The Interpreter is a thriller set in the United Nations – well, some in Africa (another fictional country – Matoba – fictional African countries are sure getting popular these days, we recently saw one in Sahara as well!)

Interpreter Sylvia Broome (Nicole Kidman) works at the UN, and one night when coming back in to pick up some things she left there due to the building being evacuated for a security alert, she overhears a plot to kill the hated President of that country when he comes to give an address to the General Assembly. Taking this information to the security people the next day, she finds herself under the spotlight as special agents Tobin Keller (Sean Penn) and Dot Woods (Catherine Keener) question her story. As the storyline progresses, more and more inconsistencies are found with Broome’s testimony and background, but is what she’s telling them valid enough to be taken seriously? Keller has to find this out and stay ahead of the game while trying to get over the grief of his recently bereavement – his wife died in a car crash, with her lover driving, just two weeks before. And what about the two main rivals to the Matoban President – are they involved in this, or are they at threat themselves? Added to this is the growing attraction between Keller and Broome, which hardly helps everything to go smoothly.

Directed by Sydney Pollack (who makes an small, uncredited appearance in this film and has worked with Kidman before on Cold Mountain and Birthday Girl, though as Producer not Director), The Interpreter is a well-paced, thoughtful political thriller that in general has a strong believability factor. He makes good use of current phobias in making this tale more complex (i.e. the Matoban Ambassador argues that the terrorist threat justifies the actions of the Matoban government and the President himself is a hero who freed the country, then enslaved it himself) and the themes explored about revenge and morality will always be relevant. In Kidman and Penn he has a lead pairing of unquestionable pedigree, and both give fine, effectively understated performances here. (Though in one scene I felt that Penn went a little overboard with his character, it was only a minor hiccup in an overall excellent performance.) Kidman also does a very creditable (and consistent) white African accent, and if my wife (who is from South Africa) agrees with that then it must be true! As Penn’s partner in anti-crime, Keener is superb, getting just the right balance between tough professional and caring colleague.

The soundtrack (by James Newton Howard (The Village, Signs, Peter Pan, Vertical Limit, and many more – and he’ll be doing some of the music for the forthcoming “Batman Begins) and Mel Wesson (Thunderbirds, Black Hawk Down, and also Batman Begins soon) is extremely effective and the special effects are well up to scratch. The art direction is gorgeous – kudos to W. Steven Graham, Zack Grobler, Tom Warren, and Dan Yahr).

Unfortunately the film does lose its way a little near the end, with the main plot twists being just a bit too predictable. The very end of the film also left me a bit flat, though at least it avoids the clichéd ending I’d been kind of expecting. The whole film really hinges on the right atmosphere being created, and for about 90% of the time it manages this.

Overall The Interpreter is a very good film that just misses out on greatness. If you’re a fan of either Kidman or Penn, you’ll really enjoy this one.

Additional Information

Rating: 12A (UK), PG-13 (USA) for violence, some sexual content and brief strong language.

Runtime: 128 min

Related Links

Sydney Pollack was also Executive Producer of King Ralph (not as I'd stated before Director)

Nicole Kidman also starred in Cold Mountain and The Stepford Wives

The film against which I judge all other thrillers:

Negotiator - starring Samuel L Jackson and Kevin Spacey.


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See Also

Top Ten Films of 2005

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Recommended:
Yes

Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 13 and Older