This film may be overrated because most of the earlier ratings / reviews are from indie film fans, who saw it at Sundance or other film festivals.
An isolated house in the desert serves as a selection point for pre-born souls to be tested, and, if found worthy, allowed to be born to full human life. The gatekeeper is Will, a post-life being, assisted by Kyo, a pre-life being who somehow escaped the candidates' fate of oblivion. The candidates are shown as adult humans, both male and female, vying for one position. The process takes up to nine days (hence the title).
For most of the time, the candidates watch a bank of TVs in the TV room, of actual lives of living people, from those subjects' point of view. This seems to happen in parallel universes, as they never seem to meet until they are the "final two". Unsuccessful applicants get a chance to live a simulated moment from their viewing.
There are two sub-plots. One is the fate of a violinist Will had selected earlier, whose life Will is carefully following. The other is the mystery of Will himself, as he refuses to talk about his own human life.
As per many indie films, the writer / director wants us to ponder their point - in this case, where do souls come from? However, I tend to find a lot of loose ends, and have already tried to tie one up by hypothesizing simultaneous parallel universes. Where to the applicants go at night? Why does a sandbox need to be sanded down? Etc.
An isolated house in the desert serves as a selection point for pre-born souls to be tested, and, if found worthy, allowed to be born to full human life. The gatekeeper is Will, a post-life being, assisted by Kyo, a pre-life being who somehow escaped the candidates' fate of oblivion. The candidates are shown as adult humans, both male and female, vying for one position. The process takes up to nine days (hence the title).
For most of the time, the candidates watch a bank of TVs in the TV room, of actual lives of living people, from those subjects' point of view. This seems to happen in parallel universes, as they never seem to meet until they are the "final two". Unsuccessful applicants get a chance to live a simulated moment from their viewing.
There are two sub-plots. One is the fate of a violinist Will had selected earlier, whose life Will is carefully following. The other is the mystery of Will himself, as he refuses to talk about his own human life.
As per many indie films, the writer / director wants us to ponder their point - in this case, where do souls come from? However, I tend to find a lot of loose ends, and have already tried to tie one up by hypothesizing simultaneous parallel universes. Where to the applicants go at night? Why does a sandbox need to be sanded down? Etc.