movie's 411

>> THE INTERPRETER (2005)

Starring: Nicole Kidman, Sean Penn, and more ...
Director: Sydney Pollack
Genre: Thriller





"revenge is a lazy form of grief"


silvia broome (nicole kidman) is an interpreter at the united nations. her job is to translate for her assigned delegate the complex issues faced by the united nations. but the interpreter's daily challenge turns epic when she accidentally overhears details of a plot to assassinate a high-ranking government official, president edmund ziwanie of republic of montobo, where silvia is coming from. suddenly, her existence is overshadowed by danger, and she must unravel an intricate yarn of intrigue with the help of an FBI agent, detective keller (sean penn) who is assigned as a secret service for the UN. keller's job is to investigate her while finding out the real truth behind the assassination plot.

at first, keller thought silvia was a liar. the fact that she had a dark history against zuwanie. zuwanie is a tyrant and had murdered thousands of people under the beliefs that they are threats to society when it means they are threats to his power. silvia's family died on one of his landmines, placed on purpose on the road of her village. she and her only brother were the only ones left. when silvia chose a less violent, diplomatic way to fight for what she believes in by joining the UN, her brother chose to pick up a gun and fight behind the lines against zuwanie along with the country's favorite leader to replace zuwanie (also silvia's ex lover), ajene zola. along with the investigation, detective keller begins to believe in silvia and sympathize with her, through her losses.

the sad-looking detective was just also lost the one he loves. his wife died two weeks before he met silvia due to an accident. it hit him hard and he was having a hard time to move on.

this movie surely has a class of its own. it's powerful and emotional at the same time, especially for me. i'm just more emotional for seeing new york city up close again. it has sydney pollack written all over it. strong, powerful and smart. nicole kidman and sean penn really had a very strong chemistry towards each other, it makes all the other good actors around them (like christine kenner, for example) are just like another extras in the movie. pollack knows what kind of movie he wants to make. he keeps the chemistry between the leading actors, but he keeps it just as that. no touching, no kissing.

the dialogs are strong, and the lines are really well written, even when the actor is trying to tell an african culture of a country that didn't actually exist in this world. the part i love the most is when silvia told keller that people in her country do not speak of the dead. to revenge a death of somebody is to try save another life. she said that if a killer was found, he would be left to drown in the ocean. when the victim's family let him drown, the family will be mourning forever. but if they go and save him, they had accepted their faith and move on to embrace the new world because the montoban believe that revenge is a lazy form of grief. and THAT is a powerful message. a rare kind that we see in hollywood movies.

there are lots of elements of surprise in this movie but they are what makes this movie good. one thing for sure, this movie sure worth your money to see. and you have to admit, the leading actors, kidman and penn, are two powerful actors that surely have a class of their own and you just cannot deny it.

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>> rated by :: sLesTa | [ ]

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