The Interpreter (2005)

Brief: Late one night at the UN, interpreter Silvia Broome (Nicole Kidman) overhears an assassination plot against soon-to-visit President Zuwanie (Earl Cameron) of Matobo. Agents Woods (Catherine Keener) and Keller (Sean Penn) are called in to investigate, but Keller quickly uncovers much closer ties between Silvia and the President than the UN anticipated.

You take three screen writers: one lackluster (Charles Randolph), one medium luster (Scott Frank), and one electric (Steven Zaillian), and add one director (Syndey Pollack) who at least one critic has accused of no longer directing. What do you get?

Something banal, something mediocre, something middle brow. It's not so blah that I wouldn't recommend it, not so enticing that I would. The plot, for me, was a done deal thanks to the lying previews, so it was hard to fall into that sort of pulsing intensity that the film was supposed to have. There was only one scene that had me digging my nails into the arm rests.

There were some great exchanges between Kidman and Penn as well as Woods and Penn, but since I've long regarded the three of them as richly talented performers (although some lacking in discernment when compared to the others), I can't say I was surprised. I wouldn't rank these among their best performances, but they are no where near the worst.

Pollack's main concern is neither the story nor the telling of it; rather, that concern seems to be the building where the majority of the action takes place. He wants you to experience its bass toned beauty, its every surface and texture more lovingly shot than artful directed.

Intended or not, it was Kidman's clothes, Vespa, hair, and apartment that I was most concerned for in this film. If anyone can tell me where I can get that jacket, s/he will be getting a very special shout out. Her whole look was this "I don't care how I look" thing that I would love to start pulling off exactly this minute. Okay, maybe her hair was a little over the top. I think she could have managed a complete ponytail. Ponytails don't really work with my curls, but I want her look other than that.

It's sort of another Closer - I'm not sure how to grade it. Two great performers, not two great performances. Once again, there was nothing wrong with them per se, but there was nothing memorable about them either. Serious clothes envy. Nothing spectacular, nothing horrible.

Ah, what the heck. B