Review of The Interpreter (2005) by Howard W — 05 Jun 2008
Despite the title of the film, the fact that Nicole Kidman plays an interpreter isn't really that important. While we do see her translate early in the film, her job is pretty much a plot device. It's also used as some kind of hokey metaphor for diplomacy, because "countries have gone to war because they misinterpreted one another".
Kidman's character arc is pretty farfetched, too, and the film's later revelations about her don't make much sense. The Interpreter's conclusion is particularly implausible, both from a realism standpoint and from a character one.
The film midsection gets bogged down in a mess of fake politics and clandestine maneuvers â?? at one point, a bomb goes off, but it's never clear why it does and who the intended target is. Neither Penn nor Kidman stand out in terms of acting (though Kidman looks gorgeous here) but the low-key chemistry they exhibit with each other on screen might be the strongest element of this film.
This review of The Interpreter (2005) was written by Howard W on 05 Jun 2008.
The Interpreter has generally received positive reviews.
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