I actually like this film alot because 1)it reminds me a little of Hotel Rwanda, which is one of my favorite films last year and 2)because Sean Penn and Nicole Kidman are two character actors who always seem to make whatever film they're in, worth the watch.
It is dubious whether The Interpreter would have worked as well as it did if it hadn't been for the presence of its A-list stars, Kidman and Penn. This is because, despite having five names credited under story and screenplay, the plot was a tad convoluted; what was even more trying though, was the handful of coincidences and incongruencies in character and plot which you would have to swallow wholesale before you could really enjoy the show. For instance, for someone who was supposed to have been raised and lived in Africa for years before migrating to the US to become a UN interpreter, Kidman looks much too pale and delicate... (but I just lurve her accent!) With that said however, it is rather interesting to note that the African country, Matobo, and its dialect, Ku, which were referred to repeatedly in the film, do not exist at all. Although the storyline isn't too credible, director Sydney Pollack (who had helmed various hits in the past, like The Firm, Out Of Africa and Tootsie) made up for it with some tight pacing, memorable dialogue and impressive set-pieces. Moreover, filming at the actual UN headquarters itself (first movie ever to be granted permission to do so) helped bring a touch of realism and gloss to The Interpreter, as if to say that this isn't a typical, B-grade, political-thriller.
Thank god then, that it isn't. But of course, having a couple of Oscar winners in your cast would help very much too.
My ratings -- 3.7/5 Stars!!!
