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The Interpreter 2005 |
Review by Jonathan Cornwell |
Directed by Sydney Pollack
PG-13, 128 min. (violence, some sexual content, language) |
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Starring: Nicole Kidman, Sean Penn, Catherine Keener, Jesper Christensen, Yvan Attal, Earl Cameron, George Harris, Hugo Speer, Curtiss I'Cook
Producers: Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Kevin Misher
Screenplay: Charles Randolph, Scott Frank, Steven Zallian
Cinematography: Darius Khondji
Distributor: Universal Pictures
Released: 4.22.05 (Wide) |
Rating:
  (out of ) |
The Interpreter tackles the realm of international politics and the thriller genre with an appreciated real world sense of direction. Sydney Pollack, climbing back into the
director's chair, manages the elements of mystery and humanity with aplomb, while side-stepping the pitfalls of most police procedurals. Combined with two terrific performances
from its leads (Sean Penn and Nicole Kidman), the film engages the viewer with an insightful glance at the controversial U.N., a place that has never allowed film cameras to go
until now. It leaves a distinct impression, something that most pictures cannot accomplish.
When Silvia Broome (Kidman), an interpreter at the U.N., overhears a startling plot to assassinate Edmond Zuwanie (Earl Cameron), president of the African country Matobo.
Tobin Keller (Penn) is sent by the Secret Service to investigate and immediately casts doubt on Silvia's true motivations as she has ties to the country and man (Zuwanie) who
may be responsible for her parents' death (she lived in Matobo as a child). Keller is also in a fragile state of mind as his wife was recently killed in a car accident; his partner,
Dot Woods (the underused Catherine Keener), tries to keep him together long enough to get through their latest assignment. The film deftly juxtaposes the mystery behind
the possible assassination and the inner turmoil of both Silvia and Keller, creating a nifty duality to the pending crisis.
Because the material is only average, it's up to Kidman and Penn to shine, and they comply. It's enjoyable to observe two fine actors carry a film with just the right
combination of emotion and intensity. There are supporting characters who come in and out of the story, but Pollack wisely keeps things centered on two people who
push forward against their better instincts. The film eventually succeeds because of its ability to keep the viewer off-balance long enough to affect the tension level,
which is formidable.
Pollack certainly has something to say about the hypocrisy of the U.N. even though he essentially agrees with its mission statement. Zuwanie was once hailed as a liberator,
only to fall prey to the old adage that power corrupts, now oppressing the people of his homeland. Yet the U.N. allows him to make a speech to the General Assembly explaining
his policies, which almost everyone in the West considers unconscionable. It seems Pollack seems to recognize the inherent tolerance to a fault mentality that exists in the
U.N., while providing a silver lining the process. That he crafts an interesting personal story around this conundrum is quite an accomplishment.
It's refreshing to see what could have been mundane filmmaking elevated to involving cinema, specifically in the desire to keep things grounded in reality rather than
an action-overload of the senses. The Interpreter allows the story of two individuals fighting for their sanity to reign over genre staples that usually drag a film into
the realm of anonymity.
© 2005 Jonathan Cornwell
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 | Masterpiece - Film perfection |
| Excellent - A Must See |
| Good - Highly Recommended |
| Fair - Worth seeing |
| Average - Viewable, but not recommended |
| Below average - View at own risk |
| Poor - Avoid at all costs |
| Very poor - An embarassment to the film industry |
| Zero | Awful - One of the worst films ever made |
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