Nicole Kidman Movie:

		List Price: $19.98		Label: Universal Studios Salesrank: 11977 Released: October 24, 2006
		Our Price: $0.32
		Used Price: $1.86
		MPAA Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested) Media: HD DVD

Editorial Review:
Universal The Interpreter - HD-DVD
Academy Award winners Nicole Kidman and Sean Penn star in the action-packed thriller, "The Interpreter". In one of the hidden corridors of power at United Nations headquarters, translator Silvia Broome (Kidman) overhears apotentially explosive secret about a planned assassination attempt. But when federal agent Tobin Keller (Penn) investigates her claim and digs deeperinto Silvia's dangerous past, he begins to question whether she is a victim or a suspect. From Oscar-Winning director Sydney Pollack comes the riveting, edge-of-your-seat story of international intrigue that Ebert & Roeper give "Two thumbs up!"

Description of The Interpreter [HD DVD]:
Director Sydney Pollack delivers megawatt star power, high gloss, and political passion to The Interpreter, his first thriller since The Firm. With Nicole Kidman and Sean Penn delivering smooth, understated performances, the film more closely recalls Pollack's 1975 Robert Redford/Faye Dunaway paranoid thriller Three Days of the Condor, trading conspiratorial politicians for potential assassination in the United Nations General Assembly (this being the first film ever granted permission to use actual U.N. locations). Kidman plays a U.N. interpreter who inadvertently overhears hints of a plot to kill the reviled, tyrannical leader of her (fictional) African homeland; Penn is the Secret Service agent assigned to protect her, or to determine her role (if any) in the assassination scenario. By distancing itself from real-life politics, The Interpreter softens its potential impact as a thriller about contemporary globalization and threats to international peace, but the Penn/Kidman personal drama (between two people who gain a deep appreciation for shared anguish, without being artificially forced into romance) adds a richly human dimension to Pollack's expert handling of the thriller elements of a complex yet easily-followed plot. Indie-film stalwart Catherine Keener shines in her supporting role as Penn's sarcastic by sympathetic Secret Service partner. --Jeff Shannon

The Interpreter [HD DVD] Reviews:
Much better than I expected! A serious movie with a lot to say.
2009-08-19 - This movie is great. I really appreciated the fact that it is serious and thoughtful- not the overblown nonsense that I think the advertisements and whatnot made it out to be. There are several films that, while not direct comparisons in all ways, illuminate what I mean-- compare this film to "Shooter" or "The Siege". Those other movies are Hollywood nonsense all the way-- over-the-top, unrealistic, and cheesy. This movie, while also dealing with political intrigue, is completely realistic, at least in the way it treats the characters and their motivations. Perhaps some might argue that the individual "suspense" elements of plot are not very realistic, but the fine acting, script, and serious presentation give those elements more credibility than they might have if just considered on their own merits.

The film is measured, without a lot of dramatic music and flashy editing. It also treats the fictional political conflict, which could easily stand in for any number of real-world situations such as Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka, or the Congo, very seriously and does a good job connecting human emotions with a type of conflict that most of us probably don't relate to very well here in the US.

The best thing about the movie is the acting by Nicole Kidman and Sean Penn. They are both utter professionals who clearly embraced their roles. Ms. Kidman is icy and enigmatic, but somehow still allows the viewer to feel her barely submerged pain and suffering. Mr. Penn is completely convincing as a consumate professional torn up by some inner demons.

Perhaps some viewers may not find this movie particularly "entertaining." It lacks the sensationalism and flash that audiences might expect. It also features some pretty miserable characters-- I don't think there's a single laugh in the whole film. The politics it deals with is the type most Americans would rather pretend don't exist- the continued suffering and strife of impoverished post-colonial African nations. It is however, a masterfully acted, technically accomplished, and thought-provoking movie, and a really tense thriller, as well.

great movie!
2009-08-12 - love this movie! saw it on television and decided to purchase it, so I could watch it again. very believeable plot and terrific acting by Penn and Kidman. if you like intrigue and suspence, this is the movie for you!

Sidney Pollack's last film is a good thriller
2009-05-27 - This film would be, unfortunately, director Sidney Pollack's last. Boasting a cast of Oscar winners (Kidman and Penn), and a slightly convoluted story, "The Interpreter" is also gripping entertainment. Pollack begins his story in South Africa with the killing of 2 journalists and then segues to the UN where Kidman as an Afrikanner interpreter works. As the story slowly unfolds, we find that her knowledge of a planned assasination could put her life in danger and that's where a cynical FBI agent (Penn) comes in to check up on her story. What begins as a tentative relationship between the two slowly unfolds as they become intricately involved but without actually having a consumative relationship which marred Pollack's own "3 Days of the Condor" (I could never buy the relationship between Redford and Dunaway). In this era of short attention spans, Pollack should be applauded for taking his time in developing these relationships as well as slowly involving us in their dilemna (the slight twist near the end was nice). This film is a fitting testament to the legacy of Sidney Pollack who also uses the widescreen format to excellent effect here.

Action, suspense & characters you feel for = a great movie!
2009-03-25 - This is an very entertaining movie. The entire cast play off each other very well. Characters are very believeable. A bit of a tortured soul theme going on in the background but the main plot is all action & suspense. Well plotted and executed movie. If I had seen this in a cinema it would have been worth the cost of admission & a bag of popcorn!

Terrible movie, but...
2009-02-20 - this particular movie holds some sentimental value for me. I saw this movie in the theatres, taking a girl I had just recently met on our first date. Fast forward four years and we're still in an amazing relationship. Bought her this movie for Valentine's Day, and even though we'll never watch it, it still means a lot to both of us.