The Interpreter

The Interpreter has a great pedigree, and with that, it has great expectations. Nicole Kidman, Sean Penn and director Sydney Pollack line up for a political thriller that must be something fantastic to attract this sort of talent. It sure does look that way for awhile, as the story unfolds of a U.N. interpreter (Kidman) who hears some assassination talk inside her sound booth. It really does seem as if it’s working up to something, and something big. Then, with the lamest of the lame endings, the sucker goes thud. The lameness of the ending doesn’t really hit you until the ride home. It’s one of those "movie" endings that could never, ever happen, tacked on to a film that was reasonably credible up to that point. I won’t give it away here, but take my word for it: It’s stupid, and it owes a lot to Quentin Tarantino’s Reservoir Dogs.