Screen scene
By Daily Bruin Staff
April 21, 2005 9:00 p.m.
“The Interpreter” Directed by Sydney Pollack
Universal Pictures
The United Nations makes its cinematic debut today with the
release of “The Interpreter.” As the first film allowed
inside U.N. headquarters, Director Sydney Pollack was granted
unprecedented access to the international organization. With a plot
that revolves around the organization and raises questions
regarding its role in the international community of today, the
film posits itself as the political thriller for the 21st century.
Unfortunately, while the political aspect shines through, the
thriller aspect fails to translate. U.N. Interpreter Silvia Broome
(Nicole Kidman) overhears a death threat against the leader of a
fictitious African country, Matobo, in a fictitious language, Ku,
which only a handful of people understand. Coincidently, Broome is
an expatriate of Matobo, and the leader who she alleges will be
assassinated is the very man responsible for the deaths of her
family members in Africa. Thus, Sean Penn enters the scene as Tobin
Keller, the tough Secret Service agent suspicious not only of the
interpreter, but antagonistic of the United Nations as a whole. The
characters of Kidman and Penn thus represent diametrically opposing
views about the role of the United Nations. In uttering grand
statements such as: “Nations have gone to war over
miscommunication,” the interpreter expounds the merits of
diplomacy while the federal agent, on the other hand, references
the organization’s recent scandals in telling Broome,
“You guys have had a pretty bad year.” While this
dichotomy is interesting (and makes for some seriously hot sexual
tension) the dialogue gets bogged down in cheesiness at times as
these two world views become oversimplified and crammed into two
characters. But the film does raise important questions regarding
international governance. For example, what should be done about
leaders who rise to prominence as freedom fighters only to become
murderous tyrants once they have secured power? Although the film
deals only with the fictional Matobo, one cannot help but think of
Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe and a handful of other African leaders
accused of crimes against humanity. One of the finest elements of
the film, in fact, is its indirect exploration of the political
strife in the oft-overlooked continent. Although the characters
utilize U.N. lingo, such as “The G.A.” (General
Assembly) and “The I.C.C.” (International Criminal
Court), the film will most likely disappoint anyone truly
interested in the workings of the international organization.
Instead, the film focuses on a terrorist plot, which at times can
be suspenseful, but ultimately heralds no big surprises. -Emily
Camastra
