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
The Interpreter (2005)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted: 185
Fresh: 107
Rotten:78
Average Rating: 6.1/10
Consensus: A polished and intelligent thriller, though marred by plot implausibilities.
Rated: PG-13 [See Full Rating] for violence, some sexual content and brief strong language.
Runtime: 2 hrs 9 mins
Genre: Thriller
Theatrical Release:Apr 22, 2005 Wide
Box Office: $72,515,360
Synopsis: Director Sidney Pollack's diverse career sees him returning to familiar ground with THE INTERPRETER. Crafted from the same mould that saw Pollack produce the superlative political thriller THREE... Director Sidney Pollack's diverse career sees him returning to familiar ground with THE INTERPRETER. Crafted from the same mould that saw Pollack produce the superlative political thriller THREE DAYS OF THE CONDOR (1975), Nicole Kidman and Sean Penn star in a film riddled with subterfuge, recriminations, and deadly secrets. Kidman plays Silvia Broome, an interpreter who works at the UN in New York City. One night, while collecting a bag she has left behind in the building, Silvia overhears a whispered conversation in which an assassination attempt on a redoubtable African leader, named Zuwanie (Earl Cameron), is planned during his future visit to the UN. Secret service agent Tobin Keller (Penn) is assigned to provide security for Zuwanie on the forthcoming trip, and conducts an investigation when Silvia explains what she has heard. He quickly discovers that Silvia has a lengthy, troubled past as a citizen from the same country as Zuwanie, and immediately doubts her story. A series of frantic, fast-paced set pieces ensue, with Pollack beautifully capturing the architectural wonder of the UN, and staging some breathtaking scenes all over the city. Much has been made of THE INTERPRETER'S status as the first film to be shot inside the UN, and it's to Pollack's credit that he wasn't overawed by such a prospect. Making full use of the building, the director highlights the hustle and bustle of a typical day at the UN, while also shooting eerily silent late night scenes among the famous halls and corridors. As Pollack piles on the tension, Penn and Kidman deliver exemplary performances alongside a prodigious supporting cast, who do justice to an intelligently written plot designed to keep viewers guessing right up until the final moments of the film. [More]
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Sean Penn, Catherine Keener, Jesper Christensen
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Sean Penn, Catherine Keener, Jesper Christensen, Earl Cameron
Director: Sydney Pollack
Director: Sydney Pollack
Screenwriter: Charles Randolph, Scott Frank, Steven Zaillian
Producer: Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Kevin Misher
Composer: James Newton Howard
Studio: Universal Pictures
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Reviews for The Interpreter
High-class to a fault, and well-cast in every supporting role ... nevertheless burns with a very low flame.
It may not be a perfect film, but it's just nice to see a master at work.
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.
The problem with all this sneaking around is that it is rarely ever all that suspenseful.
This is largely a competent, successful thriller, but observing global politics from this perspective is an uncomfortable, frustrating experience.
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.
a film that made their authors feel good, while denying the same experience to the audience
The complicated plotting gets increasingly ridiculous as the picture nears conclusion.
The film's themes are disappointingly vague and unspecific, built around a fictitious African country that stands for anywhere -- and consequently nowhere.
(...) Una película menor, con buenas intenciones pero que se olvida poco después de salir del cine.
Another international accent from Kidman, another brooding, broken man from Penn, and another taut, tense, political thriller from director Pollack.
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