As satisfying viewing experiences go, the film comes up mighty short in terms of story, interesting characters and technical prowess, not to mention a 65-minute running time.

Nice folks, fun time, thanks for the peek (I guess), and so what?

Five decades after the rest of the world twigged to it, Michael Winterbottom has discovered a connection between sex and rock 'n' roll. Bully for him. full review

It is, at its (hard)core, a traditional sex movie with better music and naturalistic situations.

A pointless and pretentious cocktail of sex, rock 'n' roll and glaciology. full review

Ultimately each move toward breaking a barrier or assaulting a taboo is undercut by a reliance on conformity and convention. full review

An expertly blended mix of live music and real sex. full review

9 Songs is an experiment few serious filmmakers will want to replicate, and most of the people involved will want to forget as quickly as possible. full review

If you're a fan of the 'now' bands on the soundtrack or an art film buff (or a dirty old man), 9 Songs may appeal. full review

As an idea, the film is fascinating, but as an experience it grows tedious; the concerts lack closeups, the sex lacks context, and Antarctica could use a few penguins. full review

Yet for all its ballyhooed candor about sexual matters, it's a surprisingly baffling and opaque film, too artistic to be standard pornography and too zealously focused on being graphic to the exclusion of all else to succeed as drama. full review

Witnessing so much heavy breathing with little meaning, we feel like Dustin Hoffman in The Graduate when he asks bored bedmate Ann Bancroft if they can have a conversation first. full review

The movie's like a mix tape that alternates the same two songs; it's ultimately too dull to be an outrage. full review

9 Songs succeeds as an experiment in one regard, ultimately proving that sex and drugs just aren't as cinematic as good old rock-and-roll. full review

This disappointing new film from director Michael Winterbottom suffers from a similar malaise: It's poetic and pretty, strives for profundity without attaining it, and finally ends up saying nothing. full review

Never did sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll seem more shopworn and routine. full review

It's stupefyingly dull, even with good music and at the short but resonant length of 69 minutes. full review

Neither lurid nor especially compelling. full review

There's no greater point to this footage, no connection to the characters or the theme; just top bands playing great songs. It looks like a collection of music videos, just as the rest of the film looks like a connection of porn loops. full review