Nine Lives (2016) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

The story primarily takes place in New York City, where Tom Brand's company FireBrand has its headquarters and dominates the skyline. A secondary location in Chicago represents a rival building project that drives the corporate conflict. Key scenes also occur at Purrkins Pet Shop, the mysterious store where the supernatural events begin.

• new york city
• chicago
• firebrand
• purrkins pet shop
• setting
• locations

The film takes place in present day within a contemporary urban environment. The setting reflects modern corporate life with current technology, business dynamics, and family relationships in a fast-paced city atmosphere.

• present day
• modern era
• contemporary
• time period

The film delivers a clear message about the importance of prioritizing family over work. Tom's transformation into a cat forces him to confront how his career-focused lifestyle damaged his relationships with his wife Lara and daughter Rebecca. The story emphasizes that familial bonds have enduring value and that reconciliation is possible when one chooses to invest in loved ones.

• family
• relationships
• reconciliation
• forgiveness
• family bonds

Nine Lives critiques unchecked ambition through Tom's obsession with building the world's tallest skyscraper and taking FireBrand public. The corporate conflict with Ian Cox shows how pursuit of power can corrupt relationships and threaten family legacy. The narrative suggests that when ambition overrides human connections, it leads to personal and familial loss.

• ambition
• career
• corporate power
• skyscraper
• firebrand
• takeover

Tom's consciousness inhabiting a cat's body serves as a metaphor for gaining a new perspective on life. By experiencing the world from a different vantage point, literally looking up at everyone, he learns humility and empathy. The identity swap challenges his understanding of who he is and forces genuine personal growth.

• identity
• transformation
• perspective
• cat
• mr fuzzypants
• personal growth

Sacrifice emerges as a key theme when characters must choose between personal gain and protecting their loved ones. Felix Perkins warns that love demands sacrifice, and the characters' choices reflect this principle. Tom ultimately learns that redemption requires putting family needs above his own ambitions.

• sacrifice
• love
• redemption
• family
• choices

Tom Brand is the protagonist and founder of FireBrand, a powerful New York real estate company. Portrayed by Kevin Spacey, he is a work-obsessed billionaire who has neglected his family. After an accident at the pet shop, his consciousness becomes trapped in the family cat, forcing him to reassess his priorities and fight to return to human form.

• tom brand
• kevin spacey
• protagonist
• firebrand
• business tycoon
• cat transformation

Lara Brand is Tom's second wife, played by Jennifer Garner, who has tolerated his emotional absence but is strained by his neglect. She becomes involved with model Josh Myers, creating marital tension. Her subplot explores the consequences of Tom's absence and the complexity of forgiveness in reconciliation.

• lara brand
• jennifer garner
• wife
• marriage
• infidelity
• josh myers

Ian Cox is the main antagonist, portrayed by Mark Consuelos, who serves as a top manager at FireBrand. He plots to take the company public and push Tom out, working behind the scenes to consolidate power. His storyline involves a corporate power struggle that threatens the family's control of the company until he is ultimately fired.

• ian cox
• mark consuelos
• antagonist
• villain
• takeover
• corporate rivalry

Felix Perkins is the eccentric owner of Purrkins Pet Shop, played by Christopher Walken. He serves as a magical guide who can communicate with Tom in his cat form. Felix acts as a moral compass, warning about the consequences of neglecting loved ones and explaining the magical realism behind the nine lives concept.

• felix perkins
• christopher walken
• pet shop
• magical guide
• mentor
• nine lives

Rebecca Brand is Tom and Lara's daughter, played by Malina Weissman. She is an observant child who loves the family cat and represents the emotional heart of the narrative. Rebecca ultimately helps uncover her father's true identity when he is trapped in the cat's body, demonstrating the special bond between parent and child.

• rebecca brand
• daughter
• child
• family
• emotional heart

Mr. Fuzzypants is the family cat whose body becomes the vessel for Tom Brand's consciousness after his accident at Purrkins Pet Shop. This mysterious cat serves as the mechanism for the film's central transformation, allowing Tom to experience life from a different perspective and ultimately enabling his redemption journey.

• mr fuzzypants
• cat
• transformation
• vessel
• consciousness