by: Josh Marks
In the tradition of Alfred Hitchcock, director Sydney Pollack (“Three Days of
the Condor,” “Absence of Malice,” “The Firm”) has made a suspenseful political
thriller that balances the personal conflicts of the main characters with the
larger story of international corruption and violence.
However, unlike Hitchcock, who was not allowed to shoot scenes of “North by
Northwest” in the visitor’s lounge of the United Nations; Pollack, in making
“The Interpreter,” was given unprecedented access to the UN complex in
The scenes shot in the General Assembly and other locales in the United Nations
and around
Nicole Kidman and Sean Penn provide solid performances in their roles. Kidman
plays Silvia Broome, an African-born translator who overhears a death threat
against the head of state of the fictional African country of Matobo. The leader, who had been accused of genocide by
some, was to make his case in front of the General Assembly.
Penn plays Secret Service agent Tobin Keller, who is brought into investigate
Broome’s story. As he learns more about Broome, the layers of her past and the
possible assassination plot begin to unfold. The personal conflicts between the
two characters increase as well. They both have painful secrets from their past
that adds to the tension and suspense. Pollack does a great job at balancing
these intriguing stories while keeping the audience guessing as to how they
will be resolved.
Pollack also does a good job of staying as neutral as possible when it comes to
the controversial United Nations and in dealing with such hot-button issues as
terrorism and ethnic cleansing. The film provides more of an education about
the UN rather than being for or against the actions of the world body.
In these times of seeming international instability, “The Interpreter” has an
added relevance. This story of international communication and miscommunication
is a great movie however not only because of the global story, but because it
is balanced with the personal communication and miscommunication between the
people involved.