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The Interpreter (2005)

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All Critics
Top Critics

Average Rating: 6/10
Reviews Counted: 191
Fresh: 108 | Rotten: 83

A polished and intelligent thriller, though marred by plot implausibilities.

Average Rating: 6.2/10
Critic Reviews: 40
Fresh: 25 | Rotten: 15

A polished and intelligent thriller, though marred by plot implausibilities.

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Average Rating: 3.1/5
User Ratings: 76,599

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Movie Info

An overheard conversation leads a woman into a dark world of deadly intrigue in this political thriller. Silvia Broome (Nicole Kidman) is an African �migr� who works as an interpreter at the United Nations. One of the languages she understands is Ku, a dialect spoken in her home country of Matobo. One day, as the General Assembly auditorium is being evacuated for a routine security sweep, Broome overhears a man speaking in Ku, who makes a cryptic statement that could be interpreted as a threat

PG-13, 2 hr. 8 min.

Drama, Action & Adventure, Mystery & Suspense

Directed By: Sydney Pollack

Written By: Scott Frank, Charles Randolph, Steven Zaillian

In Theaters: Apr 22, 2005 Wide

On DVD: Oct 4, 2005

Box Office:$72.5M

Universal Pictures

The Interpreter Trailer & Photos

More Photos (25)

Cast

Nicole Kidman
Silvia Broome
Sean Penn
Tobin Keller
Catherine Keener
Dot Woods
Jesper Christensen
Nils Lud
Yvan Attal
Philippe
Vladimir Bibic
G.A. President
Earl Cameron
Zuwanie
Tsai Chin
Luan
Clyde Kusatsu
Police Chief Lee Wu
John Di Benedetto
Mechanic
Eric Keenleyside
Rory Robb
Adrian Martinez
Roland
Kirby Mitchell
U.N. Security Officer
Harry O'Reilly
U.N. Security Officer
Byron Utley
Jean Gamba
Jim Ward
U.N. Security Officer
George Harris
Kuman-kuman
Robert Clohessy
FBI Agent King
Ramsey Faragallah
Polygraph Technician
Michael Wright
Marcus
David Zayas
Charlie Russell
Hugo Speer
Simon Broome
Pietro Gonzalez
Chilean Ambassador
Terry Serpico
FBI Agent Lewis
John Knox
Fred Jameson
Maz Jobrani
Mo
Harry W. Prichett
News Reporter
Nelson Landrieu
Spanish Speaking Interp...
Chris McKinney
Forensic Officer
Leonid Citer
Russian Interpreter
David Wolos Fonteno
Phillip Ostroff
Lynne Deragon
American Ambassador Dav...
Lou Ferguson
Matoban Ambassador
Christopher Evan Welch
Jonathan Williams
Guy A. Fortt
U.N. Security Officer
Michael Patrick McGrath
Jonathan Ferris
Yusuf Gatewood
Doug
Curtiss I'Cook
Ajene Xola
Manuel Mawele
African Boy
Dino Mulima
African Boy
Francine Roussel
Isobel
Enid Graham
Jenny
Okwui Okpokwasili
Tour Guide
Jacques Sebag
French Ambassador
Patrick Ssenjovu
Jad Jamal
Paul De Sousa
Portuguese Janitor
Martha Elliott
Woman On Bus
Trevor Archer
U.N. Security Officer
Ricardo Walker
U.N. Security Officer
Bridget L. Doerksen
Stripper
Ana Maria Lupo
Stripper
Satish Joshi
Secretary General
Sophie Traub
Young Silvia
Monty Ashton-Lewis
Young Simon
Pat Kiernan
Himself
Margot Staub
News Reporter
Ed Onipede Blunt
News Reporter
Diane Winter
British Airways Ticket ...
Litto
African Boy
Max Jobrani

Critic Reviews for The Interpreter

All Critics (195) | Top Critics (40) | Fresh (116) | Rotten (83) | DVD (36)

Penn is terrific in his low-key doggedness.

May 12, 2006 Full Review Source: New York Magazine

| Comment

Ken Tucker

New York Magazine

Top Critic

I was steadily absorbed by The Interpreter, even though much of the plot didn't make a great deal of sense.

April 28, 2005 Full Review Source: New York Observer

| Comment

Andrew Sarris

New York Observer

Top Critic

While it pains me to beat up on Pollack, who, in addition to being a consistently wonderful actor, is at least attempting to make movies the old-fashioned way, it pains me more to actually sit through his movies.

April 23, 2005 Full Review Source: Salon.com

| Comment

Stephanie Zacharek

Salon.com

Top Critic

As a straight-ahead thriller, the movie is enjoyable and stirring much of the time.

April 22, 2005 Full Review Source: Washington Post

| Comment

Desson Thomson

Washington Post

Top Critic

You're left with admirable, even noble, wreckage, but wreckage it is.

April 22, 2005 Full Review Source: Washington Post

| Comment

Stephen Hunter

Washington Post

Top Critic

Rare is the movie where the performances can make up for an almost fatally flawed script. This is one of them.

April 22, 2005 Full Review Source: Toronto Star

| Comment

Peter Howell

Toronto Star

Top Critic

As a character drama about dealing with violence and loss, The Interpreter is a quiet success. Unfortunately, it's a thriller, and all of the qualities that make it a successful character study rob it of the tension a thriller needs to succeed.

March 27, 2011 Full Review Source: ComingSoon.net

| Comment

Joshua Starnes

ComingSoon.net

Much ballyhooed for its on-location filming in and around the United Nations building in Manhattan "The Interpreter" works better as a captivating drama than it does as an espionage thriller due to some sticking plot points that prevent the audience from

April 18, 2009 Full Review Source: ColeSmithey.com

| Comment

Cole Smithey

ColeSmithey.com

This intense thriller is best for older teens and adults.

July 24, 2008 Full Review Source: Common Sense Media

| Comment

Cynthia Fuchs

Common Sense Media

It's a dumb movie masquerading as smart but failing miserably.

May 27, 2008 Full Review Source: Film4

| Comment

Jamie Russell

Film4

High-class to a fault, and well-cast in every supporting role ... nevertheless burns with a very low flame.

September 24, 2007 Full Review Source: eFilmCritic.com

| Comment

Rob Gonsalves

eFilmCritic.com

It may not be a perfect film, but it's just nice to see a master at work.

July 14, 2007 Full Review Source: Big Picture Big Sound

| Comment

Joe Lozito

Big Picture Big Sound

Now we know actors are just that, but it's a little hard to suspend disbelief and buy Sean as a government agent out to foil an assassination plot, when just a few months ago he was out to assassinate Richard Nixon on screen.

June 2, 2007 Full Review | Comment

Prairie Miller

Long Island Press

June 2, 2007 Full Review | Comment

Prairie Miller

Long Island Press

full review in Greek

October 3, 2006 Full Review Source: Movies for the Masses

| Comment

Joseph Proimakis

Movies for the Masses

The problem with all this sneaking around is that it is rarely ever all that suspenseful.

September 25, 2006 Comment

Peter T. Chattaway

Christianity Today Source: Christianity Today

Solid, mature and finely acted, but intermittently daft.

April 1, 2006 Full Review Source: Empire Magazine

| Comment

Ian Nathan

Empire Magazine

This is largely a competent, successful thriller, but observing global politics from this perspective is an uncomfortable, frustrating experience.

February 9, 2006 Full Review Source: Time Out

| Comment

Dave Calhoun

Time Out

Nothing about The Interpreter strikes us as very original.

December 6, 2005 Full Review Source: Film Threat

| Comment

Pete Vonder Haar

Film Threat

Not a great movie but a nice time and a welcome break from the season's nonstop torrent of interchangeable horror films and Ashton Kutcher comedies.

December 6, 2005 Full Review Source: Film Threat

| Comment

Rick Kisonak

Film Threat

More Critic Reviews

Audience Reviews for The Interpreter

View All

Tobin Keller: I'd rather make the mistake of believing her, than the bigger one of not.�"The truth needs no translation"Despite liking both Nicole Kidman and Sean Penn(both of whom give good performances), I was left underwhelmed when The Interpreter was all said and done. For the most part, it was really just a dull

August 3, 2011

Melvin White

Super Reviewer

A disastrous film that tries to be more complex than it should be, each time coming up with more unnecessary details at the expense of simple concision. The obvious, predictable narrative suffers from terrible dialogue and gets lost amid contrivances, implausible situations and plot holes the size of Africa.

December 28, 2010

Carlos Magalh�es

Super Reviewer

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