The Interpreter

I like Sydney Pollack. His pleasantly restrained direction, without quick cuts and wannabe cool shots (hello Tony Scott), lets the skill of the actors shine through (hello Clint Eastwood), but here he had a weaker moment. For a thriller it lacks suspense, as a political drama it's unconvincing and too slippery on the surface, and the melodramatic level is brought down by the chemistry between the two main protagonists, which has the sparkle of a burnt down Christmas light. The result is an unclear bit of tedium with one big logical lapse at the end. Still, a certain three stars, I quite like these old-fashioned thrillers, without fancy frills. (11/12/2005)

The interpreter plays out on the well-worn paths of Sydney Pollack's thrillers and to some extent imitates the framework of his Three Days of the Condor. However, unlike that film, it is not as precise, and the plot of the political conspiracy and the budding love affair between the main heroine and the investigator is somewhat forced. Sean Penn stands very high in my opinion as an actor, but his role as a secret service agent is perhaps the first one I did not believe in, even though I do not claim that he gives a weak performance. It's just that his interpretation is somewhat indigestible to me. I don't think secret service agents should be bruisers and nerveless people, but if my colleague showed such strong emotions, I would probably be afraid that he would not pass the psychological tests and he would unsettle me somewhat. Nicole Kidman's performance is a decent standard, but let's be honest, it would be much fairer to cast a black girl in the role given the subject matter and plot. I didn't believe in her as a partisan either, thankfully it was just the one photograph. Pollack has an uneven pace and a somewhat forced ending, but the plot with a twist is compelling and quite original, and the 20 minutes framed by the interpreter's meeting with the opposition leader and the subsequent bus assassination are absolutely precise. If the film maintained such an atmosphere and dynamism throughout, it would be worth five stars. Overall impression: 65%. I was disappointed with the use or rather non-use of Catherine Keener, who is an excellent actress, and she simply did not deserve to play such an unnecessary character... (30/03/2010)

Under different circumstances, this would be an absolutely solid thriller that kills the good premise by actually taking place in Nicole Kidmanʼs head and everyone else looks as if they were some extras. At the same time, you keep hoping that the movie will not be futile and will at least offer a solid set. But after watching, you realize that wasn’t really the case. Rather it will seem to you that the whole story actually selfishly took place on the sofa in Nicoleʼs flat. However, it deserves the fourth star for the final scene, which keeps you on tenterhooks, and mainly for Sean Penn. That’s mainly thanks to the finale which showed once again how great and honest actor he is. (25/12/2016)

Surprisingly, this was another film with Nicole Kidman that entertained me. The previous one was the overly stretched Australia. However, in this case, it’s not the actress's performance but the acting performance overall. Sean Penn is simply a cool guy who, surprisingly, can convincingly play a seasoned bodyguard dealing with serious family issues and traumas from his home life. A rather deep character that is, however, presented quite superficially in the script, and its depth serves no real purpose here. It’s a shame. More focus is directed at Nicole Kidman, who is an interpreter of an African language known by only about eight people in America. As an interpreter, she accidentally witnesses someone trying to kill another person. The words are spoken in the language she understands. A bit too coincidental, but fine. This is Sydney Pollack, after all. The film clearly shows that it had a capable director and is gradually led to its conclusion, which must be said is relatively good and acceptable. On the other hand, I believe that the topic of African dictators was relatively underutilized. The film could have been much harsher in this respect, less moderate. However, the plot does not focus solely on the African dictator, whose rule is not viewed as humane and peaceful, but the main character remains the woman with Nicole Kidman’s face. Her feminine element, a woman trying to confront fate while her dark past gradually emerges, is quite interesting, yet there could have been more room devoted to other characters, especially Sean Penn, whose protector is definitely not as pathetic as Costner's. You expect something in the ending, and you end up leaving with a feeling of a job well done. However, I still thought it lacked a bit more emotion, a bit more feelings that could resonate with the audience. The bus explosion, a very powerful scene, was simply a tragic event that was, however, predictable. Something had to escalate the plot. (02/03/2013)

A political thriller with a rather weak start and an excellent second half. Nicole is beautiful, mysterious, and fully inhabits the role of a woman torn between extremes who has gone through the personal hell of losing her family, and Sean Penn plays the role of a not-so-ordinary secret agent in his own skillful way. Initially, I was expecting a much weaker picture, but I’m glad I was wrong. (27/09/2006)