The Interpreter (2005)

Not the story of a gigantic flag-eating woman... I know! I was diappointed too!

Genre: Crime Drama Thriller (USA, UK, France)

Starring: Sean Penn (The Assassination Of Richard Nixon; I Am Sam), Nicole Kidman (Cold Mountain; The Others)

Directed By: Sydney Pollack (Out Of Africa; The Firm)

Overview: A UN interpreter overhears an assassination plot and becomes a suspect in the plot that she and the diplomatic target's defender are trying to get to the bottom of.

Acting: The thing Sean Penn is known for, for me, is being a man who isn't afraid to cry like a man. He chooses heavy roles and when he cries, it's like a man should: pain and anguish and suffering overwhelming finally let free. It seemed to me that the director wanted him to come close to tears in that one scene only because it was Sean Penn, and not because it was deserved. I don't blame the actors, they're all great, two of my favorites... I blame the director for these awkward performances.
Rating: 6

Cinematography: The shots of the inside of the UN were pretty cool. An explosion here and there did alright. Overall professional but no Oomph.
Rating: 6

Script: The writing was good. The people spoke like people would speak in this sort of distressed situation. Sadly I have nothing to say beyond that. Passably good.
Rating: 7

Plot: The plot was ultra-realistic until that dramatic scene. By ultra-realistic, I mean, kind of boring. If it hadn't have been for the company I was with, I would have thought it much worse. And the introductory premises of coincidence are too plentiful. A touch of suspension of disbelief.
Rating: 6

Mood: The mood of the UN and the vastness of it all was pretty cool, I must admit, but we really weren't there all that much. Penn and Kidman did this attraction without follow-through, and it did a good job of raising the tension, Penn's urgency of actually wanting to save this person he's slowly getting to know. Decent.
Rating: 7

"Wow, you're amazing, ok translaaaate... poncho!"

Overall Rating: 64% (Doesn't Speak Volumes)

Aftertaste: This is one of those movies that will fade under the radar. It's not great, but it's professional and will make the right amount of money for the studio. When I pass it in Blockbuster, people will ask expectantly, "What do you think?" I will reply, "Seen it."