The Interpreter

Building layer upon layer of riveting intrigue, only to reach a finale weighed down with logistical loopholes, The Interpreter is a political thriller set in motion by an assassination plot overheard by a translator (Nicole Kidman) at the United Nations. The circumstances of her accidental eavesdropping turn out to be a little suspect, and coupled with her covered-up past of rebel activity in her African homeland, it's no wonder that the Secret Service agent assigned to investigate (Sean Penn) finds her revelation to be dubious at best. Largely a variation on a standard Hollywood template about a brooding cop assigned to protect a pretty witness, director Sydney Pollack nevertheless infuses the film with a dizzyingly authentic sense of worldwide political instability, and his stars vividly convey the emotional distress of their characters as explosive new threats manifest themselves, skeletons are forced out of closets, and scarring psychological twists turn events inside out. Unfortunately, suspension-of-disbelief problems weaken the film's climax (suffice it to say that all-access passes seem suspiciously easy to come by at the UN) to this otherwise gripping tale that is increasingly driven by passion and questions of morality rather than conspiracy. A strong optional purchase. [Note: DVD extras include audio commentary by director Sydney Pollack, the featurette 'Sydney Pollack at Work: From Concept to Cutting Room' (10 min.), 'The Ultimate Movie Set: The United Nations' featurette about filming at the UN (8 min.), 'A Day in the Life of Real Interpreters' (8 min.), the 'Interpreting Pan & Scan vs. Widescreen' featurette (5 min.), a three-minute alternate ending, three minutes of deleted scenes, and trailers. Bottom line: a solid extras package for a flawed thriller.] (R. Blackwelder) [Blu-ray Review—Nov. 13, 2018—Kino Lorber, 128 min., PG-13, Blu-ray: $29.95—Making its debut on Blu-ray, 2005’s The Interpreter features a fine transfer and a DTS-HD 5.1 soundtrack. Extras include audio commentary by director Sydney Pollack, the behind-the-scenes featurettes 'Sydney Pollack at Work: From Concept to Cutting Room' (10 min.), 'The Ultimate Movie Set: The United Nations' (8 min.), 'A Day in the Life of Real Interpreters' (8 min.), and 'Interpreting Pan & Scan vs. Widescreen' (5 min.), an alternate ending (3 min.), and deleted scenes (2 min.). Bottom line: this uneven thriller looks impressive on Blu-ray.]