Nine

Firstly, if you don’t like musicals, you’re not going to enjoy this latest film from the director of Chicago, so don’t go see it and then blame me for not telling you.

For the rest of you, it’s an orgy of music, passion and women, who are all under the spell of an Italian filmmaker played by Daniel Day-Lewis. Okay, so old Dan is as far from an Italian stallion as you can get, but he does his best, as do the rest of the non-Italian cast – Penélope Cruz, Fergie, Kate Hudson and Marion Cotillard. The music is fabulous, the scenery evocative and the surprise performance from Sophia Loren thrilling, but the best part by far is Cruz’s take on her sex-kitten character. All in all, it was an indulgent two hours out from the real world that I revelled in.

Rating: 4 outta 5.