under Siege 2: Dark Territory. During its first weekend in theaters, it earned $12.5 million USD. Despite the competitive environment, the film attracted a significant audience. Following its initial release, Nine Months continued to perform well and ultimately grossed a total of $138.5 million USD worldwide. This success indicates that the movie resonated with viewers and maintained interest over time. Its impressive earnings reflect its popularity among moviegoers during its theatrical run.
Critical response
On film aggregate Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 27%, based on 33 reviews, with an average rating of 4.8/10. The site's critics consensus states: "Nine Months finds writer-director Chris Columbus playing to his worst comedic instincts -- and relying far too heavily on the trademark tics of his miscast leading man."[4] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 47 out of 100, based on 23 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[5] Audiences surveyed by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade "A−" on scale of A+ to F.[6]
Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times gave the film two stars out of four, saying, "Nine Months is one of those movies where the outcome is abundantly clear to everyone but the hero, who remains in the hapless position of playing dumb because, if he didn't, there wouldn't be a plot."[7] His review, and that of Gene Siskel, referenced Grant's then-recent arrest for receiving oral sex from Estella Marie Thompson. Roger's said "the film's box-office performance will be closely analyzed for clues about whether Grant's career will be affected by the recent scandal. My guess is that the film, left to itself, would have performed only moderately at the box office, so if it does any better than that, the scandal can only have helped."[7]Gene Siskel's, in the Chicago Tribune, said that "frankly [Grant's] arrest for consorting with a hooker does limit our enjoyment of this fear-of-commitment comedy. We watch Grant, searching his face for clues to his behavior, instead of buying into his character. What if he hadn't been arrested? 'Nine Months' would still turn up lame because of its obvious plotting and the constantly irritating presence of Tom Arnold as a much-too-cheerful neighbor."[8] He also remarked that Grant's "halting, blinking, stammering manner, which seemed so appealing in 'Four Weddings and a Funeral,' comes across as mannered here. Obviously, we are going to have trouble for a while accepting him as an innocent. A better fit is his next role, in 'An Awfully Big Adventure,' in which he plays a theatrical director with a controlling mean streak."[8]
Todd McCarthy, a critic from Variety, described the film as "an exceedingly safe and conventional Chris Columbus comedy." This statement suggests that the movie follows a familiar formula typical of Chris Columbus's work. Columbus is known for creating feel-good films that appeal to a broad audience. His movies often contain lighthearted humor, predictable plots, and heartwarming moments.[9]
By calling it "exceedingly safe," McCarthy points out that the film does not take any risks. It sticks closely to established themes and storylines that are common in many comedies. Viewers who enjoy Columbus's style might find comfort in this predictability, while others may see it as unoriginal and lacking in creativity. The term "conventional" further emphasizes the idea that the film does not break new ground. Instead, it relies on familiar tropes and character types that have been used repeatedly in the genre. Overall, McCarthy's assessment highlights that while the film may entertain some, it does not push any boundaries or offer anything new.[9]
Hugh Grant's opinion
Grant has spoken disparagingly of his performance in Nine Months, stating in an interview with the SAG-AFTRA, "I really ruined it. And it was entirely my fault. I panicked, it was such a big jump up from what I'd been paid before to what they were offering me. And the scale was inhuman to my standards, you know the scale of the production, 20th Century Fox, the whole thing. And I just tried much too hard, and you know I forgot to do basic acting things, like mean it. So I pulled faces and overacted, it was a shocker."[10]
On another occasion, Grant referred to director Chris Columbus as a "genius" and his "brilliant" co-stars, but further commented, "You know, having been paid £20,000 or whatever it was, to do Four Weddings and a Funeral, if you're suddenly paid millions, you think well I better ramp up my performance by 200 times. But all that means is that you overact grotesquely, which is what I did. So I'm always very apologetic to those people."[11]
Grant said that his disappointment at his performance in Nine Months, following a preview of the film, led him to "a Ken Russell kind of lunch" and a sex act with Divine Brown in Los Angeles in 1995.[12][13][14]
^SAG-AFTRA Foundation (August 16, 2016). Conversations with Hugh Grant. YouTube. Archived from the original on December 22, 2021. Retrieved June 27, 2018.
