A Scientist at the Movies Reviews by Greg Paris

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Title: The Interpreter

Date Viewed: 4/23/05

Details:

Nicole Kidman

Sean Penn

Catherine Keener

Jesper Christensen

Yvan Attal

Hugo Speer

Director: Sidney Pollack

Score: +

The Review: When life becomes an onion, start peeling.

A mystery thriller situated in contemporary NYC, with minor subroutines into a fictional, war-torn African country, in large measure filmed inside or near the UN facilities -- with their express permission (an unusual first). Kidman is a UN translator, that elite branch that keeps things flowing in obscure languages, and the plot revolves around an overheard conversation in an empty room in just one of these obscure languages. Penn is the investigator tasked with getting to the bottom of the story, and protecting her if need be. But things become more and more convoluted as the plot unwinds.

It's easy to see why the UN granted permission to film, considering the views expressed and "lived" by Kidman's character.

(30-May-05)

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