The Interpreter

I thought was was good thriller/pot-boiler, not a great one, not a home run, but a serviceable couple of hours as the audience is presented with a UN interpreter who overhears a plot to assassinate a south African leader on his way to deliver a speech to the UN. The characters played by Nicole Kidman and Sean Penn are wary of one another, but it becomes a hot-and-cold relationship as the story unfolds.

I didn't think Kidman and Penn had much chemistry, though. But, I don't think Penn has much chemistry in general with his co-stars. At least he gave a restrained performance inline with his character's occupation, which served the film well enough. Kidman's character is pretty much an onion with layers, but depending on how invested you get into her past history is up the viewer. At some points, I found her backstory somewhat interesting, but not really scintillating or riveting.

Pollack's direction is pretty good, though it might have served to edit it down by 10 minutes or so for such plot driven film. My audience skewed towards adults in their 30's-50's, and were well-behaved, soaking in the film's rhythms as the plot pushed forward towards a deadline that could not be pushed back.

I give it 3 stars, or a grade of B.