The Interpreter (2005)
Some spoilers - although I can't
spoil this movie much more than the script and direction
already does mid-film.
"The Interpreter" is a taunt, interesting
and complex mystery. That is, until about midway through
the film when director Sydney Pollack drops the clue
to unraveling the whole piece into our laps in such
an blatantly obvious way that even the people in the
next theater over watching "Robots" can get it. This
pretty much ruins any intrigue and involvement the
viewer might have in the film. Well, unless the viewer
is under 25. And it's doubtful that any one in the
audience is under 25. And if they are, they must be
there hoping to catch a glimpse of Nicole Kidman's
tits anyway. So... why would they be paying attention
to plot or mystery?
Anyway, what's worse is that Pollack
and his plethora of scripters drop this clue in a
scene where Sean Penn is watching TV. And since Penn,
a sort of Secret Service detective, is supposed to
be smart and inquisitive and know what the hell he
is doing, his character looks like an idiot when he
doesn't catch this obvious clue. It's seven seconds
in a movie that totally deflates everything it has
been working towards and ruins the film and makes
the lead male character look like a ignorant buffoon.
What a travesty.
Of course, Penn is in his obvious
"troubled, hurt, middle- aged man" mode here, a character
he has been resting on since he won an Academy Award
for "Mystic River." Still, nobody does it better than
Penn and he's a powerhouse in this film. The chemistry
between he and Kidman, who here has probably landed
her best role since "Eyes Wide Shut," is palpable.
The two make the film compelling at almost every turn,
even after us little Hardy Boys and Nancy Drews in
the audience have long since figured this one out.
Pollack, always a class act, recaptures
the sort of slick, cool, corporate mystery/thriller
feel that he helped to establish over ten years ago
with "The Firm." Allowed to film in the United Nations,
and it's doubtful any other director but Pollack and
a few others could pull that off, the director creates
a realistic, smart, sleek and classy thriller. He
films Kidman perfectly and she looks more beautiful
than she has in years. He helms Penn well also, hemming
in the misguided thespian flourishes that Penn let
loose in the Godawful "The Assassination of Richard
Nixon." which neophyte director Neils Mueller seemingly
could not control. Under Pollack's close guidance,
Penn could seemingly win many an award.
Still, "The Interpreter" suffers
from Pollack's mistrust of the audience's insight
and intelligence. He really ruins things by dropping
an obvious clue right in our laps at about mid-film.
Then there's a complex plot that requires some crib
notes, an obvious score by James Newton-Howard, and
Catherine Kenner's ugly mug to also help drag the
film down. All this makes "The Interpreter" translate
into a rather tepid, mediocre intellectual thriller.
Notes:
Pollack has a small role, appropriately
as Penn's supervisor.
Anthony Minghella is a producer.
Two of the scripters are Steve Zaillain and Scott
Frank.
Being the first film to be shot
in the United Nations Headquarters, the cast and crew
worked on weekends to avoid disrupting the work done
there.
Viewed in Plugerville with my friend
Ashton in April 2005.
